Search Results for “breath”

Breath with Julie Angel

February 13, 2024

Breath with Julie Angel

What insights can movement and breathwork practices offer about self-awareness, adaptability, and the interplay of emotional, physical, and creative aspects in our lives?

Julie Angel describes her multifaceted approach to movement, breath–work, and life as ‘everything everywhere all at once,’ revealing a seamless blend of creativity, transformation, and minimalism in her practices.

I’m really lazy. I’m a high performance slacker. And so it has to be simple and minimalist in doing it. If there’s any practice where it’s like: You need to buy all of this equipment, and you need to do all of these things, and you need a membership… I’m just like, no no that’ll be a no. All of those things cause friction points for me, and I don’t do them. So I mean there’s a minimalism, a simplicity, a creativity, and an adaptability; which is why to other people it may seem very different that I I wear all these these hats which I’m equally multi-passionate about. But for me I’m like, same same. [ed: It’s all the same.]
~ Julie Angel, 2:50

Julie Angel and Craig dive into the worlds of movement, breath-work, and the emotional landscape of physical practice. Julie shares her holistic view on movement, emphasizing that everything she does—whether it’s filmmaking, practicing parkour, training others, or walking her dog—interconnects through common threads of exploration, transformation, curiosity, and creativity. The absence of division between her various interests, highlights the blending of her professional and personal pursuits that are driven by a consistent creative spark and a quest for simplicity and minimalism in practice.

Julie also introduces the transformative power of breath–work, recounting her journey from being intrigued by MovNat Aquatics courses to exploring the physiological and psychological impacts of breathing techniques. She discusses her discovery of dysfunctional breathing patterns and how addressing these can profoundly affect one’s health, well–being, and movement capabilities.

Julie’s exploration into breath–work is not just a personal quest but also an educational endeavor, as she aims to share this knowledge through her work, showcasing the significant, often under-appreciated role that breathing plays in enhancing movement, reducing anxiety, and improving overall life quality.

Takeaways

Exploring the interconnectedness of activities — how different aspects of life, from professional endeavors to personal hobbies, can intertwine and inform each other, creating a seamless blend of experiences.

The significance of creativity in movement — discussing how a creative element is vital for engagement and passion in practices like parkour and breath–work, emphasizing the role of creativity in sustaining interest and exploration.

Breath-work as a transformative tool — highlighting the journey into breath-work and its profound impact on mental and physical health, from enhancing movement capabilities to reducing anxiety and improving overall well-being.

The emotional aspect of movement — exploring movement not just as a physical activity but as an emotionally charged experience that can influence thoughts, actions, and overall life quality.

Simplicity and minimalism in practice — the importance of adopting a minimalist approach to practices, avoiding over-complication to maintain focus, enjoyment, and consistency in various activities.

The role of breath-work in functional movement — detailing how efficient breathing patterns can significantly enhance movement quality, recovery, and performance, underpinning the foundational role of breath-work in physical practices.

Addressing dysfunctional breathing patterns — uncovering the widespread issue of dysfunctional breathing and its implications, with strategies and insights into how correcting these patterns can lead to significant health and performance benefits.

The impact of mindset and perception on physical health — discussing research on the mind-body connection, emphasizing how one’s mindset and perceptions can tangibly affect physical health and aging.

Resources

https://julieangel.com — Julie Angel’s website offers insights into her work with movement and breath–work, including courses and resources for those interested in exploring these areas further.

Julie Angel — Julie on LinkedIn.

The Mindful Body by Dr. Ellen Langer — A book discussing the power of the mind over the body, including the famous Counterclockwise study, which explores concepts of mindfulness and placebo effects on health and aging.

Environment, ‘natural movement,’ and breathing — Movers Mindset podcast episode with MaryBeth Gangemi.

https://fitomize.ca — Julie Thom, trauma informed movement & life coaching.

