Interval Training

the key to efforting less

The physical therapist I work with has been my guide to gently reacquainting with the body.  I, of course, have a remembering of my bodies’ abilities oh some 10 years ago, but it is not very kind to expect that of it now.  At least not all at once. 

To all my wants she reminds me that interval training is one of the best ways to workout.  It reminds me of the somatic work I do with my participants (and in my own practice) – addressing small bites of stress with moments to rest and resourcing back into a space of greater capacity.  This allows a more grounded, spacious skills building so, when the stress  is presented the next time, its just a bit more manageable and we are a bit stronger. 

Periodically through the year, I attend a meditation or writing intensive to expand and deepen my practice  In these spaces I wear out the conventional ways my mind works and something has the opportunity to open… to soften.  I am surprised every time.  I take those lessons and create bite-sized ways I can touch into it in my return.  

This space is often forgotten as part of the process of becoming or creating a thing.  Social media has trained many to curate these gaps out creating an artificial slideshow of perfected performance when beauty and success is born from the slime and muck.

I am in such a space right now and will enter another in July.  During these periods, I will take a pause from posting .  It is imaginal and spiritual maintenance time.  And even in that space, a part of me is always thinking on the issues on the heart.  When I can do some maintenance, there is time to deepen, and I look forward to sharing what I learn.  As a supporter of this work, I want to thank you for understanding this is part of it all.

I did want to share a moment from this period.  As part of the first Genius Conference held by the African American Writers Alliance, I was part of a panel discussion titled Voices Across Verses: The Publishing Journey According to the Writers with Reagan Jackson, Renee Simms and moderated by Jodi-Ann Burey.  I left with a reminder that whether I am speaking to the publishing world, the mental health world, the Buddhist world or my family, it is grounded in compassion as my armor, vulnerability as flowered bow and expansiveness as the prize.  Humanity is expansive – there is room for much more than we police down.

Members of Black Women Write Seattle:

Voices Across Verses Panel: Renee Simms, c.r.glasgow, Reagan Jackson; moderated by Jodi-Ann Burey [not pictured]

Stay tuned, the next slogan is on its way!