Growing our community muscles has to be a priority

From a recent local class.

Let me start by saying that a lot of us have grown, over our lives, complacent about community building. We tend to participate in communities that are convenient and easy.

This has been especially true since the pandemic, from which we learned to isolate more and more. Of course, this was necessary in terms of 3D human encounters to protect us all, but many of us gave up altogether even in the face of tools that could have kept our community muscles a bit more healthy.

So we enter into next week, into a new and potentially damaging paradigm, leaning again into isolation.

This won’t do.

Not if we want the coming years to be at all safe for women and marginalized humans. We can’t just sink into our aloneness and stay at home watching television and judge the world as it burns from our comfortable front windows.

We must commune with likeminded humans. We must build trust and companionship because that’s the foundation of the work that will call to us.

We must build this trust and companionship via shared story (and truth) telling.

We must embody this trust and companionship.

I’m convinced that this cannot only all be done in 3D but also if we are far away from one another via the very tools that many want to use to hurt us.

Tools are only as good as their users… whether this be the maps of religions or tech tools or hammers or communication.

And we must not desert these very powerful tools to those who would use them for evil. (Yes, evil.)

I will be staying, for example, on Facebook because it has a free private group function that no one else offers. I can use that to grow community.

But beyond that, I am staying because I will not let these spaces be taken over by hateful voices. I will be a compassionate voice. I will fight for the space that has given me so much.

And I will, of course, continue to teach online via zoom. The community that has grown in those classes since the start of the pandemic is as beautiful and deep and solid as any community in 3D that I am a part of. To say otherwise is to demean our basic, DNA level need and capacity to connect to one another regardless of circumstances.

So I come to you with two things.

If you’re not in the Circle of Trees on Facebook, ask me to add you.

Here’s a quick take on what goes on in there: It's a space where people feel really safe to share challenges -- and joys. We talk a lot about neurodivergence/neurospicy brains, and mental health, and of course. somatic/healing movement. The support in this space and the kindness and compassion are indescribable.

And as always, I have classes starting. They start next week, the week of the inauguration.

I, like most of you I assume, am grieving that inauguration, but I know, too, that I can’t stay stuck in grief, and being in somatic dance spaces with other humans is how I take care of my emotional and mental health so that I can be strong for myself and everyone around me.

You can register for Peony Somatic Dance classes right now.

Don’t hide. Don’t disappear. We need every single one of our voices out in this world. Now more than ever.

Listening to music from our youth is not just nostalgia

Me, at about 16. And yes, I’m singing as I dance… I always have.

A few weeks ago, I was having an extra rough stretch of days. It might have been soon after the election so it was more like a couple of months ago. I taught my local class and then got in the car to drive home. I put on a random Spotify list from the 1980s and the song that popped up was Notorious by Duran Duran.

You might not know, but likely do, that I was a major Duranie all through high school and beyond. At this point, I’ve seen them four times, including twice in the last two years with Craig.

Their Notorious tour was the first time I saw them. I would have been 17/18 years old and my mother took me to Blossom in Ohio to see them (one of the places I just saw them with Craig, actually… time is funny, isn’t it?).

Anyway, as soon as that song started in the car, I felt a physical change in my body. And over the first bit of the song, my mind shifted and my heart opened. And I realized that I suddenly felt… really powerful.

That is the only word for it… powerful. REALLY powerful. That kind of youthful “I can do anything in this world” powerful.

It felt amazing. So over the next couple of weeks, whenever I got in the car, I put that song on and it kept working. It helped me to recover my sense of myself.

A lot of people see us as stuck if we listen to music from our youth. And you know me… I am constantly learning new music. I know what’s happening in the music world… always.

But there’s more to the music of our youth than just nostalgia.

About 14 years ago, I came across a study from 1979 called Counterclockwise, and I’ve talked about this study a lot over the years. A group of older men were brought to a house that only had things from their 20s. And they only listened to music from that time. Over the week, they regained what they thought was lost-forever mobility and their memories got sharper.

Now there are people working to replicate that study. You can look here. (I haven’t dug into all of the links yet, but I will be and I encourage you to.)

And recently there was a big cover article for National Geographic about how much aging really is just a cultural story. Hmmm… who has been yelling that for the last 15 years!?!? (That article is behind a paywall but I intend to get it. If anyone has access, read it and let me know what you think.)

Here’s the thing: there are big time benefits to tapping into the music of our youth on the regular.

And as you’ve heard me say countless times, there are HUGE benefits to moving to music we don’t know.

It’s a both/and thing. They each have benefits.

So here’s my question for you: what music makes you feel amazing? Or brings back a younger version of you?

Movement play inspiration for your new year

I would like to say happy new year but I’m writing this on January 6th and I’m just not feeling it. I’m assuming most (if not all) of you reading this are on the same page.