Built to Move by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett — This book emphasizes the importance of movement and breathwork as foundational elements for health, detailing practical strategies for improving physical and mental well-being.

https://oxygenadvantage.com — Oxygen Advantage program focused on improving health and performance through specialized breathing techniques that aim to optimize oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body.

https://vicverdiercoaching.com — Vic Verdier, a MovNat Aquatics instructor known for his deep cave and wreck diving records, Verdier’s teachings on breath–work highlight the importance of understanding respiratory chemistry for enhanced movement and health.

How to Keep Your Edge as You Get Older — Podcast episode with Vic Verdier, mentioned by Craig in this conversation.

https://www.movnat.com — MovNat is a physical education and fitness system based on natural human movement skills, aiming to improve strength, mobility, and the ability to perform practical tasks.

https://www.wimhofmethod.com — Wim Hof Method is a combination of cold therapy, breathing techniques, and commitment that has been claimed to contribute to physical and mental wellness.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Breath

December 9, 2022

I’m gobsmacked. I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time on breath work. In the last few days, something new clicked into place for me. Hopefully, this saves someone somewhere some time on the learning curve:

Ashtanga yoga is about breathing. You may also notice there is some movement involved in Ashtanga; Don’t be distracted by the movement! The movement is irrelevant if you haven’t discovered the importance of the breathing.

I’ve written a lot about my personal restorative practice. Breathing and relaxing into the things I do has been an important part of it for a loong time. I cherish my 15 years of study in a style of Aikido where breath is integral to the physicality. I spent a few years regularly practicing Tai chi, and later a few years with Yinn yoga. But Ashtanga yoga never clicked for me. Sure, it’s always a great workout. But I could never really get into it as a practice. I’d bet I’ve been in hundreds of situations where someone (random warmups, movement and martial artists of every stripe, and proper yoga instructors of countless flavors) has led what has aspired to be Ashtanga yoga. Without exception, it has always been a bashing struggle for me.

Because it’s about breathing. No two people are going to have the same breathing. Absolutely, I can imagine that at advanced physical and mental levels, people could synchronize their breathing and then they could do Ashtanga yoga in sync. But that’s not me. Not me at all.

To be really clear: I’m not bashing on Ashtanga — nonono. I’m freakin’ excited because now ~~I feel like~~ …scratch that! Now I can practice Ashtanga. I look forward to it! I’m looking forward to practicing it for a while, and then finding an instructor and taking a class to get help improving. Rather than my old, “please lead me through the sequence”, I’m looking forward to, “please help me improve my sequence”. Which I’m betting will be instruction on breath, and maybe some instruction on movements too.

MaryBeth Gangemi: Environment, ‘Natural Movement’, and Breathing

May 24, 2022

MaryBeth Gangemi: Environment, ‘natural movement,’ and breathing

What are the key insights into natural movement, breathing, and how they connect to overall well-being?

MaryBeth Gangemi’s experience as a social worker has had a profound affect on how she approaches her movement practice and working with clients. She shares her own movement journey, from city to country side. MaryBeth discusses the importance of environment, breathing, and play on our ability to move well and ‘naturally.’ She unpacks her thoughts on the connections between social work and movement, as well as creating spaces accessible to all.

So you could say, is walking natural movement? […] But what if you’re walking with your head down looking at your phone, with your mouth open breathing heavy, is that? […] If we want to focus on return to nature type of idea […] how about like, really walk with posture up and look where you’re going and look around and see what’s ahead of you? […] Just not letting all of it pass you by.
~ MaryBeth Gangemi (39:34)

MaryBeth Gangemi is a breath, strength, and natural movement coach, in addition to being a wife and mother. She has certifications in many different areas, including MovNat, Kettlebells, Original Strength, and Buteyko Breathing Method. MaryBeth owns and runs Kairos Strong, where she teaches students to develop quality movement to support all areas of their life.

The conversation explores the profound relationship between natural movement, breathing, and overall well-being. Topics include the importance of posture, awareness, and incorporating nature into daily practices to foster mindfulness. Breathing techniques, such as the control pause, are discussed as vital tools for improving health and managing stress.

There’s an emphasis on rediscovering play, curiosity, and sensory experiences, like walking barefoot or engaging with different textures in the environment. The dialogue also examines the role of environment in shaping movement habits and encourages listeners to explore new activities when their current routines become monotonous or unfulfilling.

