by | | Curated Content
September 30th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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Fascia is now seen as a sensory, emotional organ that holds not just our bodies, but the unspoken stories we carry.
Beneath your skin, woven between your muscles, bones and organs, lies a shimmering network — a living matrix that shapes, supports and senses. This is your fascia, a part of your body’s connective tissue system. For decades, it was considered little more than anatomical packing material. Now new discoveries and insights are changing that view entirely.
Fascia is now understood as a highly intelligent system — responsive, fluid and richly innervated. It is the body’s largest sensory organ, involved in everything from movement and posture to pain, interoception and emotional processing. And yet the most fascinating revelations have only just begun to surface.
Emerging research, combined with therapeutic insight, suggests fascia may do more than carry the weight of your body — it may carry the weight of your lived experience.
In recent years, the notion that trauma is stored in the body has gained traction across fields from somatic therapy to neuroscience. Works such as The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk have popularised the idea that emotional pain, especially when unprocessed, embeds itself in the body’s tissues. Fascia, it seems, may be one of the key places where this residue is held.
Whether viewed through the lens of science, energy or embodied experience, fascia is being redefined not just as physical scaffolding but as a storyteller — holding the tension, patterns and imprints of what we haven’t yet fully processed or released. With this understanding comes a powerful question: if the body remembers what the mind forgets, how might we begin to heal through listening?
What is fascia? Understanding the body’s hidden web
To understand fascia’s potential role in emotional and physical healing, we first need to appreciate what it actually is — and how it works. Fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue that wraps through and around every muscle, bone, organ and nerve, offering structure and support while also playing a pivotal role in how we move and function.
Yet fascia’s influence extends beyond the physical. It has recently emerged as a key sensory system, rich in nerve endings that allow it to detect tension, pressure and pain and to transmit this information throughout the body. This discovery is shifting our understanding of fascia from passive scaffolding to active participant in bodily awareness and regulation.
“Fascia is your body’s living internet,” says fascia researcher Garry Lineham, co-founder of Human Garage. “It’s a fluid, intelligent web communicating faster than your brain. It senses, moves, adapts, protects and records everything you experience.”
This idea — that fascia is far more than physical scaffolding — is echoed by Dr Sarah Jane Perri, founder of Spinal Energetics. She describes it as “a responsive, elastic and deeply sensitive system … not just like a static skeleton but more like a dynamic web that holds us together and moves with us.”
Scientific research supports this redefinition. Studies have shown that fascia contains a dense network of mechanoreceptors, proprioceptors and nociceptors — the sensors that allow us to perceive pressure, changes in body position and warning signals that the body interprets as pain. It’s also intricately linked with interoception, the body’s ability to sense internal cues such as hunger, temperature or emotional arousal.
A landmark paper published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies by Dr Robert Schleip helped illuminate fascia’s role in sensory processing and has been instrumental in reclassifying fascia as a sensory organ, sparking wider recognition of its deep biological importance.
Rather than serving as a background player, fascia may be central to our felt experience of being human. It connects not just our anatomy, but the layers of sensation, emotion and perception that shape how we inhabit our bodies. And, for some, it may also be key to healing patterns of pain and emotion stored beneath the surface of conscious awareness.
The trauma imprint: when emotion becomes physical
If fascia is a living record of experience, what happens when that experience overwhelms us? Trauma, especially when unresolved, has a way of lodging itself in the body. Not in the form of visible scars, but as tension, restriction or pain that seems to defy explanation.
Increasingly, both science and somatic therapy point toward fascia as one of the key places where this residue collects — not through conscious memory but through patterns of contraction, dehydration and dysfunction that subtly alter how we move and feel.
“Fascia stores everything the body doesn’t have time to process … emotions, trauma, tension, ancestral patterns,” explains Lineham. “From a scientific view, fascia has over 1000 times more sensory nerves than the brain. Energetically, it’s the interface between the soul and the body. Spiritually, it’s where you hold what wasn’t expressed, until it’s safe to feel.”
While poetic, this perspective is supported by a growing body of research. Stress and trauma activate the sympathetic nervous system, placing the body in a heightened state of alert. If that stress is prolonged or unresolved, the body doesn’t return to baseline. Instead, muscles contract, breath becomes shallow and fascia can begin to harden or bind. Over time, this can lock the nervous system into patterns of defence.
According to Perri, “Fascia can become dehydrated, thickened or restricted due to stress, emotions, trauma or repetitive strain. These restrictions create internal pulling, compression or distortion that leads to chronic pain, even when no injury is visible on scans. Because fascia communicates with the nervous system, these patterns often perpetuate a heightened pain response.”
