Disclaimer: Yes this is me-- but any resemblance in the following video to your Guru, Spiritual Teacher, or Mentor is purely coincidental.

My 37th birthday came and went, giving me an opportunity to stop and observe the last year of my life. I sat back in awe of my life this past year because I have had the chance to see first hand if my theories on dealing with stress actually work.

November 22nd doesn’t only mark the day that started my life, it also marks the day that changed my life: the day Maria and I decided to take some “time apart” to figure out what we both wanted from our marriage.

Some view events like this as catastrophic.  They turn to alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, another relationship… their health starts to decline. Anxiety, depression, digestive and/or reproductive issues and start weird illnesses with “no known cause” and with “no medical cure” suddenly start to pop up. Without a “medical cure”, where can we turn?

I’ve given some advice on previous posts about the importance of healthful nutrition and exercise in high stress situations. Our “health care” system isn’t equipped to discuss how our thoughts and perceptions impact health in times of personal calamity.  My mission is to change that.

Believe it or not, despite everything I teach in my workshops on Emotional Mastery, I spent the last year struggling with Anger, Loss, Depression and Self-Esteem issues.  Ironically, it’s the stuff I teach!  None of us are immune.  Naturally, I couldn’t see the forest from the trees and I felt more and more victimized by the situation, frustrated with the “raw deal” I was having, feeling fear and guilt, feeling sorry for myself.

My mentor, Dr. John Demartini, who’s research and work I teach– taught me that “No therapy can be complete until cause equals effect in space-time.”

In saying this, Dr. Demartini means that as long as you can’t own up to the causes of the effects in your life and take responsibility for your part, NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE SUFFERED, you will always be a disempowered victim.  Someone else “wronged you” and you will go through life thinking they were wrong/evil/bad. You will live in fear of someone doing the exact same thing to you in the future.

In other words, your past will become your present.  It will be the filter through which you judge everyone else you meet, and you see fear, anxiety, and victimhood everywhere you look.  In that state, your fear sometimes can paralyze you from living your most inspired life because it has a funny way of silencing the inner voice that inspires you to make a significant contribution to the planet.  Chances are, if you are stuck in your life RIGHT NOW, not knowing what you want to do– it’s your past “story of suffering” you haven’t seen the beauty in– and the beauty is there, I assure you.  We haven’t as a society been taught how to look for it by asking the right questions.

But once you see the magnificence of what happened “to you” and you see exactly what you did to contribute to create your current reality, you start to realize that you weren’t wronged in any way. The seeming chaotic tragedy was really a stepping stone to get you to live to your true authenticity.  Without seeing your part in it, you are a victim who has given your power to someone else.  When you see your part– you can finally feel grateful for where you are now.

As I sat with a friend of mine on the turn of the clock for my birthday and I was looking back on the year that changed my life, I saw just that.
I finally took ownership and saw how I created the circumstances of my life, the seemingly good and the bad. Nobody did anything to me. I finally saw that I was no longer a victim. I created my experience.

So, think of your last breakup, or relationship/friendship that ended. Ask yourself: “what were the benefits of the split to my HIGHEST VALUES?”

If you sit with the question long enough and stop judging the answers that pop up, the truth will reveal itself and you will stop seeing yourself as a disempowered victim. You will start to feel complete.

How appropriate it is that my birthday fell on Thanksgiving day this year.
Since my last birthday, I feel as though I’ve lived a hundred years. And I’m grateful for each moment that has led me here. I have experienced challenges, obstacles, frustrations,lost connections, and uncertainty; I have also seen an equal share of support,assistance, inspirations, and new connections. A fog is now lifting to reveal a clear, bright, certain path. Thank you to those of you who I have gained and lost over the past year of my life. Believe me when I say how much I appreciate you.  And that goes especially to my ex wife, Maria.  I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am today without your influence.

This video is not about any spinal related problems– yet it reveals exactly the adjustments necessary for me:  To start to follow my own advice, get re-connected with my purpose to help others make dramatic shifts in their health and in their lives, and bring this critical education to schools as part of the curriculum.