Takeaways

Breathing awareness — Understanding breathing patterns can improve oxygenation and reduce stress.

Natural movement — Everyday movements like walking and crawling can be made more mindful and enriching.

Environment’s role — The physical and social environment significantly influences movement habits.

Rediscovering play — Adults can benefit from integrating playful and exploratory elements into their routines.

Mindfulness in motion — Focusing on posture and surroundings enriches movement experiences.

Breathing practices — Simple techniques like the control pause provide tangible health benefits.

Flexibility in routines — Movement practices should be adaptable and enjoyable to sustain long-term engagement.

Resources

MaryBeth Gangemi’s web site

MaryBeth Gangemi on LinkedIn

Original Strength — A movement system mentioned for its effective breathing exercises.

Buteyko Breathing Method — A technique discussed in the context of improving breathing efficiency.

Julie Angel — A person referenced for their work in showcasing diverse movement practices.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Breathing with Lara Land

April 13, 2022

How does breathing, embodiment, and connection influence podcasting and personal growth?

Exploring the intersection of embodiment and podcasting unveils unexpected insights.

It’s okay to ask a question that we’ve asked before… sometimes it’s the fifth, sixth, seventh time we hear it that it sinks in.
~ Lara Land (10:48)

The conversation examines the interplay between breathing, embodiment, and podcasting. Breathing, while central to yoga and embodiment practices, poses challenges when combined with the pacing and sentence structure needed for podcasting. The discussion highlights how these techniques differ across disciplines and the adjustments required to integrate them effectively.

The dialogue also explores personal growth through learning and practice. It touches on the struggles of early podcasting, such as question formulation and flow, and the importance of persistence. The role of nature as a restorative and learning space emerges, emphasizing its connection to personal well-being and creative processes.

Takeaways

Breathing practices — Integrating yoga breathing skills into speaking requires adapting to new contexts.

Flow in podcasting — Creating a natural conversational rhythm is a skill that develops over time.

The role of questions — Formulating unique and meaningful questions can enhance the depth of conversations.

Nature as a refuge — Spending time outdoors provides balance and inspiration for creative pursuits.

Learning frustration — The challenges of starting something new are natural but lead to growth and transformation.

Performance adjustments — Adjusting sentence structure and pacing improves podcasting presence.

Energy dynamics — Presence and energy influence the quality of conversations, especially in virtual formats.

Repetition’s value — Repeated ideas often resonate differently over time, enriching understanding.

Resources

Three and a Half Acres Yoga — A nonprofit organization using yoga for community building and trauma healing.

Mindful Nature Guide Leadership Training — A training program focused on guiding outdoor experiences.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Breath with Nadine Kelly

June 17, 2021

How does proper breathing and posture enhance the podcasting experience and overall well-being?

Confidence and focus emerge from the synergy of upright posture and mindful breathing.

Not only does sitting up nice and tall, or standing nice and tall, benefit your posture, it increases your focus. It’s just good physically. It’s good mentally. It’s good energetically.
~ Nadine Kelly (13:11)

The conversation focuses on the intersections between breathing techniques, posture, and podcasting. It examines how intentional breathing can diminish nervousness, enhance clarity, and improve vocal performance during recording. The importance of proper posture is emphasized, highlighting its benefits for focus, physical alignment, and the quality of breath. Visualizations, such as the “teardrop-shaped balloon,” are introduced as aids for more effective breathing.

The discussion also touches on the role of physical habits and preparation, such as maintaining energy through morning workouts and arranging a workspace conducive to calmness and productivity. Nadine shares insights into crafting moments in podcasting that allow listeners to process heavy topics, underlining the subtle power of breath and pauses to connect with an audience emotionally and physiologically.

Takeaways

Improving breathing techniques — Discusses reducing stress and enhancing vocal clarity in podcasting.

Maintaining good posture — Explains the role of upright posture in breathing and focus.

Morning workout routines — Highlights the benefits of early exercise on energy levels throughout the day.

Incorporating pauses in podcasts — Explores using intentional breath and pauses to enhance listener engagement.