This may help explain why so many people live with unexplained discomfort or persistent tension that conventional treatments can’t resolve. From a somatic perspective, it’s not just the body acting out of sync — it’s the body holding onto what hasn’t yet had the chance to move through.
“When fascia is locked, breath is restricted, the vagus nerve is compromised and the nervous system stays stuck in fight or flight,” Lineham notes. “That leads to anxiety, depression, sleep issues and emotional volatility. When the fascia flows, the nervous system can finally regulate and the heart can feel safe again.”
Therapists trained in fascia-informed modalities often observe what appears to be emotion unspooling from the tissue itself. Clients may begin to tremble, cry or feel unexpected waves of memory or sensation — not always with clear explanation but with unmistakable release.
As Perri reflects, “Fascia holds the residue of our lived experiences. When tension is released, people may cry, laugh, tremor or feel waves of relief through them. This isn’t just symbolic. It’s actually the nervous system recalibrating and the body finally feeling safe enough to let go.”
Far from being metaphorical, the body’s way of storing and expressing trauma is increasingly understood as biological truth. And fascia may be one of the most eloquent storytellers of all — not in words, but in sensation.
Unlocking what’s held: healing modalities and somatic therapies
All forms of bodywork — from deep tissue release and Rolfing to acupuncture and chiropractic — ultimately engage with fascia and can be powerful modalities for working with the body. While some methods use firm pressure to create change, others adopt a “less-is-more” perspective.
Fascia-informed approaches work with the body in subtle and integrative ways, listening to its cues and allowing stored tension to unravel through movement, awareness and breath. Rather than trying to override dysfunction, fascia-based therapies aim to restore the body’s natural flow.
“We don’t force change,” says Lineham of Human Garage. “We create space for the body to adapt. Through slow, rotational, breath-led movements, we work with fascia’s natural double-helix structure to unlock pressure and restore flow.”
This principle is central to Human Garage’s Fascial Maneuvers, a series of gentle movements designed to activate the body’s self-healing mechanisms. Perri takes a similar approach through her practice of Spinal Energetics, which combines fascia-informed touch with energetic awareness.
“These therapies work by listening to the body’s innate intelligence,” she explains. “Often through subtle pressure or even off-body contact, we help the nervous system and fascia unwind — not through imposition, but through invitation.”
Clients receiving fascia-based or somatic therapies often describe profound shifts that feel less like treatment and more like the body remembering how to let go. These approaches differ from conventional methods because they allow stored tension to surface without intellectual analysis. The body leads and healing follows.
Signs your body may be speaking through fascia
If you’ve ever felt chronically tense, emotionally “stuck”, or disconnected from your body without clear reason, fascia may be involved. Signs that fascial therapy may help include:
- Persistent tightness or unexplained pain
- Shallow breathing or a sense of internal pressure
- Recurring symptoms that move or shift location
- Jaw clenching, teeth grinding or frozen shoulder
- Feeling trapped in your body or unable to relax
- Emotional numbness or unresolved grief
- A sense of carrying tension even when mentally calm
- The feeling that talk therapy isn’t reaching the root
Daily practices to support fascia and emotional resilience
While fascia-informed therapies can offer profound release and transformation, healing doesn’t only happen in a practitioner’s space. There is also power in the small, consistent rituals we practise at home. Through movement, breath and embodied awareness, you can begin to support your fascia and emotional wellbeing every day.
- Move intuitively. Fascia responds best to slow, spiralling and varied movement. Practices such as yin yoga, fascia flossing or gentle shaking help hydrate the tissue and release restriction. Let your body guide you. As Perri puts it, movement becomes medicine when it’s led from within.
- Self-myofascial release. At home, using therapy balls or foam rollers allows you to keep releasing and hydrating your fascia. It’s a simple and quick way to stay in tune with your body and take an active role in your own care. Remember that less is more when working on yourself.
- Breathe with awareness. Breath can soften and calm the nervous system. Inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Lineham describes breath as “the reset” — a way to drop into presence and shift the body’s internal state without pushing.
- Hydrate. Fascia needs fluid to remain elastic and responsive. Sip water throughout the day and consider adding magnesium or electrolytes to support tissue hydration and relaxation. However, it’s important to know that you can drink all the water you like, but fascia still requires mechanical stimulus (movement or bodywork) to draw that hydration into the tissue like a sponge.
- Feel what’s there. Fascia is closely linked with interoception — your ability to sense what’s happening inside. Body scans, somatic journalling or quiet daily check-ins can help you tune in and let go before stress settles in the tissue.
These simple practices are about listening, not fixing.
Lineham reminds us, “The body already knows how to heal. We just have to stop interrupting it.”
