Tenaciously pursuing the question-what is true health and well-being has been on my mind for as long as I can remember. Recently I have discovered it comes from my core belief that our collective evolutions rests on our ability or willingness to grow individually. This expansion, will create the opportunity to build a better world at every level for everyone. I don’t know when it started or how, but I do recall being called “too sensitive”, “too much” and chuckled at when I mentioned “free radicals” caused by our food supply (sounds like a military operation, you must be joking) 20 years ago when I suggested the quality of water we were drinking or the electromagnetic field we were bathed in was connected to our health. The systems we had for health and well-being just weren’t making sense as I dove deeper into “alternatives”. As I looked around it was clear the building blocks of our systems did not create the sustainability and abundance it promised-my own experiences adding to this reality. Now in the aftermath of the destruction of prescriptive healthcare system, conventional farming practices, and mental health precepts, I feel we are poised for major shift to true health.
My personal experience has mirrored this shift as I had to redefine what “in shape” really meant as I made my way to 50. As a teacher of Pilates, a triathlete and athletic enthusiast I was considered quite “in shape” by todays standards. I had and was a personal trainer for years and committed to daily Pilates, Yoga, running, biking and whatever I could find. BUT the harvest of my efforts were tested when I took my inner ocean out into the Ocean and began the process to learn to surf at 51. My inability to adapt, be resilient and sustain was challenged. I didn’t last 30 minutes before my QL (quadratus laboreum) was crying “uncle” and I retreated to shore ( I did quickly stand, but couldn’t sustain the paddle). What a surprise when I discovered “in shape” did not mean adaptable. Surfing is the ultimate in adaptability, but honestly anything out of the norm of linear movement was becoming questionable. Back to the studio for me as I had to admit along with my slowly creeping aches and pains something was amiss. Research didn’t support the “old age” adage. I noticed in my loyal clients of many years-improvements but still tension and holds causing inhibiting function. I used all the antics I learned after 1000s of hours of teaching and learning, however, the holds and tensions inhibiting ease made me wonder what was missing. On a personal level the same unrest licking at the shores of my mental-emotional existence. What was I missing-and how can I move people better? How can I be better? I sold my Berkeley studio and set out – I found myself studying with those from Dubai, London, Switzerland, Australia, Maine, Houston-pieces of the puzzle seemed to find their way into a method viewing us as energetic forms we often name; mind, body and spirit based on our fascial system-a new organ.
The realization that the world is evolving with or without us-made me wonder if could I contribute positively to it or do I sit back and let it be. I guess the too sensitive and too much part of me wouldn’t let that happen. Instead of thinking of these labels as a deficit I am beginning to use them like gifts. So it is with humility in the chance I can make a difference that I created the Loom Method. It is a collection of data points from my personal experiences, reading, study and brilliant people who have done the hard work of staying focused on one thing for many years and share it generously. This list is long and I will do my best to create a glossary one day, if you are interested. For now I feel a sense of urgency-seeing the suffering in the people who can offer us wisdom. I am offering a well-researched, integral method which includes: breath, stillness, movement and awareness of the fascial body as a culmination of a life curious about the elements of our well-being. We are not separate-individually or collectively-what is within me is within you-so it makes sense to me that we explore our inner world in a cohesive way to understand, relate and effect our outer world for the good of all. I do not aim to stop anything that makes you feel alive-as I continue to surf, but first I had to let go of old patterns. The fascial body showed me how and I intend to share it. That is enough about me - let’s learn about YOU!
FASCIA – A NEW ORGAN
Don’t we have enough organs? This one is called A BIG PLAYER to boot! Hang with me as fascia holds it all together-literally and our study of this gooey substance brings a whole view of ourselves-in my opinion just what we have been missing.