Visualizing breath exercises — Introduces the “teardrop-shaped balloon” method for mindful breathing.

Resources

The Yogi M.D. Podcast — Nadine’s podcast focusing on physical and mental health topics.

Notable Quotables by Nadine Kelly — Companion video series to her podcast that invites listener feedback and reflections.

Akimbo Workshops — Mentioned as a platform where coaching and community discussions occur.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Only when you breath your last

February 4, 2019

Lectures and learned seminars and sayings culled from the teachings of philosophers and educated conversation do not reveal the mind’s real strength. For speech is bold even where the speaker is timorous. What you have achieved will be revealed only when you breathe your last.
~ Seneca

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Returning

6 Days Ago

I recently returned from a whole bunch of movement. I was at the annual American Rendezvous event in Somerville MA, followed by taking the Level 2 ADAPT Coach Certification course. Immediately followed by some just-for-fun hard work at Vandrar Hem.

This morning I sat down on the concrete for meditation and it was sublime. 10, 15, or maybe even 20 minutes of simply sitting and breathing. Weeks of continuously have a “next thing” on the schedule every minute of every day is its own type of exhausting. This morning I was recharging via stillness. But completely still (like being totally active) is not the correct state.

What I had failed to cultivate in my recent travels was equanimity.

Too often, equanimity is described as a practice or technique that aims at the production of something – usually a state of stillness. Other proposed aims include a ‘countercultural’ refashioning of the self: eg, ‘to disarm the way we define ourselves in terms of achievements, fame, praise, and what we’re told should make us happy’, as the meditation teacher Christina Feldman and the psychologist Willem Kuyken put it in Mindfulness (2019); or being compassionate and caring instead of discriminatory and judgmental.
~ Michael Uebel, from Equanimity is not stillness – it is a mobility of the mind

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Private

May 12

But it’s consciousness in the experience sense – what philosophers refer to as phenomenal consciousness – that I’ll be focusing on in the remainder of this Guide. This kind of consciousness serves as a fundamental part of our existence, perhaps even the most fundamental part of our existence. But despite its fundamentality, and though we are intimately aware of our own conscious experience, the notion of consciousness is a perplexing one.
~ Amy Kind, from How to think about consciousness

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The current tools so breathlessly referred to as artificial intelligence, are still only tools. They have no agency, no goals, and critically they are not consciousness. Or, so we think. “Is conscious” is exceedingly important to determine, and it turns out it’s really hard to do the less like us (think: bats, dolphins, octopus, bacteria, …) some living thing is.

Resistance is futile

April 12

Dinner resists optimization. It can be creative, and it can be pleasurable. None of this negates the fact that it is a grind. It will always be a grind. You will always have to think about it, unless you have someone else to think about it for you, and it will always require too much time or too much energy or too much money or some combination of the three. It is unrelenting, in the way that breathing is unrelenting. There is freedom in surrendering to this, that even in this golden age of technological progress, dinner refuses to be solved.
~ Rachel Sugar, from Dinner Is Terrible

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I agree with Sugar. Somewhere along the way I learned that leaning into the mundane parts of meal preparation is actually what I need to do more often. I tend to get very head-down doing and that’s not healthy when it’s protracted hours upon hours. Instead, pre-planning when I’m supposed to stop doing and go work on the meal always results in my spending some meditative time in the ‘ol kitchen. Combined with “simple food, simply prepared”—fresh or raw ingredients, reduced combinations of flavors, smaller quantities, visually interesting—I feel I’m making some progress towards health and mental wellness in one activity.

An incredible deal

July 29

A period of time set aside to practice mindfulness like this is called meditation. It is the work that gives you access to the Other Incredible Deal and its benefits. The minimum effective dose is perhaps ten minutes daily. More time is better, but the good deal starts about there.
~ David Cain, from The Ancient Art of Turning Walls into Doorsdoors/

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I spent many years studying Aikido. If I had to pick one thing which most helped me—one thing which led to the biggest changes in my life—it would be meditation. Nearly every day we sat on the floor and practice a very specific breathing method; it was literally mindfulness training. To this day, I do the same seated, mindfulness practice. (Only sometimes do I do the specific breathing, as the breathing and the mindfulness are easily separated after enough practice.)

