What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

I hear this question time and time again from teachers, gurus and facebook. I love this question because every time I hear it, I pause. I take a moment to be extremely thankful for creating a job I love which includes helping people move pain free, working with inspiring people as a team to share the joy of movement; while also raising two wonderful boys. How did I get here? It took me years to understand Eckhart Tolle’s quote “Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there’.” Part of the interpretation for me is to follow the path of least resistance, just be and flow. This doesn’t mean I take the easy way out but I found beating myself up to fit in a cookie cutter mold, wasn’t worth my wild and precious time.

Ever since I was a child I wanted to own a business. I started selling “shampoo” on the street corner. It came naturally to me and I enjoyed seeing the neighbors smile (until they tried the non FDA approved concoction of what was in my parents bathroom.) So when the place I was working closed six years ago, a path for me opened to follow. Although it has been a difficult path of long hours, the people I have met and the lessons learned have enriched my one precious life.

My other childhood dream was to be in Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. I never made it into the Ailey Company but I got to dance with some of the company members in other venues and I found my true calling of physical therapy and the Gyrotonic method through the process. In my perseverance of being a dancer in NYC, I managed to herniate a disk and find the Gyrotonic method. I have told patients in pain, this is your journey. I don’t say this to negate their pain but for them to see that discovering how their body works is a gift and can open many paths. So stay here in this body that is talking to you and discover where it takes you. For me, Gyrokinesis wasn’t love at first sight. Initially I took Gyrokinesis then called “yoga for dancers” as part of the scholarship program at Alvin Ailey American Dance School. Little did I know it was saving me from injury, I thought it was a waste of time. The next semester I decided to drop the Gyrokinesis class for another dance technique class, yet the over training did me in. A very wise friend suggested I try the Gyrotonic method, and my career began.  In my journey to relieve pain, I tried massage and chiropractic, however it was Gyrotonic exercise that fixed my body. Initially I had to do Gyrokinesis every morning or I couldn’t walk without severe pain.  I was hooked!  After teaching Gyrotonic exercise for 4 years I wanted more science behind the art and decided to attend to Physical Therapy school. Several times I left the “world of Gyro” but it always called me back, it was the path of least resistance, it was the light that would bring a bright future. I worked at two hospitals as a physical therapist but continued to return to the Gyrotonic method even teaching hospital patients basic spinal motions and breath to guide them to health.

Here I am at this moment of my wild and precious life spreading the word of Gyrotonic exercise to others and working to maintain a business for others to do the same. I know I have more to accomplish in this life, one joyous moment at a time. But I realized when in physical pain the temptation to step out of our body or beat it up for being in pain is strong. In other words pain can cause people stress by being here in this body but wanting to be there in another body. However, time and time again I see bodies heal, it doesn’t happen over night but with guidance the body finds balance. It is an amazing journey to be a part of; guiding people to understand their patterns, get them moving and find joy in moving their bodies. Skipping, shaking, dancing, stretching, gardening or playing the guitar; the body and mind are so intertwined and our moving bodies bring so much joy to this one precious life. How could I think of doing anything but taking people through the journey of discovering joy in movement and running a center that gives space for other teachers, massage therapists and movers to come together and take the journey of this one wild and precious life together.

What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?