the magic of human touch

Greetings, fellow humans!

We humans were born to touch. Photo credit: Warner Photography

As social animals, the very core of our survival has always relied on being part of a supportive group. More than words, the sense of kind touch from another person lets us know on a deep level that we are safe and secure. When we are sad, a good hug often does something for us that nothing else can. When a child is upset, the calming cuddle of a parent or trusted friend is the best medicine. The therapeutic effects of touching each other have been proven by countless studies, yet most of us in western cultures still do not get enough positive touch in our lives. Many of us get loads of “virtual contact” through social media, text, email, and we even have the occasional face to face interaction. Physical contact, however, seems undervalued in modern western society.

So… Where do we start?

1. Hug your friends, family, and anyone else who won’t get offended. (There’s no need to creep out strangers, right?)

2. Cuddle your kids, grandkids or your partner.

3. Get a massage! Much as an opera singer has devoted their life to perfecting the human voice, a trained massage therapist has devoted theirs to perfecting the skill of therapeutic human touch. A skilled therapist can help calm your mind and body to allow your true self to shine!

If you want to schedule a massage with me, contact Synchronicity Wellness, or find me on my facebook page

OK... now go hug someone!

                                                       Much love, Mo the human

The most technologically advanced shoe ever made.

Greetings, fellow humans!

There is a shoe available which is far beyond any technology we normally associate with sports equipment. It is equipped with thousands of microscopic sensors designed to make the sole adapt instantly to changing terrain and traction environments. An extremely powerful, yet portable data processor constantly monitors the information coming from each shoe making minute adjustments with every step to ensure a smooth and efficient gait whether walking, hiking, or even running.

While not suitable for use in every sport, these shoes are extremely lightweight and supremely comfortable and breathable, with a truly custom fit for every athlete. Unbeknownst to the general public, many top athletes and training facilities have used these shoes for some or all of their training with overwhelmingly positive results.

With proper training and frequent use, these shoes can help build maximum core strength, coordination, efficiency, and balance in athletes and normal people of all ages.

These shoes, sadly, are not for sale... The good news is, you already have a pair! We are referring to the natural human foot. 

Over one billion people are currently using the most popular shoe on earth: None. While the unshod populations of the earth do have many struggles in life, their feet are remarkably healthy. 

Those of us who have spent most of our lives in shoes, however, are in need of a serious "software update" to take advantage of our feet. Once we learn how to feel our feet, we can then move on to building the necessary strength and flexibility to take full advantage of our truly amazing and capable feet. I have seen bunions, hammer toes, plantar fascia issues, knee pain, and even back pain improve tremendously through carefully training and regaining a natural human gait. If you have any interest in getting back in touch with your feet, consider the "sobriety test" as a careful first step into an exciting new journey.

Finding Your Natural Human Gait Step 1 

The “Sobriety Test” Exercise: 

Teaching Your Brain to See with Your Feet 

Expect this to be a joyful, but possibly very slow process. Different people learn at different speeds. Approach this as if you are gardening. You cannot force a plant to bloom. As such, do not force your feet or brain to adapt too quickly. Let this be a short time you take every morning to experience the sensation you brain has been hungry for since childhood.

1.     Start completely barefoot on a flat, hard, smooth surface such as a wood or stone floor.

2.     Stand for a moment and gently shift your weight from foot to foot without lifting either foot off the ground.

3.   While looking forward (not down) with a soft gaze, begin lifting each foot very slightly, then gently placing it onto the ground before you slowly lift the other foot.

4.     With a soft, relaxed ankle, place one foot just barely in front of the other foot, then WAIT for the front foot to “invite” your weight onto it. This will involve some gentle contraction of the Gluteal and hamstring muscles in the back leg.

5.     As you shift your weight to the forward foot, gently lift the back foot without “pushing off”. 

6.     Repeat at a slow, gentle pace. If you are “thumping”, slow down.

7.     Try the same movement walking backwards. Notice the sensations in your feet.

After some time, you may wish to experiment with some different textures: rough surfaced concrete, dirt, etc… eventually even gravel. Do not rush this. With patience you can avoid possible injury as you slowly regain a very gentle and joyful gait. In time the muscles, tendons, and bones of the feet will become stronger as your brain-foot connection becomes “smarter”.

If you would like additional resources, click here.

OK, Now go outside and play!
                                       Much Love, Mo the human                

Paleo berry crumble recipe

Greetings, fellow humans!

This recipe has moved to my new blog at www.MoTheHuman.net (click anywhere on this text 

link)!

Thanks for all of your support. :)

Much love and respect- Mo the human

Where is "Me"?

Greetings, fellow humans!

