The Courage to Rise as a Practice Companion
In her practice and in her yoga teaching, Liz Arch is an example of both determination and dedication. She brings a willingness to share her own vulnerability and to explore what it really means to use lifestyle practices to find healing and to thrive in daily life. Her book The Courage to Rise: Using Movement, Mindfulness, and Healing Foods to Triumph over Trauma is a meaningful practice companion.
Arch says, “My experience with trauma comes from feeling the grip of its dark claws closing around my throat. It comes from hitting rock bottom and climbing my way out, only to find I had so much further to fall. I know trauma because it burrowed into my body and lived in the marrow of my bones. For most of my life, it has fed my fear, fueled my anger, sabotaged my relationships, shut me down, and shut me up with shame.” Her willingness to climb her way back out has given her the gift of sharing tools and practices with others in her first book that serves as advice from a dear friend and sister on the path.
Understanding and Healing from Trauma
The Courage to Rise is organized into four sections: Understanding Trauma, Releasing Trauma from Our Body, using Mindfulness to Rewire Our Brain for Resiliency, and Eat to Heal. In each section, Liz Arch combines a discussion of current scientific research with relatable stories and user-friendly solutions. She asserts that Movement is Medicine (chapter 6). In this chapter, she discusses modalities such as martial arts, in addition to yoga. In addition to clearly explained yoga postures and other exercises, Arch offers easy-to-follow breathing techniques that are helpful for releasing trauma. She offers suggestions for cultivating a mindfulness practice specific to rewiring the brain. And, her thoughtful discussion of food and nutrition includes identifying Food Heroes and Zeros (chapter 14).
The approachable book is filled with Arch’s journey, research, personal practice, and suggestions. She offers wisdom for others who are looking for ways to navigate their own triumph over trauma. However you may identify with the challenges in your personal path, The Courage to Rise is a worthy guide.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.