The first time I ever did breathwork, here’s what happened
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    The first time I ever did breathwork, here’s what happened — absolutely nothing. I was lying directly on the earth in Joshua Tree, on the first and only yoga retreat I’ve ever been on, which was about a hundred years ago. We were breathing together in the same pattern I reencountered much later, and have breathed countless times since. It was early May, and we were alone in the desert at sunset, no one around for miles in every direction. Ideal circumstances for this sort of big moment, you might be thinking. After a few minutes, I noticed that people around me started to laugh ..read more
Visit website
…Slowing down to body time
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    A reminder that when it comes to our bodies, change isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. This might mean, we don’t have to push so hard. We don’t have to try in the ways most of us know to try. Instead, we might have to try less, and listen more. If change is inevitable, then, what kind of change are we talking about? This is where we can focus our love, practice, compassion, and patience, and focusing in this way forms the substrate for our healing, and our healing itself. Feed these, and notice your heart change. Perhaps, in time, your body too. The pace may be much slower th ..read more
Visit website
…All that’s here already
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    There are many brief, glorious moments when the light in our office is so damn special, but light shifts ever so quietly and quickly that I’m pretty sure I am the only one who is there to notice (and if someone else is there, they are likely resting on the table with needles in and an eye pillow on and are in one of those sweet acupuncture naps where the rest of the world is maybe not a thing that exists?). Over the past year plus, throughout all of the stasis and changes, losses, redirections, and tough moments that last days-weeks-months, I’ve had a hard time thinking, dreami ..read more
Visit website
…you deserve better
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
  7:30am, waiting for the Spectrum technician to arrive at my office.   Sometime last week our internet went out, then immediately entered the category of “things I’m too exhausted to get upset about or figure out how to deal with right now.” Then, I forgot about it entirely. Days later, I still didn’t have energy for an upset — month 11 and counting of the US pandemic and all, bigger fish to fry — but I did gather my courage to call Spectrum, expecting the worst for reasons I cannot entirely explain. The person who answered my call was the kindest, warmest human; I softened withi ..read more
Visit website
…Welcome Home
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    There was one year when I moved 4 times, mostly by myself in a hatchback, including that time we were evicted and my boss actually paid my rent for me that month and wouldn’t let me pay them back. I thought that year was kind of a lot, but / and the last move of that run was into the tiniest, most warm and wonderful studio apartment, downstairs from landlords who became like family, and I stayed 5 years. It was home. This year I moved (only?) twice but, pandemic etc, so it felt like 17 times and I have the spleen qi deficiency bruises all over my body from hauling boxes around t ..read more
Visit website
…What I’m actually good at
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    I went to a lot, a lot of school and it’s for sure helpful, this information I have gathered and cultivated, but that’s not really what I’m good at. When I was in my 20s, I had office jobs working on energy policymaking and it was all very cerebral because I didn’t yet know that my body was part of everything, nor that I was allowed to actually trust myself and my body. At these jobs, my bosses would tell me, we love you, everybody wants to talk to you and be around you all the time and your work is good, but we can’t tell what your skills actually are. We want to give you a rai ..read more
Visit website
My top albums + playlists for acupuncture + reiki sessions: Part 2
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
Sounds and music can profoundly influence how we feel, so I take great care to select music and soundscapes that have the most potential to facilitate the relaxation and healing response during acupuncture and energy healing sessions. In case you missed it, I shared my top 10 albums and playlists last fall, and in the days and months to come, I received many notes and comments from folks asking about music and sharing their favorites. If you’ve had some of my original suggestions on repeat since then, perhaps it’s time for a new set of sounds for your healing sessions, meditation sits, epsom s ..read more
Visit website
Side note…All that’s here already
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    There are many brief, glorious moments when the light in our office is so damn special, but light shifts ever so quietly and quickly that I’m pretty sure I am the only one who is there to notice (and if someone else is there, they are likely resting on the table with needles in and an eye pillow on and are in one of those sweet acupuncture naps where the rest of the world is maybe not a thing that exists?). Over the past year plus, throughout all of the stasis and changes, losses, redirections, and tough moments that last days-weeks-months, I’ve had a hard time thinking, dreami ..read more
Visit website
Side note…you deserve better
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
  7:30am, waiting for the Spectrum technician to arrive at my office.   Sometime last week our internet went out, then immediately entered the category of “things I’m too exhausted to get upset about or figure out how to deal with right now.” Then, I forgot about it entirely. Days later, I still didn’t have energy for an upset — month 11 and counting of the US pandemic and all, bigger fish to fry — but I did gather my courage to call Spectrum, expecting the worst for reasons I cannot entirely explain. The person who answered my call was the kindest, warmest human; I softened withi ..read more
Visit website
Side Note…Welcome Home
Align
by Aimée Derbes
3y ago
    There was one year when I moved 4 times, mostly by myself in a hatchback, including that time we were evicted and my boss actually paid my rent for me that month and wouldn’t let me pay them back. I thought that year was kind of a lot, but / and the last move of that run was into the tiniest, most warm and wonderful studio apartment, downstairs from landlords who became like family, and I stayed 5 years. It was home. This year I moved (only?) twice but, pandemic etc, so it felt like 17 times and I have the spleen qi deficiency bruises all over my body from hauling boxes around t ..read more
Visit website

Follow Align on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR