Squats & Séances
What happens when physical strength meets spiritual awakening?
Squats & Séances dives headfirst into this fascinating intersection, offering a fresh perspective on the mind-body-spirit connection that goes beyond conventional wisdom.
Meet Venessa – CrossFit trainer, nutritionist, former competitive bodybuilder, and self-described "burgeoning intuitive" who received some divine guidance during meditation to share her self-healing discovery journey with others. After years of building expertise in fitness and nutrition while simultaneously battling anxiety and processing trauma, she discovered that true wellness requires balance across all three foundational pillars: mind, body, and spirit.
This podcast serves as both personal roadmap and community resource, drawing from Venessa's extensive background in fitness training, medical knowledge, and spiritual exploration. Expect deep dives into functional fitness, nutrition, neuroplasticity, trauma healing, energy work, intuition, and spiritual connection – all approached with an authentically gritty perspective that values truth over comfort.
What separates Squats & Seances from other wellness podcasts is its commitment to integration rather than separation. You won't find pure spirituality divorced from physical reality, nor physical training devoid of mental and spiritual dimensions. Instead, you'll discover how these aspects complement one another to create a fully present, engaged, and optimized life.
Whether you're a fitness enthusiast curious about spiritual growth, a spiritual seeker looking to strengthen your physical foundation, or simply someone wondering if there's more to life than what meets the eye, this podcast offers valuable insights without forcing any particular belief system. Take what resonates, leave what doesn't, and join us on this journey of discovery. Share your stories, ask your questions, and become part of a community dedicated to living well in all dimensions.
Squats & Séances
Holiday Box Breath
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If the holidays have you overwhelmed, stressed, and screaming silently inside - your not a grinch, you just need a breath. Try this quick mindfulness practice to reset your nervous system so you can be fully present for those magical holiday moments.
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Until the next time - stay gritty you badass!
Why We Need A Reset
SPEAKER_00Hi Britties, the stats are in. You all needed a mindfulness practice this time of year. So let's do it again. This is a hit pause meditation to help you find a present moment whenever you need it most.
Holiday Overwhelm And Breath
SPEAKER_00Often it can feel like life is a hamster wheel that's spinning faster than we can keep pace. Especially this time of year, our to-do lists seem never-ending. Our normal routines and daily activities are disrupted with travel and family obligations and expectations. Suddenly the holidays leave us feeling like we can barely catch our breath, let alone find any cheer. We can use our breath to reconnect to a present moment experience and just slow everything down around us so that we are present, calm, and centered and ready to take on what's next.
Settle The Body And Check In
SPEAKER_00One technique that really works to achieve this is called a box breath. So I'm going to teach it to you now. Please allow your body to settle into a comfortable seated position. Take a moment just to listen and check in. Our bodies often give us feedback about how they're aligned and what we're experiencing in a physical sensation. If we just pause long enough to hear it. Adjust if you need to. Okay. Let's begin by gently closing our eyes.
Three Clearing Breaths
SPEAKER_00Take a long, slow, deep inhale through the nose. And as you exhale, sigh high. And let your shoulders drop down. Let's do it again. Long, slow, deep inhale up through the nose. And as you exhale, sigh. Drop your shoulders. Let your back relax. One more time. Long slow breath in. Audible sigh. Exhale, drop your shoulders.
Sensing The Pauses Between Breaths
SPEAKER_00Now on the next few breaths, we're going to bring awareness into the space where our inhale and our exhale meet. So take another nice slow inhale through your nose, all the way to the top. Pause for a moment. Notice where you feel it in your body. And then exhale any way you'd like, through your nose or through your mouth. Again, let's inhale all the way to the top of the breath. Pause for a moment. Notice where you feel it in your body. Is it in the belly,
Box Breathing Explained
SPEAKER_00in your throat? And now big exhale, let it go. And now when you get to the bottom of your exhale, pause. Where do you feel that? Maybe it's down, just below the belly button, or in your tailbone. Inhale again and exhale naturally while I explain the next steps. With a box breath, we will inhale for a count of four all the way to the top, and then we'll pause for a count of four at the top of the inhale, and then we'll exhale for a count of four, and then we're going to pause at the bottom of the exhale for a count of four. I'll walk you through it a few times before you try it on your own.
Guided Box Breath Counts
SPEAKER_00Let's begin. Inhale, two, three, four, hold, two, three, four. Exhale, two, three, four. Hold two, three, four. Inhale, two, three, four. Hold two, three, four. Exhale, two, three, four. Hold two, three, four. For
Silent Practice
SPEAKER_00the next few moments, we'll sit in silence to practice this box breath with the counts of four. Now watch the time and bring you back in just a moment.
Return, Move, And Reopen
SPEAKER_00On your next breath, allow your inhale and exhale to return to its normal flow. So introduce some organic slow movement back into the body. Roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Turn your head side to side or roll it back and forth. You can stretch out your fingers and then make fists and open your hands again and wibble your toes. And when you're ready, gently open your eyes.
Closing Thoughts And Encouragement
SPEAKER_00Welcome back. When you hit pause, you can find the present moment. And it's as simple as taking a few box breaths. I hope that this technique serves you well this holiday season. Sending lots of love, and I'll see you again soon. Bye.