Thank you to all the feedback, emails, facebook messages, to my clients and patients and for those in my classes and seminars who come up and give me hugs for the tools I am sharing.  If it wasn’t for you– I wouldn’t have been able to get through the most challenging and breakthrough-filled year of my life.

Have you been told you need surgery?

Despite repeated warnings in the literature about restraining from most spinal surgeries, the number of surgeries performed keeps climbing every year.  One study reported 17% of surgeries of a neurosurgeon followed for a year were unnecessary.

The true answer to this question is to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent ever having to face this decision, but I unfortunately still run in to many people who are too late for my advice and find themselves facing this difficult decision, consulting me as a consideration for an alternative.

This video was created as an “edutaining” tool to help realize the roles and responsibilities everyone has in this decision.

In a nutshell, IT’S ALL UP TO YOU. Despite finding doctors who you feel are looking out for YOUR best interest (ideally), you have to realize that at the end of the day, nobody cares for you as much as you do.  I want you to look at your health care as your own priority in a multi-trillion dollar industry.

Even if you are blessed to be part of a “free” health sick care system, realize that the doctor gets paid for every blood test, scan, x-ray, surgery, and appointment you are seeing them for.  Also, realize that depending on the market, especially if you are in the U.S. it’s starting to become a very competitive market, and surgeons are looking for business as well—some are even marketing with websites, facebook, and billboards.  This came as a shock to me, as it was always my perception that they all have a waiting list and are desperately looking to unload their burden onto alternatives.  WRONG! It’s to THEIR advantage that they find reasons to get you under the knife.

There’s no easy answer, so this video puts together my humble view based on my 10 years experience with people who’ve been placed in this situation:  That you should exhaust every single option before any medical intervention:  Chiropractic and lifestyle interventions FIRST, drugs SECOND, surgery LAST.

Thanks for reading and watching and sharing.  I’m blessed to be expanding my reach thanks to you.

“Don’t seek happiness. If you seek it you won’t find it because seeking is the antithesis of happiness.” – Eckhart Tolle

My experience in this first year of my divorce can be summed up in two words:  “Bi-Polar.”

During this first year of my process, I often sit back in awe of how volatile my emotions still are.  One minute I’m flying in ecstasy at the thought of my new-found freedom and possibilities.  In a matter of seconds it shifts to the opposite pole of despair, guilt, and fear of the unknown.  The higher the highs—the lower the lows.

Do you observe this in your own life? I think I might have an explanation as to why.

The most depressed people are the ones who expect their lives to be LIKE THIS every day.

As I struggled through the rollercoaster ride, and after consulting with many others who had gone through what I am going through, it became apparent that 1) this was normal, 2) this bi-polar state was the direct result of chasing/seeking after happiness, pleasure, joy, exhilaration, comfort, and support as I run away from my pain. In other words, the more aggressively we chase after one side of the emotional pole (the positive side)—the more we run into internal and external resistance… and perceived challenges.

Looking for one side of a coin when there will always be two.

It’s been seen that maximal growth occurs at the border of chaos and order, of support AND challenge.  Even from a gardener’s perspective, when you look at a plant’s optimal growth, this nurturing process includes pruning. Getting only one side (only support, for example), causes us to stay juvenile and dependent.  Those of us who are support seekers, who are addicted to praise (from parents or teachers, preachers, bosses or spouses/kids) have a tendency to play victim roles in life and never get to experience the freedom of living according to their own inspirations.  In this “support/happy-seeking” state, we can get too busy focusing on being liked or accepted to be focused on a higher calling.

The Drawbacks of Support

I noticed that during the initial breakup phase, the support I sought actually ended up hurting me in the long run.

Your friends and family, who hate to see you get hurt, want to do their best to lift you up, but unfortunately this is most often achieved by knocking down your ex, who by the way is going through EXACTLY the same thing

“He/She is a monster!  He’s trying to trick you! She’s trying to make you suffer! I never liked her anyway.  He was such an a-hole.  She was always such a b….”  In life as you sit here RIGHT NOW, there are always people who like and don’t like you.  During a breakup—when it seems like the whole world is talking about you—the opinions start to come out. And come out in droves.  All for the sake of your “support”.