Years ago in Boulder, CO I was a busy massage therapist working on a wide variety of clients, many of whom were competitive athletes. One particular client was experiencing some chronic pain in her iliotibial band. (This is a common issue for competitive runners and cyclists.) She was training for one of her numerous triathlons and getting massages to relax and to address her various pains. As I worked on the area just above the lateral aspect of her knee, I asked her, “Is the pain here?”

“No,” She said, “It’s a little closer to me.”

I paused for a moment. “I’m already touching your leg,” I said, “Tell me... Where is Me?”

We spent a few minutes exploring this idea. As I touched other places on her body, we worked closer to her head, finally touching her head, yet I still could not touch “Me”. Together we figured out that “Me” was a tiny little spot in the very center of her head, somewhere between the ears. This highly successful professional with all the outward appearances of athleticism was somehow almost completely separated from her body! With some time and a little renewed focus, we worked to expand “Me” to fill her physical body. According to her, the transformation was huge, allowing more pleasure in her athletic endeavors, and better results at the finish line. I would venture to say, perhaps she gained more pleasure from life in general.

Over the years, this example has illustrated what I see as a common mistake in our society: Many of us view our own body as somehow not “us”. We seem to view our physical self as external, like some brain transportation device, or perhaps at times even view it as an enemy. We may struggle against our own physiology in an attempt to “get fit” as if waging battle against some unwilling foe. I often hear people refer to “My stupid shoulder”, "My bad knee", “My lousy back”, etc… We have taken the false dichotomy of mind and body to an extreme. Many of us even look in the mirror with disdain on a daily basis as we badmouth this one miraculous body that must last a lifetime.

There is much debate on what happens when we die. However, I think most of us can agree, So long as our heart is beating and air is filling our lungs, we only have one place to live. Why not live in all of it?

So here’s my question for you…

Where is “Me”?

Close your eyes and take a moment to feel your answer this question. The answer may surprise you.

Pop goes the veggies!

Greetings, fellow humans!
It's summertime, and everything is hot. If you have a garden, your cucumbers might be coming along just in time for some serious deliciousness...
If you want to whip up some fresh and truly amazing paleo-esque refreshment, "pop" on over to my brother's blog for a couple of amazing popsicle recipes:

http://www.food-sheriff.com/blog-1/2014/7/2/pop-goes-the-vegetables

OK... Now go outside and pick some veggies from your garden!

                       
                                                                                                                  Much love, -Mo the human

Run like an animal, not a machine.

Greetings, fellow humans!

First of all, let me say... I know next to nothing about competing in races of any distance.

I have worked on thousands of runners in my massage therapy career, many of whom have been quite accomplished competitors. However, I personally have little to no interest in competition. I'm not saying you should not compete, so much as I'm saying my approach to running is kinda the opposite of a competitor's mindset. Competitors seem to view their runs in miles and times, pacing, training schedules, etc. I do none of that. I'm not saying competitors don't enjoy their runs, but based on what I hear from the competitors I know, it seems like there's a lot of suffering going on there. (and quite a few injuries as well.)

 I consider running to be "PLAY" and not "EXERCISE". Not that no exercise comes from running, but I think if you goals are to"get in shape", running is an inefficient way to do so.


I run for 2 reasons:

1: Sheer JOY! (see 1 minute video below, or TAP/CLICK HERE if on a mobile device)

2: Quick transportation. (Walking is not as fast as running, even for a slow runner like me.)



About four and half years ago, I couldn't even consider running. Luckily, I was opened to a whole new approach that truly changed my life.

Thanks to a re-learning of this basic human skill, I can run again in a joyful and pain-free manner!



 If you want to go "further down the rabbit hole" on techniques for regaining a gentle, non-impact gait, watch the video below (or TAP/CLICK HERE if on a mobile device). Even if you are a competitive runner, I think this approach can lead to a more efficient and pleasure-filled run. The first 12 minutes is where I describe how and why the important first step in learning to run is learning to walk with a natural gait. The rest consists of a lengthy Q&A/discussion of ideas.

If you want to read more on some of my favorite resources, bunions, plantar fasciitis, and my favorite shoe options go here.

                                                     OK... Now go outside and play!      Much love, Mo the human.

My flying dream comes to life!

Greetings, fellow humans!

Recently I was fortunate enough to partake in an "Asheville influencer" day at Navitat Canopy Tours which is about 20 minutes away from Asheville. If you have never done a zip line tour, or even if you have... I heartily encourage you to check them out. This is a really safe and easy way to get an unforgettable adventure.

Since I was a little kid, I have dreamed of being able to fly. On May 20th, 2014 it happened in my waking life. Below is a "selfie" video I took on the tour:

Western North Carolina is a beautiful and lush place. I love hiking and biking here. It was also a nice treat to fly above it.

OK, now go outside and play!                        Much love, Mo the human