This Thing Called Movement

Intuition can be a tricky subject, because while we understand the concept of intuition intellectually, figuring out how to listen to & follow that “inner voice” can feel incredibly vague and mysterious in real life.

But bridging this paradox of intuition is actually much simpler than we think...

Marie & Julia begin this episode by clarifying what intuition really is and provide neuropsychological research to explain why it’s valuable to our health on all levels (mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual). Yet despite it’s life-changing potential, so many of us go through life ignoring these “gut instincts” which can unfortunately result in serious mental and physical health conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, burnout, and much more (hello paradox!).

To bridge this gap, they discuss practical steps we can take to begin recovering & cultivating our innate intuitive capacity (because we are all born with this ability), and share their own personal stories of how intuition has played an important role in their platonic & romantic relationships as well as their movement practices. Julia reveals her recent episode of overstimulation & burnout as a result of ignoring her body’s cues, and how she struggled to maintain her rhythm with her intuitive movement practice . Together they wrap up the episode reflecting on the nuances of Julia’s relationship with her body & her movement practice, and highlight how her intuition was working to guide her back into alignment (hint — “sticking with it” is not always the answer). Marie provides new insight on how to deepen our connection with our intuition, and a new practice to play with in the meantime.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Meant To Move is a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment, co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

In our third installment of Meant To Move, Marie and Julia focus on the connection between embodiment and pleasure, and explore the obvious and not-so-obvious ways these aspects of our humanity are intimately linked.

To start, this conversation kicks off by digging into the central channel of our embodiment: our movement & exercise practices, why so many of us find these practices to be unpleasant and uncomfortable (physically, mentally, & emotionally), and how prioritizing the sensations of our body over what our bodies “look” like (not just aesthetically, but when we move as well) helps us begin to cultivate more pleasure.

In fact, when discussing how to cultivate pleasure in movement, Marie & Julia discuss how kids are some of their greatest role models. They are so beautifully proficient at prioritizing their enjoyment of every minute (or more honestly, every second) of their lives. And even in our adulthood, we can earn great rewards by nurturing our own inner child whenever we can.

And as you probably expected when first reading the title of this episode, they steer this topic of pleasure into the realm of sensuality and sexuality (because let’s be real — these are key players in the field here). Both of these factors are key elements to our wellbeing, yet historically have been left out of these discussions (thankfully the out-dated sense of taboo is loosening its grip). They share their own personal stories of learning to enjoy their own bodies, masturbation, orgasm, and healing the shame and trauma that so many of us feel in this space.

To bring us to the finish of this episode, Julia shares some recent insights and experiences in her movement journey, and Marie offers new ways to tune into a deeper sense of pleasure & play in our bodies and bring our embodiment practice to a new level.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Meant To Move is a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment, co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

One aspect of moving our bodies that I dare say 100% of people can relate to is negotiating the pitfalls of PAIN.

Experiencing pain in any form in our bodies, whether it’s acute or chronic, dull or sharp, expected or unexpected leads us into the territory of feeling disappointed by our bodies as they seemingly break down right under our nose. And well, let’s not beat around the bush here, the general consensus for most of us in this department is: pain means damage, and it's frustrating.

But... what if that assumption isn’t entirely correct?

Enter our guest for this episode: Charlie Merrill. As a licensed physical therapist and owner of Merrill Performance in Boulder, Colorado Charlie has devoted over 20 years of his life to developing a synthesized treatment of the mind and body to support people dealing with pain & injury in returning to a high level of performance, health, and vitality in their lives. Through his many years of study and experience, Charlie sees that pain and tissue damage do not always go hand in hand. In fact, having pain doesn't always mean there is something physically wrong.

His combination of traditional hands on manual therapy care with a novel mind-body approach enables him to treat a wide range of clients including some of the world’s best athletes. Outside of his clinic, Charlie is actively involved in clinical research, consults in health technology, and serves on the medical advisory board for "The Better Mind Center". And if that weren’t enough, Charlie co-created the course "Beyond Pain Education" with Dr Howard Schibiner, MD, and regularly creates content appearing on Podcasts, his channel on YouTube, and on social media to support people in pain.