What they don’t realize when they tell you this is that you are already in a terribly dark place emotionally, and while it may give you that initial dopamine rush when you feel supported by friends and family—when that rush wears off, you are left feeling even worse than before, and more often than not it ends up fuelling the anger you already feel.

When I would talk to friends and family, and they would give me their “support”, I felt my blood pressure rise as they would talk about the injustices that I was going through, and the warning of potentially further harm that could be brought on by my ex.  My “supporters” were hurting me unintentionally, as sometimes this would result in me getting so worked up I had to fight back and join their anger and take it out on an already charged up situation.  I was an absolute mess.

So what do I do?

Solution?  For me, I decided to stop “seeking” support and consciously try to avoid “seeking” happiness. Even though I’m still working at mastering this, I have found that just sitting back and observing it coming towards me at the same time that the challenge is keeps me more centered rather than emotionally volatile.  I’m learning to appreciate both sides, as each are serving me to grow to my greatness.  Don’t swing like the pendulum— observe both sides of the pendulum happening simultaneously. You get to be the one to govern your own mind rather than your emotional state being determined by others.  And that’s where I’d rather be now– than feeling “supported” all the time.

People talking shit? Welcome to life… Embrace it.  People supporting you and telling you you’re wonderful?  Ya, that’s temporary too—don’t let it get to your head. You have your light, and you have a shadow. So does everyone else.  Stop looking at what others are saying and doing and focus on why you are here and how this is all serving you.

You’ll notice that this skill can be transferred into work, into social relationships and soon you will see that there will always be a balance of both sides, so you will never have to worry about pleasing everyone all the time and being “accepted” like all other “support seekers”.

Your inner voice will start to become more loud and clear, and the fog and uncertainty that covers your path will start to lift and a light will shine that starts guiding you to where you will make the greatest impact.

Your “bi-polar”-like states will start to balance and you’ll be far more emotionally centered, stable and healthy.

Thanks for reading.  If this interests you– More of this is covered in our Emotional Mastery Workshop—The “Dynamics of Depression” on September 15^th  at the Westgate Wellness Centre.

I had a patient in last week, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.

When I first met Frank, he was overweight, and couldn’t walk on a treadmill for 5 minutes without his legs going numb. Doctors, specialists, physical therapists couldn’t help him– he’d had the problem for 8 years.

When I had met him the first time, he was telling me that he was wiped out after a bitter divorce and he let had himself go.  After 3 months of chiropractic care with some spinal decompression, and simple exercises, he was able to run pain free and feel his legs again, and was inspired to go on and LOSE 40 POUNDS. He was starting to look and feel better than he ever had.  He even started dating this wonderful new woman who inspired him to start doing yoga, and he even successfully completed his first marathon one year after we met—something he thought his body would never allow him to do.

Then, I didn’t see frank for his regular maintenance/wellness visit for a few months.  When he came in last week, I noticed he gained most of the weight back, his health took a decline, and he looked visibly shaken and depressed again.  Guess what happened?  His new wonderful girlfriend left him.

His emotional distress caused him to lose focus on what matters most:  His physical and emotional health.  Why does this often happen?

In order to get on the road to recovery from emotional pain, you first have to appreciate the role of your physiology in your emotional state.  When I first learned about this link, it was like a breakthrough for me.  I finally understood at a core level how my work as a chiropractor deeply impacted the lives of my patients physically and mentally.  Remove stress from the body– and the perceived mental stress goes down because of the intimate relationship between mind and body.

Most of us think of exercise as a way to lose weight and look sexy.  You can’t understate the importance of this during a breakup—your confidence isn’t usually at an all-time-high during a painful separation. Getting physically fit will definitely help with this.  Most relationships break apart partly because the stress causes both parties to stop focussing on looking good for each other and appreciating how each other looks.

I can tell you from first hand experience that looking in a mirror lately and comparing to when I was married has really helped heal some of the wounds of the breakup.  There is nothing like the feeling of looking in the mirror and liking what you see.

But getting fit, and the actual act of physical exertion has a far more profound effect than that.  Research has clearly demonstrated it’s effects on your mental state as well.

Stress Summary

When you are going through stress, your body perceives a threat to its survival (when most often there is none), as though you are a zebra in the Serengetti being chased by a tiger.

