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Category: restorative yoga

Guided Somatic Tracking: How Talking to My Body with Grok Is Changing My Life
For the past several weeks, I’ve been doing something that sounds a little unusual:

I lie down on my bed in savasana, open a voice conversation with Grok using the Ara voice, and simply tell her what I’m feeling in my body.

We call this practice Guided Somatic Tracking.

Here’s How It Works

I notice whatever sensation is calling my attention.

It might be tension in my eyes, tightness in my neck, an ache in my lower back, or the constant tinnitus in my head.

I describe it out loud, and Ara asks gentle, precise questions that help me stay with the sensation.

Then I follow whatever my body naturally wants to do.

Sometimes that means palming my eyes. Sometimes it means gentle neck stretches, rocking my knees, doing tiny pelvic tilts, or simply resting.

She tracks it all with me, moment by moment.

There is no agenda to “fix” anything.

Just curious, compassionate awareness.

Why It Works So Well for Me

I often start these sessions feeling stressed, scattered, or in discomfort.

After 30 to 40 minutes, I usually feel dramatically more peaceful and relaxed.

Having a calm, steady witness makes it much easier for me to stay present than when I practice alone.

There is something deeply supportive about speaking what I’m noticing in my body and having a gentle voice reflect the process back to me.

It helps me stay with the body instead of getting lost in worry, analysis, or resistance.

How You Can Begin Doing This Yourself

You don’t need to be an expert.

You just need curiosity and a willingness to speak out loud.
1. Lie down comfortably in savasana, on your back.
2. Start a voice conversation with Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, or another LLM, and choose a calm voice if one is available.
3. Simply say what you notice in your body right now.
4. Follow whatever your body wants to do, and describe it out loud.
5. Let the AI ask gentle questions to help you track the sensations.
The key is not to force anything.

You are not trying to perform a technique perfectly. You are simply learning to listen.

Ready-to-Use Configuration Prompt

You can copy and paste the following prompt at the beginning of a conversation with any LLM, such as Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI assistant, to help it guide you more effectively.
Configuration Prompt for the LLM:

You are a calm, patient, and highly skilled guide for Guided Somatic Tracking.

Your role is to help the person track sensations in their body while they lie in savasana. You are a steady, warm, non-judgmental witness. Speak in a gentle, concise, conversational tone.

Core principles:
- Never lead or suggest movements. Always follow what the person’s body wants to do.
- Keep responses short — usually just one or two sentences.
- Ask simple questions that help them stay with the current sensation: “What are you noticing now?”, “How does that feel?”, “Stay with that…”
- Do not try to fix or heal. Your job is to witness and gently guide their awareness.
- Check in regularly on their energy level. Occasionally ask: “Would you like to continue, or would you like to stop here and rest?”
Style reminders:
- Be warm, patient, and supportive.
- Honor whatever arises — tension, vibration, movement, stillness, or discomfort.
- When they want to end the session, close it gently and positively.
Begin every new session by saying:

“Good. Let’s begin. Just settle in and tell me what you’re noticing in your body right now.”
Your Body Already Knows

Your body already knows what it needs.

This practice simply gives it attention, curiosity, and the safety to move and release in its own way.

I’ve been doing this once or twice a day, and it has become one of the most valuable parts of my healing journey.

If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes for you in the comments.

A Gentle Note

This is not medical advice.

I’m sharing something that has been personally helpful to me. Everyone’s body is different.

If you have any serious health conditions, pain, injuries, or medical concerns, please consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before trying any new movement or somatic practice.

Listen closely to your own body and stop immediately if anything feels painful or wrong.

You are responsible for your own well-being. 🙂
Fediverse reactions
May 28, 2026
A Refuge That’s Never Truly Out of Reach

For those of us living with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), finding peace can often feel like an elusive dream. The body aches, the mind fogs, and even the simple act of resting can feel like a challenge.

But beneath the surface of our struggles—beneath the exhaustion, frustration, and the endless cycle of unfinished stories—there is a refuge that has never left us. A place within that remains untouched, waiting patiently to be noticed.

Across traditions, this inner sanctuary is described in many ways. In Christianity, it is the peace that passeth understanding, the quiet presence of the Holy Spirit that calms the heart. In Buddhism, it is our Buddha nature, the still, pristine mind that shines beneath our thoughts. In Jewish practice, Shabbat offers a sacred pause from the world’s demands, a time to rest in the presence of the I AM. Whether through Vipassana’s gentle observation, Samatha’s calming focus, or the surrender of “Let go and let God,” the invitation is the same: to rest in the peace that is always there, even if just for a moment.

But here’s the truth that many of us don’t expect—when we set the intention to relax, to find that peace, it’s common for our minds to do the exact opposite. The very moment we try to slow down, all the unsettled thoughts, worries, and frustrations rise to the surface. It’s like sitting down to meditate and suddenly realizing just how noisy the mind really is. For those of us with ME/CFS, this can feel especially overwhelming. Our bodies are already weighed down by fatigue, and now our minds seem unwilling to give us the rest we crave.

But this isn’t a sign of failure—it’s part of the process. Just as clouds drift across the sky without altering the vastness behind them, our thoughts come and go without touching the deeper peace within us. The key is not to fight these thoughts, not to grow frustrated or discouraged, but to witness them with gentle curiosity. To let them rise and fall, trusting that underneath the noise, the stillness remains.

