Allow me to share a short true story.

Setting: 

July, walking with my four-year-old grandson along the downtown sidewalks of a California beach town

Backdrop: 

We’ve an agreement hand holding is optional on the sidewalk, and required when walking on a road. Suddenly, with no warning, he sits down crisscross applesauce on the sidewalk. I pause, backing up a few steps to where he has intentionally landed.

Dialogue: 

Me: What’s up?

Grandson: Nothing. 

Pause. 

Me: Is there a reason you are sitting on the sidewalk? 

Grandson: My body needed to Power Down. 

Another pause, this time on my part, taking in the 4-year-old wisdom. 

Me: How long do you Power Down?

Grandson: Until my body is ready to Power Up. 

He says it as if this answer is perfectly obvious, oblivious of people walking around us, with bemused expressions.

Reflection: 

The wisdom of a child is what draws us to them and also to our own childlike nature. Simple statements made from innocence, devoid of concern for what people will think beckons us into presence. When we listen to the messages of the body, wisdom is revealed. Sometimes in a gush, more often in bits and pieces that we can receive and digest. My grandson’s willingness to pause, wherever he was, became a quiet teacher. 

Invitation: 

Where in your life are you invited to Power Down? Imagine what that might feel like. Could there be places of pause, little snippets of powering down that begin to permeate bits of your week, maybe even daily? Since the Power Down moment, I find myself returning to his example as reminder. Sometimes the invitation is met with a ‘yes’, allowing my body to guide me to stillness so the messages the body provides entreat me back to intentionally listening, to carve out down time. Just sometimes. Other times, the invitation is heard only after ignoring it too long. Either way, the message is simple: pause, let the body lead. 

Support:

I know from  decades of personal experience how challenging powering down can be.  That is why The Being Well resource library was created.  It offers personally guided practices of 3-80 minutes, designed to meet you where you are in the moment.  Available as a free 30-day trial with the code ‘BEWELL’,  it may support your own capacity to power down, so you can power up with a renewed sense of living consciously. You can see an overview of the library here and there is also video about the content. I welcome input, including suggestions for what would be most supportive.*

And if The Being Well doesn’t feel like a fit right now, here’s a gift: a 21-minute ‘I AM Yoga Nidra™’, currently my favorite. This guided relaxation uses a focusing technique adapted by Kamini Desai from Eugene Gendlin. It invites you to listen to your body’s messages before they become demands. Try it the next time you feel your body tugging for attention—or simply try it now.

My practice: 

In just a few days, I’ll be taking my own extended Power Down. A five-week journey to India awaits, a chance to step back, listen deeply, and restore. I’ll return in early November, ready to support and serve in whatever way is invited—and within my capacity in each moment. If you’d like to follow the journey, you can find updates on Instagram at Bromytravels.

Epilogue:

My grandson’s Power Down was short. Within minutes we were continuing down the sidewalk, but the lesson continues to invite. His simple act keeps inviting me back into presence, into pause, into the wisdom of listening. Where is your body asking you to power down?

Shared with love, light and joy, 

Rhonda 

*Given my extended power down time, your input will be reviewed in early November. Thank you in advance. If you find The Being Well helpful, please share it freely with others including the BEWELL code for a month free. After the trial, you can cancel or continue with a subscription of $7 per month. 

Upcoming Events:

Five Weekends at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts

Experience the joy of deeper hands-on study.

October 29, Nov.1/2, Nov. 14-16, 21-23, Dec. 4-6 & 10-12 

IN PERSON - I AM Yoga Therapy*  100 hr. Certification 

with Rhonda Vroman

C-IAYT, MBA, ERYT-500, YACEP, Sr. Teacher 

Tempe, Arizona

I AM Yoga Therapy™/Yoga Body Psychology is designed to not only treat visible physical symptoms, but is aimed at addressing the invisible  blocks that contribute to them. Using gravity supported, static poses held by the facilitator, or with the use of the wall or props, you will learn how to surface and release blockages held in the physical, mental or emotional body zones. This rejuvenating and releasing experience enhances your understanding of the energetic aspects of yoga and how to use it for yourself and others as one of the most profound healing modalities you will ever encounter. You will learn to facilitate various experiences to listen to the energy messages of the body, and how to healthfully integrate and release emotions for yourself and others. 

*As developed by Kamini Desai

Prerequiste: YTT 200, Massage Therapist or Mental Health Practitioner

Call for more information or to register as a non-matriculated student. 

480-994-9244 or 888-504-9106

Learn More

A Day at the Desert Botanical Gardens

Spend the day wandering the Desert Botanical Garden — and end it with a peaceful Sunset Yoga session with Rhonda, all included with just the price of admission.

Join us Tuesday, November 4th from 5:30–6:30 PM. Also offered several other Tuesdays in October and November.