For the past few days (weeks? I can’t tell anymore), I’ve had this feeling that something is about to jump out and take me by surprise. I don’t know when it’s coming, but I feel it. It keeps my nervous system on edge, and it’s generally very, very uncomfortable. Is this a common sentiment right now? Is it common in other, non-pandemic times? I rationalize with myself that it’s just my primal brain, always searching for danger – for that tiger or snake that’s going to pounce out and kill me. But there’s no tiger or snake (or T-rex). Forty thousand years ago, this was a useful warning system. Even 200 years ago it was useful. But now, in our highly technologically convenient age, the “T-rexes” are more about emotions. It’s the weight of a job you don’t like, the stress of balancing family & work, or relationship stresses – all of which we are dealing with right now as usual, in addition to, y’know, the uncertainty of businesses or schools opening, losing a job, getting sick, staying at home, political turmoil, and racial injustices. Our current uncertainty IS our modern day T-rex – when is something going to “get us”? That long-term emotional stress from a metaphorical danger can cause all sorts of issues. If we were truly running from a big animal about to eat us, once we got away, our nervous system could chill out a little in safety. But nowadays, we hold onto that stuff – and it’s like we’re constantly running.

So although our own evolution hasn’t really caught up to the fact that we don’t have large animals chasing after us anymore, we have the self-awareness to help alleviate, reverse, and grow from these unsettling & uncertain things happening around us. Shifting attention inward to the breath, to a simple movement in a toe, to how the air feels on the skin – all helps to chill out that primal “ACKKK! SOMETHING’S GOING TO EAT ME!” feeling. I deal with it everyday too – just waiting for that jump scare, and taking a deep breath.

This week, we’re going to focus on the neck and jaw – two hotspots of unconscious tension. We’ll build on the basics to directly address the small muscles of the neck, and how those are so closely affected by tension in the entire spine.

Thursday, 12:00pm Eastern
Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 981 4575 4454
Password: somafull

Classes run from 35-45 minutes. Make sure you have a yoga mat-sized space for the practice. Your video and audio will be off when you first get in the “room”, you have the option to turn both on. I’d love to *see* you, but feel free to remain off if you’re more comfortable that way 🙂

Class fee is by donation. Feel free to join anytime, and if you’d like to support my teaching (THANK YOU), you can do so here.