For the past couple of weeks, sankalpa has been the theme woven through my classes—often translated in iRest® as heartfelt desire: that which gives our lives a sense of meaning, purpose, and value. Purpose is an ancient human inquiry. What matters to me? What gives my life meaning? What feels worth giving my time and energy to? And perhaps just as interesting: How do I know when I’m moving toward what matters—and when I’ve moved away from it?

Lately, I've been thinking about the different practices that have found their way into my life over the years. Yoga was my first doorway. Then came mantra and the Yoga of Sound, followed by iRest Yoga Nidra and, more recently, Low Pressure Fitness. I'm currently studying CranioSacral Therapy, which has opened another way of listening to and experiencing the body.

The “canister” of the torso — from the pelvic floor to the glottis — manages pressure all day long. Every breath, cough, sneeze, lift, run, jump, and even a slouch on the couch changes internal pressure. But what exactly is this pressure, how is it managed, and why does it matter?