How can we practice consistently?

How can we practice in a context that is not supportive to practice?
How do we make a life of practice in a context that is, overall, quite hostile to it? A context where the culture's priorities are not cultivation of closeness with what is true; the culture's priorities are material gain.
How do we develop the momentum to keep going?

In conversation with Shanthi Minor, we explore these questions and more on today's Dialogue.

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The answer that came to me? How do I keep the momentum going?

Self compassion.

I have witnessed that there is a very slow, imperceptible change on a daily, monthly, yearly basis, and it is momentum that keeps me going. It's a force that is alive, that has mass, and that moves through me. And self-compasson is important when I trip and fall, because this momentum is carrying me forward, and sometimes I can't make sense of what needs to happen right now, so I fall, and there's a period of time of not doing anything.

And it used to be that that period of not doing anything would be weeks, or months. But in the last few years, it's been days. And so, I tell myself, you know, it's okay to fail. It's okay to not be able to do anything but lay on the floor right now. It's okay to need to espace into the beauty of a novel until this wave of despair is over. And then, once that wave of despair has passed through, you can go back to practicing your forms, you can go back to standing in your postures, you can go back to attempting stillness of mind. Which is just too painful to do, when there is complete and total despair.

So, the practice is of progressively and slowly growing the capacity for staying with what is difficult, rather than wallowing, or self-victimizing, or escaping. But just staying with what is internally difficult, and continuing on with it, and in spite of it, and in collaboration with it. And it's the momentum that makes that possible. It's habit. It's sheer force of habit.

To build momentum in changing habits, we all need:

1. a sense of completion
2. a feeling of success

What's all that about? Listen in and learn about barriers we face to practice and lifestyle change.

Today's Dialogue welcomes Shanthi Minor, D.O. Shanthi is an Osteopath, Massage Therapist, Life Coach, Somatic Educator, and Dance Facilitator. She has certifications as a Somatics + Dance Facilitator (Contact Improvisation, Feldenkrais and Massage, Focusing Massage, Authentic Movement), Yoga Teacher, Life Coach, and a longstanding dedicated personal practice of meditation, energy work, and personal growth since 2007, including 3 cumulative years of intensive practice in India. She supports and holds space for participants to explore and discover their own insights along their paths.

Sign up for our upcoming retreat for somatic self care and nourishing life, Cocoon.

Join us for a spa weekend of somatic self-care in nature to harmonize ourselves with the change of seasons. Come unwind with us in our cozy container and learn practical skills to destress in everyday life. Fully catered, therapeutic heated pool, sauna on site.

Experience:

• Hands-on practice in Unwinding, a key skill for nervous system regulation from Craniosacral therapy and Osteopathy

• Qigong exercises for strength and longevity

• Yoga + somatic exercises for nervous system regulation (poly vagal and trauma informed)

• Therapeutic Contact Improvisation + Authentic movement - presence and

deep listening for movement to arise (no experience necessary)

• Somatic tools to transform your health and wellbeing, as well as those of possible clients, and others in your life.

• Delicious healthy vegetarian and vegan meals

• Spa on site - therapeutic heated pool, sauna, hot tub

• Forest paths to walk in nature

• A deep rest for your nervous system

Themes:

• Befriending Your Nervous System: Learning to Identify and Regulate Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn Responses

• Personal development and Self-empowerment: Boundaries work, Focusing, Journaling

• Coregulating with Other Participants Through Therapeutic, Platonic, Touch-based Exercises

• Harnessing Neuroplasticity to Strengthen Self-Regulation Skills

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