Being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening health condition–like cancer–can understandably cause great uncertainty, anxiety and fear. Despite the prevalence of those feelings in cancer patients, a recent study by Pfizer found that a 76 percent of those surveyed believe that a positive outlook is essential to living with the disease. Research suggests that actively cultivating a positive … [Read more...]
I know I’m not alone in trying to process the terror and violence that recently erupted in Charlottesville, VA. The brutal altercation between rallying white supremacists and counter-protestors has slammed more tidal waves of horror, disbelief and sorrow about race relations against the rocky foundation of our country. It has compelled a period of deep reflection on what the United States of … [Read more...]
When dystonia dares to once again rear its twisted head after an extended remission of all but the most benign symptoms, it can sometimes feel like a personal failing on my healing journey. I chastise myself for the lapses in judgment that led to making unwise choices. I berate myself for knowing better than to behave in such foolish ways: I shouldn’t have had a cheat day (or three) of so many … [Read more...]
On this first day of the last year of my thirties, I have come to embrace certain truths about my self and my life. First, I know what I am not. I am not defined by the story I or others have told, do tell, or will tell about my life. I am not my illness. I am not my pain. I am not my body. I am not my achievements. I am not my failures. I am not my job. I am not my financial footing. I am not my … [Read more...]
During this past week’s Recovery 2.0 online conference, founder and addiction specialist Tommy Rosen interviewed Peter Przekop, D.O., Ph.D. about the growing chronic pain epidemic in the face of a medical establishment ill-equipped to manage long-term pain without the use of potent pharmaceuticals, like opioids. The doctor of osteopathy developed and directed the pain management program at the … [Read more...]
When it comes to our personal experience of the world around us, perception is everything. How we perceive our environment is largely influenced by the information our brains receive from our senses, which help us to determined how to behave and what to feel in a given situation. Every day, we rely on the five most recognizable senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. However, our brains … [Read more...]
I often tag my yoga pics with #PracticeMakesProgress to remind myself that the goal of my practice is NOT perfection. The reason I get on the mat is to express my dedication to healing and healthy living. I get on the mat to Embody My Body, to feel all the sensations that sometimes get buried in the harried activity of day-to-day life, to listen to the messages the body is trying to tell … [Read more...]
My life revolved around gymnastics for much of my childhood, as I proudly grew from a tiny tumblebee of age 4 to a competitive gymnast in adolescence. As the type of athlete who thrived on strength and speed, one of my absolute favorite things was to go whipping through the air backwards. At the request of my friends, I would not-so humbly tumble through a succession of back handsprings and … [Read more...]
There are periods of my life when I have grown paralyzed while facing the veiled path of the future that lies ahead. The plethora of choices available to me overwhelms: Which direction is the correct one to pursue right now? Can I follow it without completely neglecting my other desired paths? What if I make the wrong choice? Other times, the choice is clear, but uncertainty confounds me. What … [Read more...]
Since experiencing his own dramatic transformation from addict to survivor largely with the help of yoga and meditation, Tommy Rosen has spent the last two decades as an addiction recovery expert and yoga teacher, certified in both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. With 23 years of sobriety under his belt, Rosen has become a trailblazer and leader in the world of Yoga and Recovery. He founded Recovery 2.0 … [Read more...]