I also just taught at the residential recovery center and spent that time talking to someone about their fears about what’s coming. Wherever I go, people are anxious and worried. January feels like we’re collectively holding our breath until the 20th and the few days after. But then I think we’ve all been doing that to some degree since the night of the election.

Here’s hoping that the guardrails hold…

Regardless we need to keep moving forward, and focusing our energy on the things we can actually control becomes more important than ever.

Taking care of ourselves and filling ourselves with joyful energy is crucial if we are ever to build the kind of world that I know we all want — one of inclusivity, compassion, and real love… the kind of love that values every being as worthy.

With that in mind, I come to my main new year’s intention: to get back my sense of passion and playfulness with my own dance/movement practices, rather than only feeling that way when I’m teaching.

I’m starting slowly with about ten minutes at noon every day. I got a fun disco light just for this. I turn that on and put on a list of 80s dance music. I don’t “try” to “do” or experiment or create. Just dance. That’s it. Let it flow.

Next week, I’ll be building more aspects of my practice.

And in preparation for all of this, I’ve created a playlist of inspiration on YouTube that you also can access by hitting the upper right corner where it says 1/16 on the video below or click here. There’s only one of my own videos on this list and then other things that you can skip around in for ideas.

I’ll add to this list whenever I come across anything that fits that bill.

Let me know if you have any videos you think belong on it.

Still struggling and maybe you are too

A quote I keep going back to.

I’ve not been able to get steady bearings since the morning after the election, and I’m guessing that’s true for you who read here.

I’m devastated and heartbroken that such a vile person is once again going to be given the keys to the kingdom. And even though it’s not technically until January 20th that that happens, everywhere you look, it seems to have emboldened more hate.

I won’t go on because I know you know.

I simply do not know how to navigate this world where only about 30% of eligible voters are now able to create this ugly world for the rest of us. I don’t know my role in this kind of world.

I do not want to allow them to take my joy but I am struggling.

One thing that I have recently started to do is read about the idea of the artist under fascist/authoritarian types of governments. I’m digging into an academic piece right now that I’ll eventually share. And I’ll keep sharing because digging into this vein of wisdom gives me some sense of myself — at least while I’m reading.

Here’s the first piece I read, and here’s my favorite quote from it:

““Within this authoritarian context, performance work flourished—as ephemeral works proved difficult to censor and commercial viability wasn’t a concern—and particularly so among women artists. In some of her performance works, poet and artist Katalin Ladik would appear completely naked, barely clothed, or costumed, challenging normative gender roles. “The freedom to use your body in a dictatorial state is the last freedom,” Szántó says.”
”

Out of the quiet: free community and last session of the year

I’ve been quiet. I’ve been sad. I’ve been raging. I’ve been breathless. I’ve been heartbroken.

And yet, when I have had to teach, I have re-found community and joyfulness and a sense of agency.

I’ve been thinking. I’ve been writing. I’ve been talking. I’ve been screaming.

And I know that we each — every one of us — has a gift that is now going to be called upon even more. There is no more hiding. We must each take our gifts and offer them to the world as loudly as we can.

The world depends on it.

I think that one of my gifts has to do with building safe community. And I think we all crave deeper connections than ever.

And whether we like it or not, some of that connection happens online. (I, for one, am a huge fan. There are people in my closest circles whom I would not even know any other way…)

Circle of Trees now open

With that in mind, I’m opening up what was a small and private Facebook group that arose out of my own needs after I closed the larger group.

This new group is Circle of Trees and you are invited to join us. For processing. For raging. For building. For destroying. For learning. For teaching. For listening. For loving.

Just click on that link and ask to be included. If you have any issues with it, just send me a note here or on Facebook and I’ll add you.

Last movement classes of the year

And in order to really be of service to this world, we must each be fully embodied and fully voiced.

To practice somatic dance or yoga together is to practice that embodiment. To practice is vital to eventually being able to work in this world from a grounded, centered, and connected space.

Go here to join our final four week session of Quickie Kundalini yoga or Peony Somatic Dance.

Peony Somatic Dance Ecotones: In Person Workshop (Columbus, OH)

I am so excited to announce this! I don’t remember the last time I had an in person workshop, and this will be my first here in Columbus at my studio home, Heartfelt Yoga.

Here is the registration page.

Peony Somatic Dance: Ecotones

To start, what the heck is an ecotone, Christine?

It’s this cool thing in ecology. It’s the transition zone where two biological communities meet and integrate. It’s considered a really fertile spot for change, for evolution, for new things to happen.

For us, the ecotones will be areas of investigation and experimentation. Crossover spaces where we can learn new things about ourselves and our space in the world.

