I sat down with my own four questions - the answer was Spain

Last week I wrote about the four questions I've been carrying around with me for almost 30 years. After writing that piece, I sat down with the questions myself and what came out had everything to do with this retreat. When I asked, “what do I want my life to look like and how do I want it to be different”, what came was this: I want the ALIVENESS that comes out of the weaving of inspiration, novelty, and community…

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Rachel Posner
Four Questions That Never Fail

I’ve been carrying 4 questions around for almost 30 years. I use them to consider the most expansive picture of my life as well as the small choices that I make on a daily basis. Somedays I ask myself the big Mary Oliver question: “What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”, and other days, it’s simply, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious morning?

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Rachel Posner
Calling All Wellness Professionals!

Whether it's in yoga or the therapy office, our go-to response is to try to talk people into regulation. But that's generally not how it works. regulation comes from a felt sense of safety inside the body, not the mind. Nervous system regulation is a body-centered practice that usually requires somatic skills, not more words. That's exactly the gap the Module 2 facilitator training is designed to fill.

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Rachel Posner
The Somatic Immersion Doors Are Open!!!

After a summer of writing about the Somatic Spiral, the doors are officially open. If you've been reading along with me, you already know the 5 pillar framework; nervous system regulation, self-compassion, deep listening, somatic parts work, and deep imagery. The Somatic Immersion is where we'll actually move through it, together.

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Rachel Posner
On spaciousness, Southern Spain, and what retreats are actually for

I have loved talking about the Somatic Spiral these last 12 weeks and I’m aware of how much my own understanding deepens as I write and teach. The 5 pillars have always been there but the imagery for The Spiral actually arrived through my writing to you - so thank you!
The Somatic Immersion begins the first week of October and I hope you are as excited as I am. I’ll be opening registration soon. In the meantime, I’d like to take you somewhere…

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Rachel Posner
My personal definition of yoga therapy isn't exactly an elevator pitch

I'm often asked what I do, which inevitably leads to the yoga versus yoga therapy question. It's not a simple answer — there are countless schools of yoga therapy, each with their own flavor, and then there's my particular way of practicing that draws from more than my yoga therapy training. Here’s the “official” definition plus a more nuanced and honest one featuring Mary Oliver …

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Rachel Posner
What is Yoga Therapy: The Answer Might Surprise You

I’m often asked to clarify the difference between yoga and yoga therapy and truthfully, I have a hard time answering the question. The official definition developed by the International Association of Yoga Therapy is: Yoga therapy may be defined as the application of Yogic principles to a particular person with the objective of achieving a particular spiritual, psychological, or physiological goal. But there’s a much more nuanced definition and that is, to go inside yourself…

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Rachel Posner
I gave a speech last week with almost no notice. Here's how.

The transition from summer to fall is a great time to try something new.  Consider deep imagery — the 5th pillar in the somatic spiral. In my opinion, deep imagery doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Imagination is often linked to make-believe and seen largely as a creative pursuit. But that’s just one aspect. Your imagination is also a pathway for healing and transformation.

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Rachel Posner