Fascia is the gooey substance pervasive throughout our bodies, often referred to as the fascial body. Way beyond the widely known definition, It is not only the layers beneath the skin as we have been told but it dives deep into our interior touching the 70+ trillion cells in our being. It is the extensive web of connective tissue that holds it all together-every organ, muscle, bone, ligament nerve and cell is encased and connected by fascia. It is the communication system that connects the whole to its parts. Maybe you are realizing why it has been called , “the biggest player in our regulartory and movement system and in our overall health and well-being” With this new model of our human integrity, Tom Myers (author of Anatomy Trains) states, “now we are learning how to train not for injury, we can train ourselves to be younger and more vital”
How and why we train fascia?
Fascial properties include; elasticity, viscosity and plasticity. This responsive, adapting system has been called our listening system. Its watery, gooey substance functions optimally when hydrated. Optimal functioning is created by restoring the appropriate tensioning (tensile strength) of the fascia. This includes the slide and glide, bounce or recoil, and reactivity of our fascial bodies. We use varied multi-dimensional movement and awareness of mindset. We clean-up the fascial pathways we are promoting and create opportunity to reset the regulation of the system. A fascial body discussion must include a cursory understanding of the tensegrity model, Tom Myers refers to the integrity of our tension. It is with varying degrees of compression and tension that structures are suspended-building, bridges, animals and humans.
The integrity of the tension withstand time. If we take away the tissue structure of our body we collapse like a puddle of bones. The tension structures are integrated and a bodily injury in any part of the structure set in motion strains and pains in other body parts-often not close to the injury. I think it is important to remember-emotional loads impact the body much like structural loads. Often we look at the site of pain to find answers but our fascial body view leads us to the fascial pathways (Fascial lines) to restore systematic order. Creating a more in-depth understanding of fascia-beyond the common ( I roll my fascia after a workout) is paramount. Our 21st Century needs us to stretch beyond the pedestrian language and see a more comprehensive picture of ourselves and well-being in general. It is with this knowledge I believe true health and well- being can be achieved. It is not my intention to overwhelm but to create curiosity so we might work those bodies from a new view, more holistic and informed. My goal is to make it fun.. and I believe in Einstein’s words, “ simplicity is on the other side of complexity”.
Join me in the fascial play at Loom.
LOOM MOVEMENT
Loom is a movement. One that aims to create more, wider, deeper, perspectives of ourselves and the world. It begins with you creating the kind of abundance in your own being that sharing it with the world is not an obligatory gesture but one from your overflowing heart-centered self. Sounds lofty maybe but why not start with feeling good. That’s what Loom aims to do-help you feel good. I believe a able-free body creates new possibilities for each of us. The Loom Method, starts with the groundwork: Breath, Movement, Stillness all together because I believe in the power of the trifecta-mind, body and spirit. The Method uses balls as tools for fascial awakenings, stillness to awaken the sensory system and movement to align and clear our fascial bodies for true connectedness within and beyond. It is with research, study, experience, lightness and good dose of humility I meet the new body perspective fascia has brought to the forefront. Many brilliant practioners from Karin Lochners, Spatial Medicine, Karin Gutners’ Art of Motion, Tom Myers, Anatomy Trains, James Nestors, Breath, Christianity, Bhuddism, Krishnas, Kuballism, ancient wisdom, modern wisdom, basically anything I can find to inform and collate and seek the truths-which are all pretty aligned I am beginning to see. So much complexity that will in the end be so simple we won’t believe it was right here in front of us all the time. If life is these patterns of truths let’s become aware of what doesn’t serve us let’s replace the old ones with new ones as we go through our days. I hope you’ll join this adventure to restore freedom and play back into our bodies and the forefront of what it means to have this human experience together.
TESTIMONIALS
“Yamuna with Lynn was somewhere between a massage, meditation, core workout, and anatomy lesson all rolled into one.”
“Taking a Slings class with Lynn gave me a new appreciation for the simple art of walking with less effort and more awareness.”
“I was looking everywhere for answers to the pain. Pilates with Lynn helped me to understand important body-mind connections which improved my pain and my relationships.”