Emily: In your course, you talk about drawing from your personal loss. How did you learn to trust your body, and why is self-gentleness the foundation of that healing?
Cynthia: Loss taught me a fundamental truth: Healing cannot be rushed. There was nothing that could take the pain away, and I realized that trying to escape it only made things harder. I had to learn how to stay present with my body and my breath when everything felt unfamiliar and overwhelming.
Through that process, I learned that I could rely on myself — not because I suddenly had all the answers, but because I was simply willing to stay present with the feeling. That willingness to remain present became a true source of trust and strength, and it continues to shape how I teach and live today.
This ties directly into the need for gentleness. When we are struggling, our natural response is often judgment instead of care. We criticize our own reactions, blame our body, and pressure ourselves to be different. This creates so much more stress, making healing incredibly difficult. Being gentler with yourself is vital because it actually helps your nervous system settle and makes your body feel safer. When judgment eases, your body has more room to heal. Gentleness is not weakness; it is a necessary part of learning how to care for yourself when things are hard.
Emily: When everything feels overwhelming — when someone no longer trusts their body or knows where to turn — where do you invite them to begin?
Cynthia: I invite you to slow down and begin to notice what is happening in your body. When you feel overwhelmed, the default is often to try to think your way out of it or push yourself to keep going. Over time, this creates distance between you and your body, and you stop listening because you're afraid of what you might feel.
But your body is always communicating through sensations, emotions, and subtle signals. Tightness, heaviness, fatigue, or restlessness are not signs of failure; they are simply information. When you pause and notice what is present without trying to fix it, you begin to rebuild trust. That moment of listening is often the first step toward healing.
Emily: A lot of people feel like they have genuinely tried everything and still don't feel better. Why do you think healing can feel so confusing or discouraging for so many people?
Cynthia: Many people believe healing means making the discomfort go away. When pain or difficulty arises, it's natural to want it to stop. But healing is not actually about eliminating discomfort; it's about changing how you relate to it. When you approach healing with urgency or pressure, your body often responds by tightening and resisting.
Healing begins when you allow yourself to stay present with what is here, even when it is uncomfortable. This doesn't mean giving up or doing nothing; it means learning how to meet your experience without judgment. From that compassionate place, your body has more space to respond and heal in its own time.
Emily: Some people might hear that this work is rooted in Buddhism and wonder if it's for them. How would you describe this work to someone who just wants relief and doesn't follow any spiritual tradition?
Cynthia: While the practices come from Buddhism, they are fundamentally based on universal human experience. They teach you how to work with the body, the breath, and the mind in moments of stress and suffering. You absolutely do not need to follow a belief system to notice your breath or feel what is happening in your body.
This work is about experience, not belief. It's about learning how to be present with yourself in a steady and honest way. That is something every person can practice, regardless of background or worldview.
Emily: After someone finishes this course, what do you hope feels different for them when their body feels overwhelmed again?
Cynthia: I hope they feel steadier and more trusting — not because life suddenly becomes easy, but because they have learned how to stay with themselves when difficulty arises. I hope they feel more capable of listening to their body, responding without judgment, and allowing trust to grow over time. That kind of trust changes how you move through life. It allows you to feel supported from the inside, even when things feel uncertain.
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