Finding Home in Your Body: The Art of Internal Navigation The Familiar vs. The Unknown Have you noticed how different it feels to drive somewhere new versus familiar? Even with the most sophisticated GPS, we feel disconnected in unfamiliar territory, helplessly dependent on that digital voice telling us to “recalculate.” But driving home needs no navigation – we flow through the journey, choosing routes based on traffic, weather, or simple whim, each choice informed by an internal map built...
10 days ago • 3 min read
If Life is a Highway, We Need more Rest Areas. “This is going to make a great story” When times get tough, these are the words that get me through. Reminding me that every adventure, mishap, and white knuckle moment lived up until now has always had an ending. When we're in the thick of it, struggling to solve the insurmountable problem of the hour, it can feel like things may never return to "normal". Projecting that the current predicament might possibly be great material for a future story...
17 days ago • 3 min read
• 7 minute read Explore why simple movements sometimes become unnecessarily complex (and what that costs us) Discover how movement clarity can free up mental and physical energy Learn a simple technique for helping yourself (or your students) find more efficient movement patterns Experience a 15-minute mobility sequence that teaches joint differentiation while feeling like a massage Raise Your Hand If... Hey Reader, let's try something interesting: Put down your phone and raise your hand....
24 days ago • 3 min read
It was just last year when I became aware of the phenomenon that I like to refer to as "Gap Week" - the week between Christmas and New Years where (according to the Internet) : "Calories don't count, wine is great for breakfast, and nobody knows what date it is." There's a reason why memes go viral. It's because when you read that mildly sarcastic, funny text, it resonates with you. There's something that has you respond internally with "I feel seen." And because someone you don't even know...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Ziggy received a text from Weezy this morning. A simple 4 word message to start the day: "Mom is the WORST" Click this image to be taken to the full Montoya Family Christmas video archive You might chalk this up to teenage rebellion (14 year old girls excel in this area), but there was, in fact, a reason. It was December 24th, the day we shoot the annual Montoya Holiday Video. In our family of four (not counting the furry ones), three of us will ham it up at the drop of a hat. The remaining...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Well, it happened Reader ( and I hope you're as excited for this as I am) The 2024 Domini Collection has arrived, emerging as it always does when winter's longer nights ignite the desire to create. This year, I've returned to the classics - pieces that have proven themselves essential to living fully in your body. Every item was handmade by yours truly using fabric that quite literally spoke to me during my pilgrimages to the fashion district this year, each piece promising "I'm going to look...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Deep Thoughts - 5 Minute Read Reflections on presence & the 2-Song Crush technique FREE 15-minute mobility routine Flash Sale!! 50% off all on-demand classes (retiring in January!) As usual, I chuckled to myself when Costco started breaking out the holiday decorations before Halloween was even over. The juxtaposition of giant skeletons with the first shimmer of Christmas tree lights and an impressively stocked aisle of Lego's and other timeless children's gifts perfectly encapsulated the...
2 months ago • 3 min read
In this week's newsletter (6 min read): Cat-interrupted online training sparks unexpected breakthroughs Free mini-workout : 8-minute neck release with bath towel Free Core Breathwork & movement class this Thursday (10-11:30PST) Key takeaway: Working within limitations reveals surprising solutions... Recently a client of mine (we'll call her Lynn) was involved in a serious car accident that left her with a broken sternum. After some consideration we decided to try moving her sessions to Zoom,...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Some weeks overflow with deep thoughts Reader , while others hold more space for silence. This week falls into the latter category, yet a recent conversation with a particularly insightful client during a bodywork session sparked an interesting reflection I'd like to share. We were discussing "non-responsive" areas in his body—those persistent muscle knots and surrounding areas of tension. I explained how muscles need to express their full range of motion to feel free, to both contract and...
3 months ago • 2 min read