peace and passion

"Years as a healer and trauma therapist have taught me that trauma isn't destiny. The body, not the thinking brain, is where we experience most of our pain, pleasure, and joy, and where we process most of what happens to us." Resmaa Menakem, My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathways to mending our Hearts and Bodies.

what are your persistent traumas and challenges? environmental? political? technological? social? others? all the above? whatever they are, this new year is a favorable time to re-evaluate our relationship with them. consider whether the ways we have learned to deal with stress might be more hurtful than helpful, or vice versa; whether the original reasons that lead us to focus on them are still true. ask other questions, too. we don’t know all the answers. our goal is simply to inspire us to take an inventory.

the body, Menakem shares "... is also where we do most of our healing, including our emotional and psychological healing. And it is where we experience resilience and a sense of flow."  what if the present moment contained all that we need to express our inner world?

try this: slowly and calmly writing out your thoughts freely, without editing or second-guessing. "riled writing" can be very cathartic and insightful. the practice allows our authentic voice to come through naturally. it is possible to shift confrontational energy to enable curiosity. whatever emerges is perfect just as it is. become aware of bodily tension; it can often be tied to unhealed pain. there is wisdom in simply observing our thoughts without judgment, letting them flow from pen to page.

don't worry if what comes forth isn't logical or fully formed. simply let the words emerge, release each one gently onto the blank page. what wishes to be known and heard? let your hand move as it will, guided not by logic but by intuition. no need to look back or make it orderly. the process is the purpose. keep breathing softly as the sentences string themselves together. trust that your stream of consciousness holds meaning waiting to be unveiled.

movement meditation is a way to bring active energy to your reflective practice. much like the writing exercise, the goal is not movement per se, but the focus of the body in movement. for some, the active meditative reflection in tandem with movement might be better suited to calming the mind and tapping into the realm of body wisdom .

our "walking the paths" movement meditation course includes a reading circle, including Menakem's insightful read noted here. our next cohort for the four week intensive and trauma study is beginning in February. register here: 🍃. let us know how we can help you stay grounded, motivated and supported in this practice of creativity and healing.

in solidarity,

E&K

Eugenia Bowman Crews, M.S.

Kampol Crews, CMT

🍃walk the path with us 🍃warriors 🍃healers 🍃visionaries 🍃teachers🍃