Needless to say, I am honored to have been able to sit down with Charlie for this episode — he is a gem of a human with so much love for movement and the power it has to change our lives.

What we discuss

• The breakdown of what actually happens in our bodies when we experience pain
• Scientific evidence of why pain does not always mean tissue has been damaged in the body (and the surprising revelation that this evidence has been around for over 20 years)
• Acute vs chronic pain, and understanding what these different types of pain mean
• The strong correlation between pain & fear, and why this indicates that the brain is in charge of pain
• Using the bio-psycho-social sphere of our organism (hello mind-body connection!) to interpret the messages our pain is trying to alert us to
• Our brain can use physical pain to pull us out of feeling an intense emotion, especially when we don’t feel capable of being with some of our emotions
• All pain is real - but the key is to understand that our pain does not always mean tissue damage, and often is an important message being relayed through the pain-fear response that some aspect of our lives that needs attention (bio-psycho-social sphere)
• Acknowledging that we often find identity through movement, and allowing ourselves to see that how we move is intimately connected to how we see ourselves
• The importance of focusing movement as a vehicle for pleasure, joy, and play
• Tips to support us in changing our relationship to pain

Resources

Welcome to the second episode of Meant To Move — a special podcast collaboration dedicated to the power of movement and embodiment — co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

Today Marie and Julia dig deep into the emotionally charged topic of: how to negotiate anxiety & insecurity surrounding our bodies & movement and exchange them for confidence and empowerment instead.

Together they flesh out some of the biggest pieces of this puzzle, like why movement often feels awkward (yes bodies are magical but they can also be weird), why so many of us are afraid of going to the gym (ugh please don’t look at me), and why moving in front of other people is so intimating (ahhh again please don’t look at me!).

And while deconstructing these very real challenges in relationship to our bodies and movement, they share their own personal stories in navigating these waters of anxiety and insecurity, how they made the transition to feeling more happy & confident, and add detailed scientific explanations for how movement actually helps us regulate anxieties and insecurities.

To wrap up, Julia shares her recent experiences (and exciting revelations!) with Marie’s recommended intuitive movement practices — how it felt, what was hard, what were the benefits, and what she would’ve done differently. Marie unravels the science behind Julia’s first two weeks of practice and gives and Julia (and all you listeners) a new set of recommendations to follow in trying out this episode’s practice.

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

Welcome to Meant To Move, a special podcast series all about the power of movement and embodiment co-created by Marie Janicek & Julia Szpor as part of the “Being Better” and “This Thing Called Movement” podcasts.

In this series, Marie and Julia come together to discuss all things regarding movement, embodiment, intuition, and body image to help you reach your goals regarding physical health, mental health, athletic performance, spirituality, emotions and relationships. Marie steps in as the movement expert here help you become more in tune with your body, and Julia as the layperson going on this journey with you and help you avoid beginner mistakes.

In this first episode, Marie and Julia discuss some of the key reasons for why our relationship with our bodies can be difficult and often feel confusing. As we unravel these mysteries, Marie offers some practical guidance on developing a more sustainable and fulfilling movement practice. 

You can join in on the guided movement practices & meditations on our YouTube channel here!

Visit our website to learn more about the show, to share your experiences in your movement & embodiment journey, and to submit any questions you would like answered! We'd love to hear from you!

https://juliaszpor.wixsite.com/meanttomove

MARIE JANICEK

Marie’s Instagram

Marie’s website

Evolna

This Thing Called Movement Podcast 

JULIA SZPOR

Being Better Instagram

Being Better website

Being Better TikTok

Being Better podcast

There’s something incredibly magical about hearing success stories of entrepreneurs, but finding the ones where the road to success was centered on following the call of the heart and the subtle messages it sends are few and far between. Enter Kristin Sudeikis — choreographer, artistic director, and CEO/Creator of FORWARD__Space based in downtown NYC where music, dance, culture, fashion + meet n' move. In the wake of the pandemic, she’s been able to expand this magical combination through the FORWARD__Space Virtual Hub, now available in 102 countries.

