Dear {{first_name|soul family}},

We hope you are well. How is your practice going? Just like life, our practice comes and goes in cycles. We like to ride the waves and feel extra alive during intense cycles. We are currently in one of these intense cycles and getting prepared for our second wolf cub who is due to arrive in the next few months. 👶 Bre is enjoying the pregnancy glow, feeling good and still savoring her ice baths in the hot Las Vegas weather!

Your sore shoulders, stiff neck, painful lower back, tight hips, and sciatica don’t have to be something you just live with. There are ways to heal your mind-body and improve your day-to-day life, starting TODAY. Both of us turned to yoga to heal from debilitating pain and illness, including back pain and autoimmune issues. We know first-hand that recovery can be a winding journey with many setbacks and stages of utter confusion and despair. Healing isn’t a straight path; it zigzags and requires patience, acceptance, and the right combination of tools.

We often hear about the mind and the body as separate entities and there are many practices to unite them. We like to call this the mind-body, reminding us that it is, and always has been, one cooperating unit. Our practice reinforces this union. Emotional stress and unresolved trauma often manifest as physical pain, and changes in our physical body can also affect our attitude.

When it comes to healing, most of us think of healing physical injuries or issues. This is what we are focusing on in this newsletter episode. On one hand, there are injuries that result from accidents, like rolling your ankle on a hike or falling off your bike. On the other hand, there are injuries that seem to come out of nowhere and hit us hard. We will talk about both in a moment.

Recovery involves not just healing these physical injuries but also addressing emotional layers. By nurturing both your physical and emotional health, you support a more holistic recovery. As you’re probably already aware, yoga is a holistic practice that addresses both in one go. So yoga, as always, has got you covered. But continue reading for some practical tips that will help you or someone you know who is in pain.

When it comes to healing anything physical it is important to remember that the body is meant to heal. It wants to heal and with our input and actions we can either support this quest or slow it down.

When it comes to healing, what often takes the most time is trying out different modalities until you find one that works for you and brings improvement.

Yoga offers a holistic approach to recovery by combining movement and mindfulness with the intention of returning to the greater sense of holistic unity within yourself. We have this intention in mind when we create all of our sequences and deliver our classes.

There are two common approaches to injury management: RICE and MEAT. Our personal approach is to first use RICE, then transition to MEAT as soon as it is safely possible. No worries, it’s just an acronym - we’re still vegan 😉 Let’s look at the two terms…

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. This is the most common approach and is great for acute injuries. This strategy should be used short-term.

As soon as it is safely possible, move to MEAT: Movement, Exercise, Analgesia, Treatment. This ensures a smoother and more holistic path to recovery and improved overall well-being. The body is designed to move, and through movement, it stays healthy. One of the simplest exercises to return to as soon as possible is walking. A gentle yoga practice is a wonderful addition. Use herbs and medicines from Mother Nature as analgesia (pain killers) where needed, and then continue with treatment, specifically bodywork.

Bodywork is all hands-on work done with the intention of harmony and centering. Structural integration is one such bodywork method and is a powerful approach for addressing chronic pain, increasing performance and self-awareness, and making you feel more comfortable in your body.

Flo is a board-certified Structural Integration bodyworker, and he will discuss this work in more detail in an upcoming newsletter episode. If you're interested in an in-person session, you can visit his practice in Las Vegas. He also offers online posture assessments that can help you identify imbalances that may have gone unnoticed for years, and provide actionable steps you can take in your practice right now to address them. If you can't make it to Las Vegas but would still like to have in-person bodywork done, you can find a certified Structural Integration practitioner near you by clicking here or here.

We’re here to support you every step of the way. At Breathe and Flow, we believe in the power of community.

We also believe in you and know that you will make it through.

With love, light, and healing energy,

P.S. Our Reduce your Pain collection offers comprehensive support to help you manage and alleviate pain, with:

Take the first step towards feeling better, we are with you all the way.

P.P.S We had a little technical hiccup with our automations this week so apologies if you received an extra email thanking you for subscribing. Thanks for being here and being patient while we figure out this ever-changing world of tech…😜

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When you donate to Veterans Yoga Project, you make the work they do possible. They create opportunities for service-connected men, women, and children to enhance their own mental and physical well-being through tools and techniques rooted in yoga and grounded by science.

♥️ Hey there {{first_name|friend}} , if you have a tight neck/back/shoulders today, here’s a little mini massage using a small ball. If you’re already pain free then off you go and do a funky dance around the kitchen…life is goooooood! Hugs 🤗 ♥️