There are many other gifts (not sarcasm) which I received, but there’s no way I can ever fully repay the debt I owe for the gift of becoming at least a bit more mindful, and learning how to intentionally work on it. Forever.

I do not recommend studying a martial art (for decades) but don’t do that just to get the mindfulness gift.

I do wholeheartedly recommend seeking the mindfulness gift through meditation of some sort.

MiST with Iron Gump

May 21, 2024

MiST with Iron Gump

How can mindfulness and meditation be integrated into physical training to enhance strength, mobility, and self-awareness?

Iron Gump joins Craig Constantine to share how meditative strength training bridges the gap between physical exertion and mindful awareness.

This is what you were talking about earlier. The meditative aspect. What I call it is meditative strength training (MiST). The meditative aspect is developing the awareness as you move, and then maintaining that awareness as you move. So taking very simple exercises— […] So that people feel, ‘Okay, I’m not going into this super extreme odd space where I don’t know what to do.’
~ Iron Gump (13:17)

Craig and Iron Gump explore the integration of mindfulness with physical training, discussing how meditative practices can enhance strength exercises. Iron Gump shares his progression from traditional Chinese martial arts in his teenage years to weight training and eventually to a blend of both disciplines. He emphasizes the significance of combining body alignment and breath work with exercises like squats and lunges, transforming them into meditative practices. This approach, which he calls “meditative strength training,” helps individuals develop a deeper awareness of their movements and maintain mindfulness throughout their workouts.

They also discuss the benefits of barefoot training, with Iron Gump recounting his experiences running and hiking barefoot in various terrains. He explains how this practice improves sensitivity and proprioception, leading to better reaction times and overall body awareness.

Additionally, Iron Gump shares his teaching experiences with diverse groups, from elderly women in Maui to fighters in a South Philly gym. He highlights how slowing down movements and focusing on alignment can reveal hidden weaknesses and enhance overall strength and conditioning, drawing on principles from Tai Chi and other martial arts.

Takeaways

Exploring meditative strength training — emphasizes the combination of body alignment and breath work with exercises like squats and lunges to develop mindfulness.

Importance of mindfulness in physical training — highlights how being aware of movements and maintaining that awareness enhances workout effectiveness.

The role of traditional Chinese martial arts — discusses the influence of martial arts in developing physical and meditative aspects of training.

Benefits of barefoot training — describes how running and hiking barefoot improve sensitivity, proprioception, and reaction times.

Challenges and rewards of teaching diverse groups — shares experiences working with elderly women and fighters, adapting training methods to suit different populations.

Transforming everyday exercises — illustrates how simple exercises can become meditative by incorporating alignment and breath work.

Connection between slow movements and strength — explains how slowing down movements and focusing on alignment can reveal weaknesses and improve strength.

Integration of martial arts principles in fitness — talks about applying Tai Chi and other martial arts concepts to modern strength and conditioning routines.

Developing body awareness — emphasizes the importance of understanding body mechanics and alignment in enhancing physical training.

Adapting traditional practices for modern fitness — discusses how traditional exercises can be made relevant and beneficial for contemporary fitness enthusiasts.

Resources

https://www.irongump.com — Iron Gump’s web site with additional links and contact methods.

@1IronGump — Iron Gump Instagram showcases various exercises and training methods, providing insights into meditative strength training practices.

Master Keith Maza — Iron Gump’s current teacher, specializing in internal arts.

Royal Striking — Muay Thai gym in South Philly

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Constraints – with Julie Angel

January 24, 2024

Constraints – with Julie Angel

What perspectives and approaches can podcast creators adopt from fields like anthropology, filmmaking, and sound design to improve their craft?

Julie Angel describes herself as multi-passionate. She’s a filmmaker, author, podcaster, movement coach and breath-work expert. Julie joins Craig to share her insights on creativity and the transformative power of movement and breathing.