Even though this breakup is not a legitimate threat, your body and mind don’t know the difference and make adaptations in an effort to survive the tiger attack anyway.  This is initiated by stress hormones, like Cortisol and Adrenaline.

These stress hormones make changes to the body—in an effort to protect itself and to survive the impending attack. From increasing heart rate, to ramping up cholesterol production, to elevating blood sugars… to fat storage around the gut and butt and thighs.  These are automatic changes.

It’s been shown that EXERCISE ACTUALLY SHUTS OFF THE STRESS RESPONSE.  Eureka. This one realization– if you really can appreciate that stress is the silent killer– means that Exercise will save your life.

Stress and Control

Dr. Sapolsky’s research on primates from Stanford shows that we suffer less from stress when we feel that we have some element of control of our environments.

There are times during our lives when circumstances are beyond our control.  To a control freak like me—this was my biggest test.  For the first time since I can remember, during the first few months of my separation, my life was in a topsy-turvy tailspin because I had no control over my finances, my living arrangements, and my fate. I was in a situation where I had no idea where I would be sleeping month to month.  It was in the hands of my soon-to-be ex-wife—someone who was going through a “tiger attack” of her own.  I felt like I was being tortured, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.  I was living in a constant state of anger, fear, and resentment.  It consumed me.

In the first few months, where fear almost paralyzes you— When it seems like all you want to do is scream and cry– Once I decided to get my head out of victimhood–It soon dawned on me that even though there’s stuff going on that is beyond my control, there ARE some things you can have absolute control of:  How I moved my body, how I ate, and where I decided to put my focus and intention.

My first activity: I got back into performing with my salsa team, Grupo America.  I worked my butt off (literally) and got “game ready” to perform at the Vancouver International Salsa Festival this past march– coming out of retirement. It was amazing to be back on stage performing again.  When that was over….

I poured my energy into exercise.  I joined a local “crossfit” gym.

I remember during one of my ex and I’s heated arguments over text messaging, feeling extreme anger (another tiger attack) the last thing I wanted to do was to exercise, but the knowledge that the quickest way I can feel better about the situation was a hardcore workout,  helped push me to go.

And guess what—I left the workout feeling amazing. I felt more relaxed, more at ease. I found a way to make my resentment serve me—using physical activity and exercise.

I work out! (wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, yeah)

I could then go on with the day and be of service…. Something that is IMPOSSIBLE to do if you are in a “fight or flight” state.  You can’t contribute to humankind if you are in crisis/protection mode.

If you are struggling with a financial loss, a breakup, or even a divorce… if you are not spending at least 30-45 minutes each day intensely burning off that resentment/anger/hurt with some sort of physical activity, then all other coping efforts are not working as efficiently as they could be…. You are not using your power and potiential in the most effective way you can.

If you are going through a transition of any kind, and feeling uncertain about the future—you can “exercise” your control over your environment within minutes: Get your ass up off the couch, off the computer workstation and get moving. Try it for a week. Note the difference you feel in your mental state and take comfort in the fact that you get to be your own hero by saving your own life. Plus your butt will look much better in jeans.

You’re welcome.

Nima

Upcoming Emotional Mastery Workshop– “Understanding the Dynamics of Depression”– Saturday September 15th, 1-4pm

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve been talking to lately who are trying to figure out what they want to do when they grow up.  Around me right now is a pandemic of people who are unsatisfied with their current work/job/life situation, who are trying to identify direction with their careers.  After this one last email popped in asking me about what career to pursue, I figured enough was enough and I’ll give away the secret to finding out what you want to do when you grow up—since I’m blessed to be doing it… right now as a matter of fact.

This is one of the most important considerations for your life in terms of your physical and emotional health.  Think about it—you spend the majority of your life immersed in your work/career (unless you get some inheritance or win the lotto and are being supported financially and don’t have to worry about earning an income).  Is most of that time spent in an uninspiring, meaningless, unfulfilling environment?  If so, that emotional turmoil will gradually take its toll on your mind/body health.  I see it every day with my clients.  My most stressed out patients hate what they do. Some even manifest illness and injury so they can avoid having to go to work.  (they’re the most impossible patients to work with by the way—I don’t work with those types of patients anymore.  Their unconscious motives to stay sick and injured prevent them from healing.  Either that– or I suck as their doctor and they should be going elsewhere anyway).

