Stay ConnectedA weekly podcast for coaches, embodiment teachers and anyone who sees the body as more than a hunk of meat.
Embodiment Unlimited host Mark Walsh, interviews leaders and innovators from around the world. We cover coaching, mindfulness, trauma therapy, martial arts, meditation, somatics, yoga, and movement practices generally. The flavour is light-hearted, conversational and practical.
The podcast has been going for seven years and had over three million downloads.
Dance movement therapists and academic researcher Helen Payne joins me to geek out. We discuss why the body, being a "body person in academia", Jon Kabat-Zinn, medically unexplained symptoms, psychosomatic illness, the evidence base for embodiment, the trials of doing trials, the business case for wellbeing, trauma and unexplained symptoms, chronic stress, attachment style, the importance of groups and belonging, moving symptoms with the body, how to package embodiment, resistance from mainstream culture, what an integrated embodied-medical-academic future culture would look like (inspiring stuff), Authentic Movement, the business and university war-zone and resilience. A fast, fun clever one.
My ole brother arms and conflict resolution specialist Stephen Kotev, joins me for some rough-diamond fun. We talk growing up in conflicted families, how conflict is about more than words and logic, Paul Linden, fight-flight and the physiology of conflict, self regulation and the best quick-win centring techniques, how to stop interrupting and listen better (guilty), aikido vs BJJ, the joys of competition, humility in martial arts, authenticity vs tricks in conflict, physical vs verbal triggers, why guns are fun and he offers a final challenge to kill and flay a poor little chicken. This one is quite sweary and non PC from the start, so avoid it if you are comically weak millennial who does not take responsibility for their own reactions.
Dutch yoga and mindfulness teacher Karin joins me to discuss how smoking got her into yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, cultural adaptation, kindness, EYP, making yoga useful, how it's not all about bliss or even relaxation, "karma yoga", generosity, how Buddhism is a "refugee religion", Dutch culture, Bhutan (where she does various charitable work), Indian nationalism and yoga and concentration vs open awareness. She also gives some practical mindfulness and meditation tips for practice and establishing a practice. A relaxed amiable stroll of a conversation between friends and colleagues.
Sindre joins the show from Oslo to discuss the evils of sitting, NASA research, issues with traditional yoga, Foundation Training and Eric Goodman, Anatomy Trains and Tom Myers, anatomy vs embodiment, biotensegrity, fascia, balance, diet / nutrition, the dangers of office work and antidotes to it, inflammation, the EFC course, chronic pain, centring, threats, bodywork and more. An ambling chat between friends.
Alexander technique teacher Korina joins the show to discuss how our embodiment is impacted by space, landscape and nature, and how this can lead to a different relationship with the environment. She also chats death, pets, bodywork, changing oneself while giving bodywork, participating in someone's else body and gentle encouragement, the evidence base for AT, why it's not that popular, somatic movement, many aspects for touch, RADA, and the body in acting. A spacious elegant gentle interview.
https://alexandertechnique.co.uk/alexander-technique/research
In this special 100th episode we turn the tables and Maud Raber, seasoned embodied coach and facilitator, Leadership Embodiment instructor and EFC faculty member, interviews me with questions from listeners and students. We go into my work, what I get from the podcast, and some deeply personal events that impacted why I chose embodied work.
http://www.embodiedfacilitator.com/
Meditation teacher Martin joins me to discuss how meditation is as much body training as mind training, body hatred in Buddhism, disgust, "freedom vs friction", the 3 bodies of Buddhism (physical, energetic and infinite), lay vs renunciation and monastic practice, his money sex and work seminars, what money shows us, trust and money, money mindfulness, having enough, dana payments, retreats, meditating in a city, integration, online mindfulness pros and cons, yoni / womb meditation and layers of relaxation. An informative engaged ramble.
Experienced executive coach Curtis Watkins, known for working with the body, joins me from New York to both explain and show somatic (embodied) coaching. We discuss school sports trauma, acting, bring big and small, what's too much and too little, what exactly is coaching, linguistics and Fernando Flores, Ontological coaching, coaching vs sports scorching, taking new perspectives, habits, welcoming pain, curiosity, breath in coaching, and phone and Skype coaching. Newly we also do a live demo where Curtis coaches me… which felt a bit vulnerable but will hopefully be useful to listeners.
Various coaching resources and schools such as the Coaches Rising podcast, Strozz Institute, Stuart Heller, Wendy Palmer, EFC (of course), CTI, and Newfield and New Ventures West are also recommend.
http://www.curtiswatkins.com/how_works.html
http://www.leadershipembodiment.com/
https://www.walkingyourtalk.com/
My old Israeli special forces friend Ari joins me to share some war stories and his healing journey,. We discuss "looking for magic", PTSD, the training of elite military units, psychological conditioning and brutalisation, Israeli society's trauma, adrenaline and sex addiction, pushing limits, the attraction of death, intimacy and trauma, humour, perspective, stability and peace being uncomfortable, terror, his experiences in refugee camps, The Grinberg Method, MDMA, trust, weak people, why therapists can't talk to most soldiers, vulnerability, shame and guilt, forgiveness, hate, empathy for enemies, post traumatic growth, foot reading, what actually heals trauma and why the body is necessary. This one is both fun and deep, with lots of swearing, non PC language and some rough parts for those not used to hearing about the sharp end of life and death.
Supreme fearless nerd leader Queen Justine of Namaste joins the show to talk Star Trek yoga, geeks and nerds, wellbeing for nerds, Harry Potter yoga, Star Wars yoga… you get the idea. We also discuss dressing up, play, childlike vs childish, compensatory functions in geekdom and embodiment, the fantasy of "normal" yoga, haters, fantasy vs enactment, trauma, body shaming and body positivity, feeling safe, being "other in yoga, narrative yoga and therapy, the heroes journey and more! This was both silly and deep, and nothing if not original.
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