As a lifelong dancer and lover of movement, Kristin has always been fueled by the intention and desire to bring people together to connect to themselves, the other and then the greater world around them. For her movement — and dance especially — provides space for us to be fully embodied and connected to the ever-present now. Along with all her responsibilities as a entrepreneur, Kristin continues to choreograph and teach nationally + internationally for stage, film, events, brand collaborations and video including (but not limited to) Ben Harper, Mumford & Sons, Ivy Park, NYFW, FKA Twigs x NIKE, Brooklyn Museum, and the OBAMA White House.

What we discuss

• The importance of slowing down to hear the call of our heart, the call of our deep desires and potential evolutions, and the difference of stillness as a choice rather than an afterthought
• Challenging the idea of “leave your problems at the door” — instead of leaving them at the door, bring it all in with you into your movement practice — bring your WHOLE self
• Appreciating the storytelling aspect of dance , and understanding the opportunity it provides for us to engage in a poetic conversation of mind and body
• The correlation between the mental health epidemic and the increasing disassociation from our bodies, and how the rise of technology has also moved us out of our bodies
• Understanding the balance of structure and freedom in movement space, and the importance of accessing both of these elements in our movement practices
• Emotions as energy in motion, and understanding the role movement plays in helping us connect with our emotional energies
• Energetic Health and it’s ability to help us better understand the interconnected weave our of physical, mental, and emotional health
• Kristin’s process in following her passion, and the importance of trusting in yourself, your vision, your dreams independently of what anyone else says or thinks

Resources

Marie’s website

IG @mariejanicek

Join Evolna's Intuitive Movement Virtual Studio with 14-Day Free Trial

Evolna website

IG @evolna_

In this episode

Miller Marley School of Dance

Sometimes, the best decision we can make for ourselves is to slow down, pause or stop. But in a world where “productivity” is a form of currency that we use to gauge and evaluate our worth, taking any of these actions can feel like death (and as you’ll discover in this episode, there’s actually a biological reason for that).

In this solo episode, Marie returns to the airwaves to shares her personal journey in making the radical choice to stop and slow down. She discusses the cultural, psychological, and biological factors that explain why these choices often feel so disorienting and uncomfortable, draws parallels to how the drive for productivity diminishes our capacity in both our movement practices as well as our life, and reframes our understanding of productivity through a more practical lens (hint: productivity isn’t all or nothing — it’s a spectrum!).

Thank you so much for tuning in with us today! To show your support, leave a rating and/or review, and spread the love by sharing with your communities, families, and friends!

To share your suggestions and inquiries for future episodes, or simply connect with Marie, feel free to reach out to [email protected] .

Marie's Resources:

• Marie's website
• IG @mariejanicek
• Join Evolna's Intuitive Movement Virtual Studio with 14-Day Free Trial
• Evolna's website
• IG @evolna_

Today we are excited to talk to Matt Bernstein, the founder of Ape Co Movement School, a movement school based in Colorado with locations in Denver and Boulder. Matt is a former professional firefighter and ski patroller, as well as a long time student of Ido Portal. He considers himself a life-long learner, playing as many instruments as he can, moving daily and finding as much ease as possible in the struggles of daily life. As a husband and father, he is deeply devoted to finding new ways to enhance the lives of not just his family and children, but to every human being who crosses his path.

What we talk about

• The importance of meeting people where they are at when teaching or sharing information of any kind, and making things relatable and accessible.
• How movement and its concepts are delivered is actually more important than the programming or movement content itself.
• Understanding the long-game in our movement practices, and seeing them as a long term life quality investment rather than following the "quick-fix" and "magic pill" promises.
• The richer your movement practice, the richer the benefits become — spanning beyond your physical prowess but especially influencing things like emotional and intellectual intelligence.
• How movement teaches us how to reach beyond the status quo and go after the big dreams we once believed were not possible.
• Understanding movement as a gateway to unlock what's hidden and unresolved in our psyche — and while it may not always be the medicine, it certainly opens us up to finding solutions to meet these lost parts of ourselves.
• The expansion our internal landscape feeds directly into the expansion of our movement capacity, and vice versa.