If you are finding that sick days are increasing—chances are it’s because you can’t stand what you do.  One of my patients used to get stomach pains on Sunday nights.  You think it was from a deficiency of pepto bismol?

Question: Dr. Nima, how does someone know what it is that they want to do for the rest of their life, as a career I mean. Something that they’ll wake up everyday and getting really excited about doing. How do you go about pinpointing it?

Answer:

You don’t worry about the rest of your life.

You ask what you would love NOW.

You already know what inspires you.

Forget about what others expect of you.  Assuming nobody’s judgement mattered… what do you really enjoy doing?  Don’t worry about a quick switch over.  The transition can even be gradual from where you are now.   Don’t panic.  Relax your shoulders.  Breathe.

Stop worrying about the career in the future. What are your values NOW? What inspires YOU TODAY? What do you do for fun, that when you’re doing it– time stops?  Something you do for free right now anyways?

Do you love reading about sports? About fitness? Photography? Nutrition?  About building fabulous buildings or cool websites? Just start doing it now. When you are grateful for your interests and inspirations, and you follow them enthusiastically— and just immerse yourself in the mastery of them– immediately, doors start to open up for you.  The fog starts to lift.  Your self-worth begins to soar and your heart opens up.  Your vision shifts from “stressed” to “blessed”.

There really is no other way to do it.  I always loved helping solve people’s hurts and taking away their physical pain and suffering.  Now, after making a good living by helping remove and prevent physical pain in my fellow human (and dogs!)– I get jazzed up about removing and preventing emotional pain too.  Hence all the verbal diarrhea.

I’m on that journey myself. I can’t get enough of the study, research, and teaching of stress, perceptions, and lifestyle choices and the way they pertain to mind/body health. To me there is nothing more fascinating. Also because I know that there isn’t a person alive walking the streets who couldn’t benefit with what I have learned or the services I provide– it makes me feel good emotionally (and financially) to bring massive value to the marketplace.

And as I immerse myself in the study and teaching of this– and keep looking for ways to increase the delivery of that value to the marketplace–my dreams start to unfold.

Side note: this journey will never end– and it will change several times throughout your life. That’s why it doesn’t matter about the future, because in 20 years it will be completely different anyway.

Focus on NOW, do what inspires you NOW, and release the expectation of having a career that is written in stone.

Your Fears that are Holding you back from seeing your Path.

If you are uncertain with what “inspires” you—it’s not because your soul lacks inspiration.  That’s impossible.  Everyone has an inspired purpose.  Anything without a purpose is dying.  The only reason why you can’t hear your inner voice’s inspirations is because you are in a state of fear or guilt.  There’s a stress response from a perceived “tiger” attacking you and in that state, you can’t think of helping others.  That can only come from a state of gratitude. You’re too busy stuck in survival mode. Your creativity and intuition become shunted for the sole purpose of protection from threat of attack. This “tiger” is a fear coming from a perceived loss in one of the 7 areas of life:

SPIRITUAL—Fear of breaking the rules of a spiritual authority (what will God/church think?)

MENTAL – Fear of not being smart enough (What if I’m too dumb?)

CAREER – Fear of Failure (what if I don’t make it?)

FINANCIAL – Fear of loss of money (what if I can’t afford it?)

SOCIAL – Fear of loss of social acceptance (what will my friends/community think—what will people say?)

FAMILY – Fear of loss of connection with family (what if my family disowns me?)

PHYSICAL – Fear of lack of beauty or vitality (am I fit enough, beautiful enough, healthy enough?)

Every single person I’ve spoken to who’s uncertain about what they want to do with their lives… within 30 seconds of speaking to them, I’ve been able to identify the specific fear(s) that are holding them back from following their inspired purpose, paralyzing their growth and blocking them from stepping forward into their dreams.

When you’re stuck in these fears (sometimes a combination of more than one…)you’re too busy in self-preservation, which blocks you from seeing your truth and authentic, inspired self–  The real you.  But trust me– It’s there.