[…] you got to get out of your own way. And for me the sign of a really great conversation, or recording, is at the end of it I’m like— I always ask myself: Was that really good, or like, ‘meh’. And if it was really good, then it’s just like, ‘it was really good!’ Then if someone says, ‘what did you talk about?’ I’m not sure. I don’t know. I was just in it. […] My kind of deconstruction is how did I feel at the end of it. And that’s it.
~ Julie Angel (20:40)

Julie Angel, a filmmaker and parkour coach, describes the intricacies of her creative process and the challenges she faces in her work. She emphasizes the importance of feedback in creative pursuits, advocating for seeking critical perspectives from those who know and love her. This approach, she argues, is vital for maintaining objectivity and ensuring continuous growth in her craft.

Through the conversation, Julie reflects on the nature of creativity, highlighting the paradox of freedom in artistic expression. She recounts experiences where limitless options in filmmaking, contrary to expectations, proved to be daunting rather than liberating. This leads to a broader discussion about the necessity of constraints in fostering creativity, where she points out that limitations often spur innovation and novel approaches to storytelling and artistic expression.

Julie also explores the concept of flow state, particularly in the context of engaging dialogues and creative work. She describes this state as a measure of the quality of her interactions and creative output, where being deeply immersed in the process is a key indicator of success. Her insights extend to the realm of parkour coaching, where she draws parallels between physical movement and mental creativity. Julie underscores the transformative power of parkour, not just as a physical discipline, but as a medium for personal growth and self-expression.

She shares anecdotes and lessons from her coaching experiences, illustrating how parkour transcends physical boundaries and becomes a metaphor for overcoming life’s obstacles. This intertwining of physical and creative agility forms a central theme of the conversation, shedding light on Julie’s multifaceted perspective on life and art.

Takeaways

Creative Feedback — The importance of seeking critical feedback from trusted individuals to maintain objectivity and foster growth.

Limitations in Creativity — How constraints can paradoxically enhance creativity, that having too many options can be overwhelming and less productive for a creative mind.

Flow State in Conversations — Flow state as a key indicator of a successful conversation or recording, where being deeply immersed signifies quality and fulfillment.

Parkour as a Metaphor — How the discipline serves not just as a physical activity but as a metaphor for overcoming life’s challenges, emphasizing personal growth and resilience.

Artistic Freedom versus Structure — The challenges of having complete creative freedom, illustrating how structured limitations can actually spur more innovative and meaningful artistic work.

Interplay of Physical and Mental Agility — The connection between physical movement in parkour and mental creativity, underscoring the parallel skills required in both realms.

Transformative Power of Movement — How movement, specifically through parkour, can be transformative, offering insights into its impact on personal development and self-expression.

Resources

JulieAngel.com — Julie’s website with various free resources, including a movement snacks guide and a crawling quadrupedal movement guide, along with her films, podcasts, and coaching information.

The Curious Midlife — Julie Angel’s podcast available as audio wherever you listen, and on YouTube with video.

Movement of 3 — Julie’s film made with three of her friends: “A film I made with my friends Annty Marais- parkour coach, mover, athlete; Fizz Hood – movement artist, stunt woman and parkour coach, & Shirley Darlington parkour coach with Parkour Generations. Women see. Women Do. Women Move.”

Breaking the Jump.” — Julie’s book about Parkour: “But more than a sport that most jaw-dropped onlookers can hardly comprehend, Parkour is an exploration of movement and a return to our body’s natural ability to run, jump, hang and move with fluidity.”

Ciné Parkour — “A cinematic and theoretical contribution to the understanding of the practice of parkour.”

British filmmaker Shane Meadows is mentioned in relation to his work and approach to filmmaking.

The 5 Obstructions is noted as a documentary featuring filmmaker Lars von Trier.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Clueless

January 12, 2024

I remain only slightly less clueless than as on my birth day. No clue then. After about a trillion seconds of learning, I’ve still not much to go on. Some things have worked— but I’m not sure exactly why. Some things haven’t worked— also not sure why. The only clues I have are very abstract, fortune-cookie sized, clues like: “Work hard. Stay Humble.” (And a few I’ve cribbed from Lao Tsu and Marcus Aurelius come to think of it.)

