This was a great episode. It was one of the rare podcasts where I kept wishing I was right there with Chris asking questions. Because of being raised in an ultra-religious environment and being a sceptic/non-believer, I do not like metaphorical or ambiguous language because it can easily be misunderstood. I feel strongly that people should strive to be precise with terms they use, especially when explaining what they believe. Here are some of my thoughts on the podcast:
Pros: I loved how Allison discussed forgiving our parents for mistakes they made, not being judgmental, and the need for all of us to have a community. Those are qualities that transcend culture and countries. I struggled for many years with anger I felt toward my parents. I have currently realized that I spent a lot of time angry while the clock was ticking away and my parents were moving closer and closer to nonexistence. As a parent, I also cringe at some of the parenting I did. Like my parents, I "did the best I could." I also appreciate her thoughts on mindfulness. Personally, I have gained much benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I also appreciate both thoughts on epigenetics and the role they play in our behavior. Maybe we all need to rethink Lamarkian evolution?
Cons: I was apprehensive when certain words were used to explain her beliefs - words like soul, spirit, quantum field, spirituality, subconscience, energy, frequency, and resonance. I would have liked for her to explain in precise terms what they mean to her. It seems that these sort of terms act as placeholders that, inadvertently or not, allow the listener to insert their understanding of those terms into the context of the explanation. I think Allison has a coherent worldview, but as I was listening I kept wondering what she actually meant.
By the way, I lived in Kanab Utah as a kid for several years. I remember they filmed the Six Million Dollar Man and Grizzly Adams when I was there. It is really one of the most beautiful areas in Utah. My grandparents lived in Orderville (about 10 miles north of Kanab) and I remember regularly going to Zion and Bryce National Parks with them. Thanks for another great podcast.
I thought this was a fantastic episode that came at the perfect time for me. I’ve been trying hard in the past couple of months to really listen to my own body and mind to understand myself better. It’s such a difficult thing to do in modern life and it’s incredibly easy to find yourself slipping back into old habits and distractions. My mantra at the moment is ‘until I know myself I don’t want to know anything else’.
I completely agree with you Juan that listening to your own intuitions around diet and exercise is far more useful than any diet or exercise regimen. I think we have also lost the understanding that exercise should be fun (bodymind, not just body) and fetishise the thought of exercise as a gruelling sufferfest.
Lastly, on trauma. I am partway though Gabor Mate’s most recent book on trauma and would recommend it. I had wondered when reading about all this generational trauma whether the opposite may also be a possible - a generational joy that means you find unexplained and unexpected pleasure in something because it was a source of joy to an ancestor long gone.
I liked this episode. I myself have been a trainer and physical educator for around 20 years, and I can testify to what she says about the industry telling us so much one thing, that it has changed how people perceive natural movement, intuitive eating, exercise or wellness in general (I hope I got it right).
I’ve had the opportunity to work in many environments (Schools, rehabilitation clinics, gyms, homes… and with different populations; from kids living their parents dreams of being great athletes, to desperate housewives, former addicts, stroke patients, abused women, children and adults with disabilities, travelers, chefs, etc., and one of my biggest headaches is that I’ve seen the same approach towards all these different populations. A knee hurts? Lose weight and strengthen. Depressed? Lose weight and strengthen. Your partner left you? Lose weight and strengthen. Oh, you just want to be able to hike or dance better? Lose weight and strengthen. The idea of physical education and literacy is not even considered in the fitness industry.
But, how do you convince people that they should focus on physical education and literacy when since the early 1900s (perhaps earlier) the focus has been on image and strength? When the focus has been on how we must look after X amount of time exercising, or after Y amount of time eating Z food? P.E. is seen as something only kids take in school. Physical literacy is a concept unknown or forgotten by most people. Fitness is seen as something one only obtains by exercising. And health is seen as an ideal body shape. I’ve been studying that for a while; not just the systems, but the laws, the beliefs, and other socio-cultural factors that affect our perception of these things.
I have been working on a book along the same line as Allison’s; at least in principle, because it is more about how to bring these concepts down to earth (Health, fitness, exercise, working out, physical activity, diet, results, goals, etc.). We are over glorifying exercise and diets. I think we don’t need more specialty training, nor diets or supplements, or spiritual retreats for that matter; in fact, I think we should dial it back a notch or ten. We already come with great capacity to function well, and we are fucking it up thinking that if we “improve it” more and more it will be better. I compare all this to a game of solitaire in which one keeps shuffling the cards again and again to get better chances, when two or three times was enough.
Look at the stats or simply look around; injuries, addiction to diets-exercise-or to supplements, people sniffing cocaine or using crystal meth to perform better or to inhibit appetite to lose weight, suicide, fatal accidents, physical decay, and that’s without talking about the social issues (broken families, weight loss and fitness cults [churches included], children forced to do extreme programs or to run marathons that most adults can't even do, old people competing against young people to feel that they are still worth it), and that is without talking about image and acceptance issues (stress, anxiety, depression, self-hatred, fat phobia...). Wait, what? Maybe we should take it back twenty or fifty notches instead. Anyhow, I hope this makes sense.
Como siempre, gracias por compartir. Un fuerte abrazo!
I'm doing the same thing with a property that we are in the process of closing on that is near Crestone, closer to Alamosa but in the big picture you'll be a neighbor. My brothers and I have been talking about building a family,/friends community hub forever and I finally have enough to buy the ground. I am in Florida for the next few months and can't wait to get back and get started. I will definitely come and help with your build, I used to be a general contractor before my midlife crises took me back to school. I am now in the alternative health space and ironically getting ack into building to work on healthcare from an environmental/build environment perspective.