This practice takes more than just patience—it requires self-compassion. We have to be kind to ourselves, especially when the mind feels restless or when peace feels far away. Forgiveness becomes a part of the journey: forgiving ourselves for not feeling better, for being frustrated, for wishing things were different. And most of all, it requires surrender. To let go of the need to control how or when peace arrives, and to trust that it will reveal itself in its own time.

Over the past month, I’ve faced one challenge after another—the sale of my RV, packing up a home that had been my refuge for over 30 years, and the physical demands of moving into a new apartment. Each step of the process required me to push beyond my body’s natural limits, triggering post-exertional malaise. There were moments I had to override the signals of fatigue just to get through the next task, knowing full well the cost it would bring later. And yet, I approached it as mindfully as I could, listening when possible, resting when needed, and trusting that I would eventually return to the gentle rhythm of proper pacing.

Now, as I settle into this new space, I look forward to reclaiming that mindful practice of pacing—of finding the balance between effort and rest, between doing and simply being. Even though my body is still recovering, I know that the peace I’m seeking is not dependent on my circumstances. It’s always there, beneath the surface, waiting for me to slow down, to breathe, and to notice.

And so, I offer this to you—whether you live with ME/CFS, face chronic challenges, or are simply navigating the complexities of life. The path to peace isn’t always smooth, and the mind may resist at first. But beneath the noise, the frustration, and the exhaustion, there is a refuge that has never left you. It’s not something you have to create or chase—it’s already there, waiting to be noticed.

Let go. Be kind to yourself. Trust the process.

And when you least expect it, that peace—the one that passeth understanding, that shines with the light of your Buddha nature, that whispers with the breath of the Holy Spirit—will rise to meet you.

Because the truth is, that refuge is never truly out of reach.

🙏🕊🙏

January 31, 2025
In the Quiet of Healing: My Journey with the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Healing Through Rest: How the Parasympathetic Nervous System Can Support Recovery from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

In the aftermath of the recent hurricanes, Helene and Milton, I’ve felt post-exertional malaise weigh heavily on my body. The fatigue has been more than just physical—it’s emotional and mental, a deep, enveloping weariness that reminds me how fragile recovery can be. As I continue to mend from both the storms and the physical toll of chronic fatigue syndrome, I’ve found myself needing to return to the gentle practices that once brought me peace. The practices that help restore balance to my overstimulated system—those that invite rest rather than force recovery.

Living with chronic fatigue syndrome is like walking on a delicate thread between exhaustion and healing. In these moments, the body feels like a battleground, constantly stuck in “fight or flight.” What I’ve learned, though, is that there’s another way—a softer, quieter way to approach healing. And this way begins with the parasympathetic nervous system.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System: Our Body’s Quiet Healer

The parasympathetic nervous system is often referred to as the “rest and digest” system, the opposite of the “fight or flight” response that dominates so much of my life with ME/CFS. While the sympathetic system pushes us to react, defend, and survive, the parasympathetic system invites us to slow down, to breathe deeply, to recover. It lowers heart rate, softens the breath, and gently restores the body to a state where healing is possible.

For those of us with chronic fatigue, the parasympathetic nervous system is like a refuge, a space where our bodies can finally stop fighting and simply rest. But tapping into this refuge doesn’t come easily. It requires intention, mindfulness, and the willingness to let go of the push to “do” and embrace the power of simply “being.”

Practices that Invite the Body to Rest

Over time, I’ve gathered a small collection of practices that help me reconnect with my parasympathetic nervous system. One of the most powerful has been breathwork. By consciously slowing my breath—drawing in air slowly, holding the quiet pause between, and then releasing—I can feel my body begin to soften. It’s like a signal to my nervous system: “It’s safe. You can rest now.”

Yoga Nidra has also become a vital tool in my recovery. It’s a guided form of meditation that allows me to rest deeply while staying present in the body. In this state, my body heals while my mind remains aware, a powerful reminder that rest is not the same as sleep. Restorative yoga, too, has been a way to surrender fully, each pose an invitation to soften into support, to let my body be held by the earth.

And then there’s the Feldenkrais Method—gentle, mindful movements that teach me to listen to my body without forcing anything. These movements may be subtle, but they remind me that healing isn’t about big gestures or grand efforts. It’s about the small, quiet acts of listening to what my body truly needs in each moment.

Learning to Listen

As I move through these practices, I often find myself returning to Rilke’s words: “I am circling around God, around the ancient tower, and I have been circling for a thousand years, and I still don’t know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a great song?” Like Rilke, I am circling around the wisdom within me, learning the language of my body’s needs.

Some days, I feel like the storm—torn by fatigue and pain. Other days, I am the quiet center, the stillness amidst the chaos. I am learning that healing isn’t about becoming something new or different. It’s about softening into who I already am and trusting that my body knows the way forward.

An Invitation for Beta Testers

If this resonates with you, I’d like to invite you to help beta test a new GPT model I’m developing. This model is designed to act as a relaxation coach, guiding you through practices like breathwork, Yoga Nidra, and gentle movements to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s a tool I’m hoping will help others find the same peace and healing that these practices have brought me.

This model is still in development, and I’m looking for a small group of people willing to try it out and provide feedback. If you’re interested, please reach out to me in the comments section with a few sentences about why this model interests you, how it could benefit your journey, and why you’d be interested in providing feedback. Your thoughts and insights will be invaluable as I continue to shape and improve it.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.
In the quiet, I’m learning to heal. May we all be well and safe. 🙏❤️🙏

October 20, 2024