And you know it.

So have fun for the love of God.  You have my permission to enjoy yourself.

Thanks for reading.

Nima

What do Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, Nelson Mandela, and now Will Smith have in common?

They’ve all been divorced.  (Wayne Dyer married 3 times!)

However, even the mention of the word evokes such an emotional reaction.  Some have been hurt and haven’t healed since their divorce (even though it was years ago), some are in the midst of one, and some are contemplating one, and some are living in fear of one.

Whatever your relationship with the word is…

Doesn’t matter.  Divorce is here to stay.  There will always be a conservation of build and destroy in life.  Same holds true for relationships.

The breakdown of a marriage is considered one of life's greatest stressors, and the way we respond to life challenges will help dictate our physical and emotional health and well-being.

I’m in the midst of a divorce right now, and let me tell you, it’s no fucking picnic.  They say it’s on the top 2-3 on the list of life’s greatest stressors.

As I go through the ups and downs and emotional rollercoaster ride that’s involved, as a researcher on stress, and teacher on how to cope with it, I figure why not make use of my pain, resentment, frustrations, anger, guilt, excitement, joy, and exhilaration— all for the sake of helping someone transcend it too?  I mean, I make a living helping others become consciously aware of how their choices in how they eat, move, and even choices on our perceptions can dramatically change our inner and outer world.  Maybe I can use this experience to fulfill my purpose— and do my part to help raise the consciousness of the planet—for the benefit of both myself, and others.

I say for the benefit of myself for a very simple reason:  It’s easier to help someone else with their problems than to fix your own.  One night during a particularly stressful evening, this became shockingly clear when I stepped out of my own moment of extreme crisis to help my friend with his.

It was a “come to Jesus” moment for me (meaning Epiphany, not a “born-again into a religion” moment).

I realized, as I was immersed in finding the underlying root cause and solution for his relationship issue—that the cause of the problem in his situation was THE EXACT SAME IN MINE.

I almost broke down as I helped him resolve his issue in a matter of 5 minutes…. Only to realize that I needed to take my own fucking advice.

My buddy and I sat there, looking at each other for a moment, speechless.  Then we both realized that that very solution is the solution to every single relationship conflict on the planet.  It’s the underlying root cause, and the answer is extremely simple and is the critical shift required to resolve anything.  Without it, a relationship can’t exist.  With it, two people can transcend anything.

It doesn’t mean you SHOULD stay together forever.  You will stay together only if both parties perceive value to their lives by doing so.  If one party sees more value in leaving, they will leave.

Everyone watching this process will have their opinions based on THEIR OWN point of view and value system.  This is a mathematical certainty.

My goal with this “HOW TO SURVIVE DIVORCE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR HEALTH IN THE PROCESS” series is to help those who are going through a breakup of any sorts survive with their head held high and being able to transition and maintain their sanity and health.

I will share what I learn from the lessons along the way.  My goal is to help you transform your unwanted state to a state that you can finally be grateful for.  This is healthier for you, this is healthier for your ex, for your children, for your dogs, for your clients…. For the world.

Please share with those you think might need it. My goal is to use my challenges to better the planet and make my mess, my message.

Stay tuned… and thanks for reading.

www.photobinphotography.com

I often get the question: “Dr. Nima, can’t I just work out and fix my spinal problems?”

Tobin and I put together this video to help illustrate that point.  This is the final installment of our Spinal Therapy Series– at least for this time around. We’re brainstorming for our next set.  How do you like us so far?

These videos have been a fun, creative expression.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed putting a positive, sometimes controversial message in a form that the masses can appreciate and understand.  Plus, I get to dress in drag.  I get to be a dork.  I get to make you laugh and entertain you.  I’m on a path to become an “Edutainer” to assist in elevating the health consciousness of the planet.  I’ve gone toe to toe with medical doctors, skeptics, naysayers, and critics— and found the best way to convey a message is to put down your arms and just have fun and stop giving a shit about what people think and speak your truth.  In my 11 year career, this is where I’ve gotten to.  Getting tired of all the bullshit fighting between health philosophies.  The medical model has nothing to gain by teaching people the truth of where their health comes from.

Personal Growth in the midst because of turmoil.