The following recipe assumes you’re very ambitious.

The first step is to decide what to work on. The work you choose needs to have three qualities: it has to be something you have a natural aptitude for, that you have a deep interest in, and that offers scope to do great work.
~ Paul Graham, from How to Do Great Work

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I’ve often wished there’d been a How to Be Human manual. I’m not sure how one would learn the contents very early on. (How does one learn the first chapters pre-language?) Each year, as one levels up, the next chapter of the manual would become available. Arguably, the entire book reduces to: “Relax. Breath.” But, somewhere around chapter 7 I’d very much liked to have found what Graham wrote. (Even though I’d probably have ignored it until about level 22.)

Making space

January 10, 2024

Suppose I wanted to give something up, but I’m completely baffled by how to decide which thing. I’m not talking about needing to give something up. I mean: This is all nice, and I’d like to have less. It turns out I spend a lot of time thinking about what to give up, and how to give it up. And who would I be once that thing that I do ceased. And why am I still making the mistake of identifying who I am as what I do? (I run, but I am not a runner.) Most of the answers I’ve found to, “what to give up and how?” come from visualization exercises. I know in fact that I will eventually give it all up. Suddenly, it’s no longer about “if”, but more simply “when”. If next decade is fine, why not next year? …why not right now?

To change a habit – whether you’re starting a new habit or quitting an old one – you have to let go of something really important to you. This is why most people struggle with habit change – it’s not easy to let go of your sacred cows.
~ Leo Babauta from, Changing Habits

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As always Babauta’s thoughts and perspective inspire me to pause, breath, relax. We do need space, because without space when are we comfortable simply being? I now often find I do have such space. Although my urge remains to fill the spaces up with doing, not-breathing, grasping— Therefore I continue, slowly. breathing. relaxing. visualizing. being.

Our experience of time

November 12, 2023

Sometimes I sit in a chair on the patio in the afternoon sun. If I’m just the right combination of tired, relaxed, and comfortable, and if the wind, sun, temperature, and soundscape are just so, I can drift into a trance. Time passes. After which, I have no clear sense of whether it was a moment, or ten minutes. It doesn’t seem that time had stopped, rather it feels like time had ceased to affect me. Did I breath? Did I move? Did I even think in that time?

It’s not only that our experiences of space are different. Our experiences of time are likely different, too. We think about the passage of time through our terrestrial experience of unidirectional motion through space – our metaphors of time are almost all grounded in the way our bodies move forward through the environment. Given this fact, how would an octopus, who can easily see and move in all directions, conceptualise time?
~ David Borkenhagen from, Octopus time

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Sometimes I find things on the Internet and there’s a clear takeaway for me, or a clear new-to-me idea or connection. This isn’t one of those times. Instead, I dipped into this article one day, came out the other end aware that it had to be included in a post.

And, perhaps I just fell asleep?

Vibrant with Alison Coates

September 29, 2023

Vibrant – with Alison Coates

What is the transformative impact of community, environment, and personal identity on creative expression and connection in a podcasting journey?

Embracing change, making unconventional choices, and the courage it takes to be your authentic self in a world filled with expectations.

It feels like those connections are now beginning to come together. I was reading a newsletter from the [local forest group.] It must have been published two or three years ago. And when I first read it, I thought: “that’s interesting.” And then I read it recently, and every article and person mentioned in there, I know… I now know who they are, I can put a face to those people, and I know more of their story and who they are. So there’s something brewing about the people in this community.
~ Alison (around 13:30)

Craig Constantine and Alison Coates begin with Alison’s breathtaking view of the Kyles of Bute and the ever-changing weather patterns in a remote Scottish village. She shares how the natural beauty of the area has become an integral part of her daily life and how her move to the village has shaped her perspectives. They touch on the evolving dynamics between locals and newcomers in the community, and Alison’s potential (budding?) interest in capturing the stories of the people she has come to know. Finally, Alison reflects on her youngest child’s non-binary journey, emphasizing the importance of normalizing discussions about personal identity.

