• I help people fully inhabit their bodies and guide teachers to do the same • Get access to exclusive videos, articles and teachings from Domini Anne
The Art of Bending Without Breaking
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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much our bodies carry for us, Reader — quietly, often without complaint, and often without us even noticing. We push through tension, override exhaustion, ignore the whispers of discomfort until suddenly they’re no longer whispers: the back seizes up, the breath shortens, the jaw tightens until it aches. But here’s the shift I’ve been sitting with lately: What if those signals aren’t just irritations to be managed, but invitations to be answered? That tight jaw, those stiff shoulders, the ache in your low back—they’re not random malfunctions. They’re your body’s brilliant attempt to keep you upright, protected, functional in the face of life’s chaos. They are your nervous system’s survival strategies at work: bracing, freezing, curling inward, conserving energy. The paradox is this: the same strategies that help us get through can, over time, chip away at our capacity to thrive. The good news? These signals—if we learn to listen—can also show us the way back. They’re like trail markers pointing us toward resilience. Tight hips are a call to stand and stretch. Tense shoulders are a nudge to exhale. A collapsed spine invites us to rise and expand. Your body isn’t just reacting; it’s communicating. And when we meet it with curiosity and care, we can shift from mere survival into something much richer: adaptability, ease, and strength. And this is where the deeper magic reveals itself. As we tend to the body, something stirs in the mind. The two are woven together in ways we often overlook. When we release tension from the diaphragm and reclaim a fuller breath, we’re not just fueling the body—we’re quieting the nervous system, creating space for clarity, for calm. When we take the time to unwind the tension in our shoulders with a short mobility session, or pour restless energy into a sweaty workout, we interrupt the brain’s alarm system and trade vigilance and irritability for something softer: a calmer, more grounded, more integrated version of ourselves. Even the smallest shifts ripple outward:
When we help the body feel safe, the mind often exhales. And that’s when resilience becomes more than a concept—it becomes something we live in. So this week, I’ve put together a 15-minute guided "unwind" routine using just a yoga block and a bit of wall space. By the end, you’ll feel more spacious, grounded, and aligned—ready to step into your day a little taller, a little lighter. And if you’re ready to take this exploration further, I’d love to invite you to Resilient by Design: Embodied Awareness in an Unsteady World—an experiential talk and embodiment practice where we’ll weave these ideas into both understanding and experience. Together, we’ll explore how the body’s signals are not signs of failure but doorways into resilience—and how, with the right tools, you can walk through them. You’ll leave with: 📅 Date + time: 05/15 - 6-7 PM PST / Cost : $25 Come curious. Leave resourced, aligned, and resilient—by design.
With you on this path, |
Domini Anne
• I help people fully inhabit their bodies and guide teachers to do the same • Get access to exclusive videos, articles and teachings from Domini Anne
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