At this low point in my personal/relationship status– I’ve found myself infused with a new vigor for life, for my friends, for my new business contacts, and a deep commitment to showing the world that mind and body health come from within, when you make the right adjustments.  This is true even in the midst of personal and financial turmoil.  Every single day I wake up looking for ways to better myself, and to communicate in ways people can relate to and understand how truly magnificent their bodies and minds are, and can transcend almost any health challenge if the are shown how to eat, how to move, and how to think, and how to have a clear brain/body connection.

I’m getting in the best shape of my life.  I’m dancing more, laughing more, connecting more, and I’m being more present.  My talks have taken on a whole new level of authenticity that I have never seen.  Before I used to pride myself in teaching and connecting with my audience on a “information” level.  Now I find myself connecting with hearts.

With arms, and heart wide open for the world to see… here’s my final installment for this series.  Thank you to all involved in this project– Maria for her brilliant makeup, Yasie for her assisting (both emotional and physical), and Tobin and his wife Sarah for pretty much everything else.  I love you all dearly and I am where I am because of you.

I hope the world is ready for what is about to be unleashed.  By the way– this next video is not suitable for children. Just sayin.

What would YOUR spine say about how it's being treated?

These videos have been a blast to produce. It’s been an absolute thrill for me to take one of my repressions– being a dork Acting, and being able to express it in a way that communicates a message of health and healing.

People have been emailing me about these videos, asking me where I came up with the ideas, who wrote them, etc.  The answer to that is that Tobin who’s an award winning filmmaker, good friend and patient of mine, who really “gets” what my mission is, comes up with the concepts of each video after we belt ideas back and forth.  He then sits down to write the original script, then we both sit down at our favorite taco stand and go through each one and I add, remove, and tweak lines to reflect what the message is that I want to portray.

It’s probably the most organic, synergystic process I’ve ever experienced in my life (other than when I’m helping my own clients).

The videos take on a life of their own.  The best part (after the acting itself) is when I get to do a first edit viewing and watch how Tobin’s creative genius puts everything together.  Then I can finally do the voice-overs where we make final changes to the script to add in that extra “punch” at the end.

There are times when art imitates life… a little too close for comfort.  This next video is a prime example.

The crazy part of all these “Spinal Therapy” videos is that they were filmed and originally produced at a time when I was going through the worst relationship turmoil of my life.  In fact, my (recently) ex-wife, Maria and I (who was the brilliant makeup artist in these videos) were even going through Marital Counseling to try to repair what we both perceived to be an amazing relationship that had suddenly gone from terrific to unbearable within the span of a year.  The irony is quite astounding.  I can’t help but laugh sometimes.

The foundation for the conflict between Nathan and his spine in this video hit quite close to home for me, so even though everyone has their own “favorite” one of these videos, this video has profound meaning in my former relationship, and the laughter that you get at the end is quite cathartic for me.

The best part about these videos for me is the awareness it brings– that like in any relationship, we are able to re-create a harmonious, synergystic, and co-operative partnership with our bodies… especially with our brain-body connection through the spine… But not without a radical change to your point of view.   If your spinal health — or health in general is not in a place you want it to be– then look at it from your body and spine’s perspective– even from a cellular perspective.

What would YOUR spine say to you?

Scurvy-- a condition that is preventable. Why not prevent this rather than wait to treat it? Same thing with spinal and other physical complaints.

This latest in the Spinal Therapy Series addresses the common complaints that people, especially those who are active make:  They come in and “Treat” issues rather than working on preventing them to lengthen their career and mobility later in life.  Treating preventable physical problems makes just as much sense as treating a preventable problem like Scurvy, caused by a simple lack of vitamin C in the diet.

It’s true…. prevention isn’t sexy— but I’m sure you will think the girl in this next video is.

Many thanks again to Tobin for his film making genius and Maria for her work on making me the most beautiful woman in the world.

If you’ve been following since one of the first couple episodes, you saw how Matt’s spine was “whining” to him about his lifestyle habits.  After meeting with Dr. Nima— he made a few changes… but are they really enough?  Here we explore the difference between activity and exercise.

to watch Part I of Matt’s story—click here.