Takeaways

Embrace Change — openness to new experiences and perspectives leads to personal growth and a deeper connection with community.

Normalize Identity Conversations — willingness to discuss a child’s identity and a community’s reactions demonstrates the importance of normalizing conversations about personal identity.

Impact of Authenticity — by being true to oneself, individuals can find happiness and inspire others to do the same.

Build Meaningful Connections — interactions highlight the value of building meaningful connections.

Community Resilience — observations of changing dynamics demonstrate the resilience of communities in the face of change.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

Why ever stop?

July 31, 2023

Every day, the Little Box of Quotes podcast publishes a super-short recording of a quotation. For over 3 years—1,247 times and counting—I’ve said, “Hello, Craig here! Today from my little box of quotes…”

Why do all this work? It’s fun! I love sharing quotes (and in podcast form is just one way.) The total listens is north of 60,000 and some have been heard many hundreds of times. I like to imagine all the people who smiled, or went “hunh“. Each episode is only downloaded a dozen–or–so times when published. But then each episode slowly gets heard, as people randomly stumble upon them (I know not how.)

Which episodes are popular? Here are the top 10…

What do I think of that top-10 list? Listening to them—especially the number-1 “Habit” quote—makes me squirm. I can hear so much about them that I’d do differently now. Maybe that’s a good thing? And they all seem so silly… it’s just… Craig reading quotes. But there’s definitely something to this, about the resistance and making art.

How do I record them? They’re pretty raw. I say the entirety of what you hear in one pass. If I make a horrible mistake, I just do it over. There’s no editing—I simply have some basic export settings to set the overall level. The point of the entire thing (when I started) was to practice doing the thing. Talk to the mic. Don’t clean it up in post-production… rather, figure out how to not make mouth-noises, how to breath more quietly, how to sound comfortable, etc.

Where do I still struggle? Saying people’s names! (Pronunciation is difficult too, but that’s not what I mean.) The specifics of how I say the name carries a tremendous amount of information. The tiniest change has a huge affect. Do I sound incredulous that that person ever said something that clever? Do I sound overly reverential? Dismissive? And how long do I pause before saying their name? Faced with endless options, I just do my best and then ship it.

What’s my favorite part? (I have a rapid process: record, replay, save/export, schedule podcast episode. I can do one episode in a few minutes.) Sometimes, maybe 1 in 10, when I play it I get chills. Sometimes, the quote itself, combined with countless other details, makes something I just love.

Anxiously panicking

May 22, 2023

A couple of weeks ago I started obliterating processes. I’ve often talked about how everything is a process, and I still believe that. However I’d reached a point where I simply had too many processes (I won’t bore you with unbelievable examples) and a couple of weeks ago I decided enough was enough. I spent several days doing nothing but thinking about everything I was doing, and wanted to be doing but wasn’t “getting around to.”

We’re overwhelmed by it all: all the things we have on our plates, all the interruptions and messages and emails, all the things online and on social media, all the news and chaos of the world, all the things going on in our relationships.
~ Leo Babauta from, When You’re Overwhelmed, Simplify

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Some things I do can feel like a chore but when I was honest, they are actually things I enjoy doing. Furthermore, they pay off outsized benefits for the time they require. What then made them feel like chores? I think it was the anxiety of the other things I felt I should be doing—after all, I put those other things on a list or made a process so I could chip away at them in sane-sized chunks. I went through everything, and then started deleting things from that “everything else” space.

Is this simply me oscillating between no-planning, planning, no-planning, planning? Is this a 2/3-life (or, if I pretend I’ll live long, “mid-life”) crisis? Have I said a polite-but-clear “no” to some big things? Have I been having some anxiety-free days? YES, to all of those. I’m currently trying to be vigilant to notice the first thing I get anxious about—because I’m going to delete that next.

Generous silence

May 14, 2023

Generous silence provides space for the other person to be with their own self, for you to be with them for presence to show up. It allows them to take a breath. It whispers, “this is an interesting place to be. Let’s hang out here for a moment.” […] Generous silence can allow the delicate insights of a conversation to blossom and bloom.
~ Michael Bungay Stanier

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