Resources 

• Evolna’s Virtual Portal 14-Day Free Trial
• Evolna's website
• IG @evolna_
• Facebook
• Our host's IG @mariejanicek

Get in touch with Matt

• apecomovement.com
• IG @boulderbernstein @apeco_boulder @apeco_denver

Thank you for tuning in! Please leave a review and share with those you think would enjoy listening!

Welcome to a special new series of episodes on the This Thing Called Movement Podcast:

The Inner Circle

As much as we love listening to interviews from experts and professionals about movement and wellness, there is also something especially powerful and magical about hearing the story of how a non-movement/fitness professional made an incredible transformation in relationship to their body.

This new segment of the podcast features interviews with our Evolna community members who wanted to connect to movement and their bodies in a more authentic, integrated and powerful way.

—

Today’s episode features Saleena Sidhu: a long-time client of Marie Janicek and one of the first students of the Evolna Intuitive Movement practice.

Saleena lives in New York, NY where she is Vice President of Saratoga Medical. She is a wife, a mother of two, and even in the midst of the demanding lifestyle of a New Yorker juggling career, family, and social demands, she still has found time to prioritize and devote herself to her personal health and self-development through movement.

We are so in awe of Saleena’s story and the resonance of the many insights and pearls of wisdom shared in this episode, and hope it uplifts and inspires you within your own personal movement journey.

What we discuss

• The arc of Saleena’s personal movement journey: how she began taking fitness classes in her mid-twenties with no prior fitness or athletic experience and the steps that lead her into the many rich and diverse movement practices she engages with today
• Understanding fear as a natural part of the learning process
• Assessing where you are at and how you feel is the essential first step in setting up your movement and exercise practices, and a powerful tool to use in daily life situations as well
• The importance of more democratized movement education to empower people with the tools to better take care of themselves
• How movement (and intuitive movement) has influenced how she shows up as a professional, a wife, and a mother
• The life-lessons movement has taught her that have become instrumental in helping create more ease and flow in her day to day life

Evolna Resources

• Evolna's digital movement studio is live! Try our 14-day free trial + 20% off any subscription (code EVOLNA20)
• Evolna's website to learn more
• Follow us on IG @evolna_
• Our host's IG @mariejanicek

In this episode

Movement Methodologies:

• Ido Portal
• GMB
• Animal Flow
• FRC (Functional Range Conditioning)

Types of Movements:

• Back Lever
• Skin the Cat
• Pistol Squat

Term Definitions:

Marlo Fisken is a renowned movement professional, having taught over 22 years in more than 70 countries. She is most known for her innovative teaching methods and pole dance accolades, and was previously a professional dancer and model. Marlo began pole 15 years ago and is an international pole dance champion.

Marlo is also the creator of Flow Movement, which offers online learning opportunities, in-person workshops, and the Floor Flow Teacher Training (the first virtual training will be happening later this year -- wait list open now). Flow Movement exists to share the benefits of flow-state movement experiences with ALL people. The Flow Movement approach is known to stimulate imagination, sensuality, connection, naturally fluid movement, and playfulness.

Hailing from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Marlo is a Modern Dance graduate of the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and holds a B.S. in Anthropology and Public Relations from the University of Miami.

What we discuss

• Marlo's movement journey and her recipe for success rooted in following her fascination, rather establishing goals.
• The differences and overlap between sensuality and sexuality, and their presence in movement.
• How bringing awareness to our genitalia during movement practice is uncommon, yet game changing (and not necessarily sexual).
• Practices to begin connecting to genital awareness in movement.
• How sensuality influences and benefits our health and well-being.
• The connection between movement and sound vocalization.
• Embracing being mediocre or bad at things to explore and learn new practices.

Evolna's Resources 

• Join Evolna's Intuitive Movement Virtual Studio with 14-Day Free Trial
• Evolna's website
• IG @evolna_
• Our host's IG @mariejanicek

In this episode

• Mike Fitch's interview on This Thing Called Movement
• Book: Presence by Amy Cuddy

Get in touch with Marlo

• Flow Movement Website 
• IG @marlofisken
• IG @flowmovement