Revelations.. on life.. belonging.. deserving to be on Earth



The week of September 22-26, I had the blessed opportunity to attending training directly with the creator and founder of Bones For Life ®, Ruthy Alon, in San Diego! Ruthy is the creator of many Movement Intelligence ® practices including the training I attended entitled: Solutions ®: Self-Care Strategies for Upgrading ease & pain free functioning at any age (doesn’t that sound great?!?)
The Phoenix girls with Ruthy. Joanne, Ruthy, Elizabeth, and me! I hope I look that wonderful at age 87


I have been attending Bones for Life classes weekly here in Phoenix with Elizabeth Keith for 3 years now. Every Thursday morning I made a point not to schedule anything during that 9:30-10:30 timeframe, with only a few times having to miss or leave a little early for something. I started to realize.. Thursday was my favorite day of the week! Even with my ongoing yoga and meditation practice, something about “Bones” class was really making a change for the better that gave me a lasting feeling of deeper peace and freedom in my body. My gait was changing (and if you know me, you can see me coming a mile away just based on my walk), my posture was getting better (daresay I grew an inch sometime in the past few years! Yes its true.. I’ve always been 5 foot 6 and recently measured at 5 foot 7), and I just had a deeper sense of well being every Thursday. It was helping me keep my sanity amongst all the crazy of work/life/etc. I started to realize, maybe that hour of Bones class and the mindfulness, body awareness and self care was really doing something for my overall well being.

After I “consciously discontinued steady employment” AKA quit my day-job April 30th I decided I could finally start pursuing things I’ve been interested in! One of these being, learning more about and maybe even eventually teaching Bones for Life! Elizabeth was all along giving me gentle nudges in this direction, even taking me on as an unspoken mentee (which I greatly appreciate). She offered level I Bones teacher training and I attended in August 2017. During that long-weekend intensive, I learned that the creator and founder, Ruthy Alon was coming to San Diego in September. Then I heard a little more. She’s 87, lives in Israel, and said she would not be making any more trips to the US. She changed her mind and would be coming the following month for Solutions training. I had to make it happen! A flight was booked, a bed secured with Doug’s cousin and I’d be hitching rides with anyone who would offer!

Seeing an 87 year old woman look the way she does, with a wonderful straight spine, confident and gentle posture, getting up and down from the floor with ease, strength to help others from off the floor.. all this gave me such encouragement that I don’t have to age poorly! What an inspiration! During the training, Ruthy taught us multiple processes to help awaken our body’s innate wisdom, coordinate more efficient movement and move more in harmony with our body’s underlying nature. Ways to ease pain and feel freedom in movement. The days were intense with multiple processes being completed on various areas including feet, knees, shoulders, two days on lumbar spine, and the neck.

During the time spent on lower back we learned what Ruthy calls “the magic blanket”. A rolled blanket is placed beneath the spine’s curves and a wave motion sent through the body in each area, with various other small movements incorporated. We came to stand and Ruthy asked in her lovely Israeli accent, “What age were you when you last felt this?” People were giving answers like “two!” or “sixteen!” and I sheepishly answered “today!” Literally, my age (39) that very day was the first time my body ever felt that way.. good, at ease, comfortable in standing, powerful and confident, like I could take on the world!

Directly after that experience we were given a 15 minute break and like usual, I had to take a walk (I can’t be cooped up too long indoors when its so nice outside!). As I walked down the busy street in Hillcrest, San Diego I had this overwhelming feeling of joy come upon me and powerful thoughts entering my mind.. Strong statements including-I BELONG in my body.. I BELONG HERE.. I DESERVE to be here.. I DESERVE to be on this Earth.

Whoa. Just Whoa. Tears came to my eyes at the overwhelming joy that this was the first time I had felt this way..

In the next split second a crash of grief came over me when I recognized the sadness that this was the FIRST time I had ever felt this way in my entire life. For the first time I could remember on planet Earth, I felt like I belonged and I deserved to be here.

I went back after awhile and Elizabeth and my other fellow Phoenician in training inquired on the tears and I explained what had happened.. they lovingly supported me and put into words what I was feeling. I was finally feeling my true authentic Self.

And that is why I will keep practicing Bones for Life.