This was a great episode. It was one of the rare podcasts where I kept wishing I was right there with Chris asking questions. Because of being raised in an ultra-religious environment and being a sceptic/non-believer, I do not like metaphorical or ambiguous language because it can easily be misunderstood. I feel strongly that people should strive to be precise with terms they use, especially when explaining what they believe. Here are some of my thoughts on the podcast:
Pros: I loved how Allison discussed forgiving our parents for mistakes they made, not being judgmental, and the need for all of us to have a community. Those are qualities that transcend culture and countries. I struggled for many years with anger I felt toward my parents. I have currently realized that I spent a lot of time angry while the clock was ticking away and my parents were moving closer and closer to nonexistence. As a parent, I also cringe at some of the parenting I did. Like my parents, I "did the best I could." I also appreciate her thoughts on mindfulness. Personally, I have gained much benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I also appreciate both thoughts on epigenetics and the role they play in our behavior. Maybe we all need to rethink Lamarkian evolution?
Cons: I was apprehensive when certain words were used to explain her beliefs - words like soul, spirit, quantum field, spirituality, subconscience, energy, frequency, and resonance. I would have liked for her to explain in precise terms what they mean to her. It seems that these sort of terms act as placeholders that, inadvertently or not, allow the listener to insert their understanding of those terms into the context of the explanation. I think Allison has a coherent worldview, but as I was listening I kept wondering what she actually meant.
By the way, I lived in Kanab Utah as a kid for several years. I remember they filmed the Six Million Dollar Man and Grizzly Adams when I was there. It is really one of the most beautiful areas in Utah. My grandparents lived in Orderville (about 10 miles north of Kanab) and I remember regularly going to Zion and Bryce National Parks with them. Thanks for another great podcast.
I thought this was a fantastic episode that came at the perfect time for me. I’ve been trying hard in the past couple of months to really listen to my own body and mind to understand myself better. It’s such a difficult thing to do in modern life and it’s incredibly easy to find yourself slipping back into old habits and distractions. My mantra at the moment is ‘until I know myself I don’t want to know anything else’.
I completely agree with you Juan that listening to your own intuitions around diet and exercise is far more useful than any diet or exercise regimen. I think we have also lost the understanding that exercise should be fun (bodymind, not just body) and fetishise the thought of exercise as a gruelling sufferfest.
Lastly, on trauma. I am partway though Gabor Mate’s most recent book on trauma and would recommend it. I had wondered when reading about all this generational trauma whether the opposite may also be a possible - a generational joy that means you find unexplained and unexpected pleasure in something because it was a source of joy to an ancestor long gone.
I liked this episode. I myself have been a trainer and physical educator for around 20 years, and I can testify to what she says about the industry telling us so much one thing, that it has changed how people perceive natural movement, intuitive eating, exercise or wellness in general (I hope I got it right).
I’ve had the opportunity to work in many environments (Schools, rehabilitation clinics, gyms, homes… and with different populations; from kids living their parents dreams of being great athletes, to desperate housewives, former addicts, stroke patients, abused women, children and adults with disabilities, travelers, chefs, etc., and one of my biggest headaches is that I’ve seen the same approach towards all these different populations. A knee hurts? Lose weight and strengthen. Depressed? Lose weight and strengthen. Your partner left you? Lose weight and strengthen. Oh, you just want to be able to hike or dance better? Lose weight and strengthen. The idea of physical education and literacy is not even considered in the fitness industry.
But, how do you convince people that they should focus on physical education and literacy when since the early 1900s (perhaps earlier) the focus has been on image and strength? When the focus has been on how we must look after X amount of time exercising, or after Y amount of time eating Z food? P.E. is seen as something only kids take in school. Physical literacy is a concept unknown or forgotten by most people. Fitness is seen as something one only obtains by exercising. And health is seen as an ideal body shape. I’ve been studying that for a while; not just the systems, but the laws, the beliefs, and other socio-cultural factors that affect our perception of these things.
I have been working on a book along the same line as Allison’s; at least in principle, because it is more about how to bring these concepts down to earth (Health, fitness, exercise, working out, physical activity, diet, results, goals, etc.). We are over glorifying exercise and diets. I think we don’t need more specialty training, nor diets or supplements, or spiritual retreats for that matter; in fact, I think we should dial it back a notch or ten. We already come with great capacity to function well, and we are fucking it up thinking that if we “improve it” more and more it will be better. I compare all this to a game of solitaire in which one keeps shuffling the cards again and again to get better chances, when two or three times was enough.
Look at the stats or simply look around; injuries, addiction to diets-exercise-or to supplements, people sniffing cocaine or using crystal meth to perform better or to inhibit appetite to lose weight, suicide, fatal accidents, physical decay, and that’s without talking about the social issues (broken families, weight loss and fitness cults [churches included], children forced to do extreme programs or to run marathons that most adults can't even do, old people competing against young people to feel that they are still worth it), and that is without talking about image and acceptance issues (stress, anxiety, depression, self-hatred, fat phobia...). Wait, what? Maybe we should take it back twenty or fifty notches instead. Anyhow, I hope this makes sense.
Como siempre, gracias por compartir. Un fuerte abrazo!
I'm doing the same thing with a property that we are in the process of closing on that is near Crestone, closer to Alamosa but in the big picture you'll be a neighbor. My brothers and I have been talking about building a family,/friends community hub forever and I finally have enough to buy the ground. I am in Florida for the next few months and can't wait to get back and get started. I will definitely come and help with your build, I used to be a general contractor before my midlife crises took me back to school. I am now in the alternative health space and ironically getting ack into building to work on healthcare from an environmental/build environment perspective.