Our ecotones, as it were, will be the following:

• Our physical, energetic, and emotional bodies

• Our breath, voice, and movement

• You as an individual, you as a community member, and the community

• Self observation, deep listening, and writing

The Basics

Dates: Friday, November 15 through Sunday, November 17

Times:
Friday: 6 PM to 8 PM
Saturday: 10 AM to 6 PM (with one hour for you to get some lunch)
Sunday: 10 AM to 2 PM (with just a snack break)

And don’t worry: You won’t be sweating your butt off for all of those hours. There will be a good blend of moving and not moving based explorations.

Cost: $299

GO HERE TO REGISTER

What you should bring

Your beautiful self
Comfortable clothing for moving and layering
A favorite blanket (or use one of the studio’s)
You do NOT need a yoga mat
Pen and journal
Water bottle
Snacks
Anything like a favorite crystal, plushie, mala, statue that will support your time with us

More about Peony Somatic Dance: Ecotones

Peony Somatic Dance is a breath and imagery based practice unlike any of the ecstatic or "conscious" dance stuff that's out there. It will take you deeply into your uniquely creative way of moving and deeply into your life, but it will also allow you to explore and expand your internal landscape, making space for all that has happened to you and all that is to come. One of our primary goals is emotional flexibility, the ability to deal with whatever is happening and to still maintain a connection to your essential joy.

(And side note: Peony Somatic Dance is deeply grounded in Japanese Butoh, and specifially the underlying philosophy of Butoh. Watching this short video that includes moments with my mentor, Maureen Fleming, will give you a bit more understanding. You can also check out my YouTube channel here.)

You can read more about what actual classes look like here.

This workshop will give us the time we need to dive deep into the vast array of practices I’ve developed over the last 15 years of teaching.

Some example of the practices we will experiment with

• A variety of breath practices that will support movement, rest, and contemplation

• Group and partner practices that teach us about our shared energy and support

• Group and partner practices to re-awaken child-like wonder, awe, and glee

• Group voice play (don’t worry… totally safe and you can always opt out. No one will be put on the spot or made to “sing.” this is about noise making)

• Individual deep movement meant to regulate your nervous system

• Individual deep movement to explore your inner landscape

• Individual deep movement to awaken playfulness and joy

• Writing prompts to integrate all you are learning via your body

• Group movement to create a “piece” that will represent the weekend’s work

• Group discussions to explore how we can fully integrate this work into our daily lives back home

Questions about any of this?

Respond to this post or email me or Facebook/Instagram message me. (See all the links at the bottom of this page.)

Brains, Memories, Energy, and Menopause

My 40s were absolutely fab. And there are a bunch of reasons that many of us are not having great 50s, including the orange clown entering our lives in 2016 and then the pandemic and more of that circus recently. But apart from all of that, from what I’ve gathered from older women, the 50s can definitely be a rollercoaster ride.

This is your reminder that if you follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram you’ll be getting new, weekly, free experiments.

On average, it’s when full menopause starts. And I say starts because that one year mark is just the beginning. Like our teenage puberty, menopause is really years long. Things take time to settle.

I’ve been noticing energy and brain changes, but what’s really been getting to me is the pit-of-my-stomach, visceral (different than ever before) understanding that I will not, for one example, ever smell my nana’s house again. It really punches me in the gut when I think about it.

I’m not someone who has been living in de-lu-lu land about such things but my 50s have brought them into my consciousness at a new level.

It turns out there’s plenty of reasons for this.

Thank God for the wisdom of Katy Bowman, right? I was lucky enough to meet her and take a workshop with her about basic biomechanics years ago, and I feel like she will always be one of those scientists who brings us gold mined from her own life experience.

As she has been in perimenopause, then, she’s, of course, been figuring shit out.

Like the very likely reason behind our brain fog and how much it’s really about us — in this toxic productivity culture — not listening to and sinking into these new bodies and minds that want to teach us new things. Like paring down. Like cutting back. Like freaking resting now that we are where we are.

Listen to or read the whole podcast here. Really. It’s worth your time. I’m still thinking about it and hoping Katy will write a freaking book.

New free weekly experiments

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve written. Yoga Teacher Training has just made my summer so much busier and so much more tiring than I could have ever anticipated. As you read this, I will be days away from finishing! YAY!

New free stuff

In the meantime, I’m starting a new weekly share on my Facebook business page and Instagram. If you aren’t connected to me on either of those, maybe go do it so you don’t miss these. I won’t share them on my blog except every so often.

The weekly share will be around the idea of “experiment of one.”

And it will always be something really simple to play with. We want ease in these practices.

Also? We want to build a sense of devotion and not one of powering-through.

Here’s this week’s:

All week long, just notice your sitting habits. Whether at your desk, in front of the TV, in the car... wherever you sit, notice what you typically do.

Then take it another step: notice and change. See if you can find different ways of entering into your seat and different ways of sitting. Challenge yourself to be uncomfortable for a bit.

I would love to hear if you learn anything interesting!