à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Freedom
Thoughts on My 200th Post
While I haven’t been counting, WordPress recently notified me that this will be my 200th post. It’s a large enough number to warrant acknowledgment and reflection. This figure does not include dozens of posts I began, to capture an idea or a thought, that I either chose not to develop or incorporated into other pieces of writing. Much of … Continue reading
Feldenkrais and the Tyranny of “Touch Your Toes”
“…some have the knees straight as if it were a rule that you have to touch the floor having the knees straight.” – Moshe Feldenkrais, The Master Moves One afternoon in my Feldenkrais program, trainer Katrin Smithback invited us to take a break from a seated activity by having us stand. “Now,” she said, “touch your toes.” … Continue reading
Road Trip as American Camino: Finding “Finisterre”
Finisterre means “the end of the earth”. This town in Galicia, perched on a rocky outcropping, overlooks a seemingly eternal ocean. To explorers, it must have seemed like the end of terra firma, and it marked the terminus of my pilgrimage along El Camino de Santiago in Spain. At the Finisterre lighthouse, pilgrims burn a personal item from … Continue reading
Road Trip: My American Camino (Part I)
Before setting off on my last minute road trip, the voices of fear gave me a lot of flak for not having planned it in advance, or “enough” in advance. Still, days into my trip, demons continued to berate me (“What the hell are you doing?!” they asked), anxiety held me in its death grip, and I was … Continue reading
Feldenkrais and the Coleman Camp Stove
During my last minute road trip, I booked lodging in Polebridge, MT, on the edge of Glacier National Park, less than 24 hours in advance. That I found a funkily furnished ger, a round tent-like structure created in Mongolia, with a real bed, a private compost toilet and an outdoor shower on short notice, thrilled me. I could enjoy the … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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