I went tubing last night in slush and pranced along slowly and had a great time. This morning not only can I walk, but I am in 80% less pain than 2 days ago. Almost no pain in my kneecap, and only some soreness in the muscles around the knee. Miraculous! You have given me real hope! Thank you Sharon!
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A Hike of a Lifetime
Hiking Mt. Timpanogos
Sunday, August 17, 2014 – I was hiking with Steve & our buddy Joey, up to Catherine’s Pass, Albin Basin, Alta, Utah. During the hike I spent most of my time alone, allowing the guys to get caught up. During this private time I came to realize I was walking, hiking, and moving as well as I had in my twenty’s despite 11 surgeries to both my legs, and especially to the right leg which underwent Knee- cap re-attachment 4 years ago, followed by another surgery removing 2/3rd of my Patella Tendon 2 years ago. I felt marvelous.
I all of a sudden I felt the need to hike Mt. Timp. I texted my biking buddy George to see if he could be on board to go with me. The hike was set. Somehow I knew if I didn’t go on August 22nd, it wasn’t going to happen this year, and maybe never. The feeling of confidence, knowing I was in incredible shape and capable lead me to know now was the time.
August 22nd, 6:30am – we were on the trail. What a beautiful day! The weather was fabulous as well as the scenery. It couldn’t have been a more spectacular day. For me it was an amazing accomplishment to make it to the top. Five years ago, I attempted, and didn’t succeed. Then, my right knee-cap surgery followed the next year, followed by another surgery 2 years later. I truly didn’t think it would ever be possible for me to hike Mt. Timp. And here I was, reaching the peak. I didn’t know weather to cry or continue to have a beaming smile on my face. I took in the moment. I had done something in my life I never thought possible. After re-building my right knee, it truly never entered my mind as a possibility.
I’m sharing this story of my life to all of you not to be bragging about something I accomplished, but to remind each and everyone of you than if there is a time in your life where maybe you feel, “I’ll never do _____” Never, say Never. Who knows what lies ahead of us. What allows things to come into the possible, is the ability to be willing to be in the present and to take one day at a time to be the best we can be. Each day is a journey which can take us to places we maybe never could have imagined. Stay present, capable, and desire.
With Much Love,
Sharon
Salmon Salad
Mixed Greens Salad with Red onions, Goat Cheese & Salmon
Ingredients
3oz. Broiled Salmon
Mixed greens, Red Onion, Fresh Strawberries, Goat Cheese
Persian Lime Olive Oil & Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinger (Mtn. Town Olive Oil Co. Park City, Utah)
Place a generous amount of mixed greens on plate.
Slice 1/2 red onion, 4 strawberries, 1/2 oz. goat cheese & add to spinach.
Top with 30z. of Grilled Salmon.
Drizzle Persian Lime Olive Oil over salad followed by Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar.
Sprinkle a dash of salt & pepper for taste.
Exercises for Lower Back Pain
Check out my recent webinar about lower back pain. This was a really exciting opportunity for me and look forward to your feedback! Here is the link.
The Beauty of the Descent
You’ve just made the climb, what’s next?
Have you ever noticed how most of us are always on the climb heading
towards the top of a mountain? We often are setting goals to attain.
This could be running a longer race, incorporating new trails, having
a faster time on a repeated coarse, improving fitness, losing weight,
seeking out a new job, etc. Our goals can be seen as “the next climb”
equating to improving ourselves in some way: becoming stronger,
wiser, and happier.
In many ways the climb can be easy, especially when we have a goal that
keeps us focused, on track, inspired and willing.
But what happens when we reach the top of the mountain? You have
now accomplished the climb. Then what?
Very little time or thought is allocated to the descent. After every climb,
there is the descent taking us right back down to the bottom.
How many of you have actually given yourself time to be in the descent?
Frequently, we are immediately implementing our next goal and
climb moments after making it to the top. Very little time is given
to pondering; “what did I just accomplish?” “How did it feel”? Being
present to our current accomplishment is extraordinary.
The descent has its own importance, making it one of the most useful
places to pause, and to be.
Let’s take a look at what happens in the climb: There is a goal, which
creates a sense of purpose. With this goal and sense of purpose a plan
is established. A routine and or program is developed to follow and to
strive towards our goal with the desire to reach and obtain our goal.
Desire, willingness, consistency, are all key ingredients to the journey of
climbing the mountain.
Now what about the descent? For one, the descent allows us to have
time to reflect. Reflection gives us the ability to look back over what
we just did, and to review what we did, how we did it, and how we feel
about what we just did. Reflection gives us the opportunity to ponder, to
ask questions, to review, to think, to create, to integrate, to change. We
give ourselves time to contemplate what we just accomplished. Time is
a beautiful thing. Time presents space and space allows integration and
change. When we lack being present or experiencing our descent, we
cheat ourselves from the rich opportunity to reflect, integrate, and grow.
I’ve often wondered if many of us loose the benefits we just received
from our accomplishments by omitting the descent.
During the descent, we have time for reflection. It gives us time to
acknowledge ourselves; observing what we just accomplish, and
how we successfully reached our goal. We have time to witness
how we feel about ourselves, and to ask ourselves, do we feel
successful? Could it be that by not taking the time to descend, we
miss out on reaping the joy and happiness that lies deep within
ourselves and noticing what we have just accomplished during our
climb?
Observing and noticing the descent has become fascinating for me.
I have spent a great deal of my life relying on the climb, the endorphins,
and the thrill to reach the top of the mountain. Now I’m observing and
enjoying the presence of myself in the descent, integrating, changing,
and growing on my way to the bottom.
As we go into the New Year, we often set new goals to strive for and
to achieve. Perhaps one of your “New Year goals” this year can be
observing, listening, witnessing, and integrating change during your
descent to the bottom. Become aware of what shows up for you. What
do you reflect upon? What pleases you about your accomplishment?
How do you experience joy? What is there for you to learn? What
would you like to change? What do you like? What felt good? What
might feel even better?
I invite you to listen and take a journey within on your next descent.
You may be presently surprised as to what you discover.
Sharon Starika
Dec. 2013.
Something Amazing – Mia Moyano
Mia Moyano is an aspiring film maker in her Sophomore year of high school. “Something Amazing” is a touching, short film about her mother, Sharon Starika, and the ways in which her work with the Feldenkrais Method is changing so many lives – including Mia’s. Something Amazing is told by Mia, revealing how she sees her mother, and how much she admires who she is and what she does for others.
Check out “Something Amazing” below!
Something Amazing – Mia Moyano
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