Holistic Life Navigation

In today’s episode, Luis explores somatic empathy and pendulation - swinging between two different sensations or experiences. He explains why we need to develop the skillset to regulate our somatic empathy to stay present while taking in media. When you watch someone in pain, this can create the sensation of "I feel pain your pain." Luis shares steps we can take to tend to that sensation so that we can acknowledge our sense of safety so that our response can be one of compassion. To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

How are screens - televisions, smartphones, iPads, and more -  impacting our bodies? In today’s episode, Luis breaks down how our bodies react to the news, social media feeds, and other forms of online media.Today’s society has access to more experiences than ever before. Whether we know it or not, our bodies react to these experiences - whether painful, terrifying, or upsetting, and we lose the sense of our current reality. Luis breaks down this "somatic empathy" and shares a practice for how to manage it when we become overwhelmed by too much information.To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

In today’s episode, Luis sits down for a casual chat with herbalist Aemen Bell, who is also his wife. From sharing how she healed her lung condition as a teenager to spilling the tea on one of their first dates, Luis and Aemen touch on everything about food, herbs, and relating to the land. Join the couple as they speak about her origins with herbal medicine and the joy she finds being a beacon for her clients. Enjoy this casual chat with plenty of jokes and comforting stories. You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/food-therapy-weight-gain-weight-loss-balance To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

Do you know what the freeze response is? In today’s episode, Luis explains how this natural tension in the body happens when we’re scared, threatened, or nervous. He does so by looking at videos from the animal kingdom. When we need it, the freeze response is helpful. It can protect us from a physical threat. But, when it results in fatigue or procrastination, it’s not so useful. It’s through somatic work that we can learn how to decipher whether or not we are threatened and feel safe in our here and now. To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

Today’s episode is a casual conversation with the Holistic Life Navigation Team: Luis, Camille, Evan, and Marika. The team shares their personal experiences about dissociation and what happens during that trance-like state when we ‘zone out’. Looking at dissociation through a somatic lens, the team shares what happens to the body when we dissociate and how to attune to the sensation and give our body what we need.You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/food-therapy-weight-gain-weight-loss-balance To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

In today’s episode, Luis shares what a possum protecting itself from a coyote can teach us about the ‘freeze and collapse’ response. While it is essential to survival, our bodies can turn on that same response even when there’s not a life-threatening event happening. Allowing nature to be our teacher, Luis looks at the event through the lens of overcoupling disagreement with life-threatening danger. He shares three simple tools we can all practice to help the body feel safe where it is.To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

In today’s episode, Luis and Camille discuss how our bodies interpret threats and how to decipher the somatic reality of whether or not it’s happening to us now. When we think of something happening to us in the future and the past, the same biochemistry is triggered as if the experience is happening in real time. Luis and Camille share why this happens and how to attune our bodies to a feeling of safety. You can register for the FREE Food Therapy session here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/events/food-therapy-weight-gain-weight-loss-balance To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

What foods can I eat to help me move through a stressful situation in a more tolerable way? In today’s episode, this is the exact question Luis answers for listeners seeking a way to use food to help them regulate their nervous system. Luis shares how foods directly affect our mental health and nervous system. He also shares how to use food to support our emotional and mental health and the exact foods to eat throughout the day to balance our bodies.To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com

Camille Leak, a DEI practitioner known for her relational approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, joins the conversation to explore the nuances of these critical concepts. She shares her personal experiences with marginalization and critiques traditional DEI practices for sidestepping uncomfortable discussions. Camille distinguishes microaggressions from bias, emphasizing the importance of empathy and genuine dialogue to improve relationships. She advocates for personalized engagement and trauma-informed approaches, urging listeners to confront privilege and discomfort.

Why do I binge eat? In today’s episode, Luis explores the connection between stress, trauma, and binge eating to help us understand why this behavior presents itself.Sharing his personal story about trauma, Luis breaks down the physiology of prolonged stress and how bingeing offers a temporary feeling of security. He takes us through a 5-minute exercise, he then shares how to learn what’s behind the craving. To read more about, and register for, the 2025 Menla retreat, click here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/menla-retreat----You can learn more on the website: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/ Learn more about the self-led course here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/self-led-new Join the waitlist to pre-order Luis' book here: https://www.holisticlifenavigation.com/the-book You can follow Luis on Instagram @holistic.life.navigationQuestions? You can email us at info@holisticlifenavigation.com