When you soften into presence and surrender, you allow that wisdom to rise.
When you listen to the story, you rewrite your healing
As we’ve come to see, fascia doesn’t just hold the body together: it holds what we’ve carried silently for years. The unexpressed emotions. The unfinished responses. The weight of experiences that never found a way out. The residue takes physical form in this sensory web that weaves through our bodies.
As wise as the body is to store it this way, that same wisdom also becomes the mechanism through which healing can unfold.
“Healing doesn’t come from outside the body,” says Dr Perri. “It comes from within.”
To listen to fascia is to listen to what lies beneath the surface — the quiet cues, the tension that speaks in whispers, the sensation that lingers long after the story is forgotten.
The shifts may be subtle at first: a softening in the chest, an exhale that arrives without effort, a wave of emotion that catches you off guard. This is how the body speaks. When we truly listen, the story unspools. It is no longer a weight or a constriction, but a thread that creates space for transformation.
Article Featured in Wellbeing 218
The post Fascia – The Body’s Hidden Storyteller appeared first on WellBeing Magazine.
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Fascia – The Body’s Hidden Storyteller
by | | Curated Content
September 30th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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Perimenopause impacts mind, body, and skin—awareness and self-care can make this transition easier and more empowering.
Perimenopause marks the transitional phase leading up to a woman’s final menstrual period, often beginning as early as the late 30s and extending into the mid 50s. During this time, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate significantly, affecting nearly every system in the body. Despite being a natural part of the ageing process, perimenopause remains under‑recognised and often misunderstood. The lack of conversation and awareness around this transition leaves many women feeling unprepared, isolated and unsure of how to navigate the physical and emotional shifts it brings. With up to 60 per cent of women experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and 20 per cent facing symptoms severe enough to impact their daily lives, it’s concerning that the discourse around this inevitable phase of a woman’s life isn’t more widespread.
Fortunately, while the symptoms of perimenopause can be broad and deeply impactful, this phase does not have to be marked by confusion or suffering. With the right education, support and open conversation, women can feel informed, supported and empowered throughout their journey.
Symptoms
Perimenopause typically spans four to six years but can last anywhere from one to 10. During this time, fluctuations in key hormones including oestrogen, progesterone, follicle‑stimulating hormone (FSH) and androgens such as testosterone are common. The ovaries’ responsiveness to hormonal signals from the brain naturally declines, which impacts both egg quality and ovulation frequency. These hormonal fluctuations can trigger a cascade of symptoms, with more than 70 identified. Some of the most common include:
- Irregular or heavy periods
- Hot flushes and night sweats
- Fatigue, sleep disturbances
- Anxiety, mood swings, depression
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Vaginal dryness, decreased libido
- Weight changes, muscle loss, reduced bone density
- Skin changes
Menstrual cycle changes
One common early sign of perimenopause is a shift in a woman’s menstrual cycle. Fluctuating levels of key hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone can lead to longer or shorter cycles, or even skipped periods. As ovulation becomes more irregular, fertility naturally begins to decline. For many women, especially those who have had “clockwork” cycles throughout their lives, this change can feel confusing and even distressing.
The uterus also undergoes changes during this time. Alterations in the endometrial lining may lead to heavier or more irregular bleeding patterns, while declining oestrogen impacts the health of vaginal and vulval tissues. The vaginal walls may become thinner, drier and less elastic, and the vaginal pH tends to shift toward a more alkaline state. These changes can cause vaginal dryness, irritation, burning or discomfort during sex, and can increase susceptibility to infections such as UTIs, thrush and bacterial vaginosis.
While these reproductive changes may initially sound a little disheartening, the good news is that many of these symptoms can be supported effectively with natural approaches. A simple hormonal blood test can offer valuable insight into your current hormonal picture. Once you have a clear understanding of which hormones are shifting, you and your health care professional can develop a targeted plan that combines nutritional support and key lifestyle changes to mitigate or ease any challenges.
Herbal medicine may also offer gentle, effective support. Herbs commonly used to support oestrogen, FSH and testosterone balance are chaste tree, shatavari, wild yam and tribulus. Nervine and adaptogenic herbs such as lemon balm, withania (ashwagandha) and rhodiola may help nourish the nervous system and support overall resilience. Always consult a naturopath to tailor a regimen for your unique needs.
Metabolic changes
Many women are surprised when their usual routines for maintaining weight and energy levels stop working. Lara Briden, a naturopathic doctor and bestselling author with more than 30 years of experience in women’s health, refers to this as a “major metabolic upheaval”, a time when the body’s relationship with energy, hunger and fat storage changes dramatically. “First, progesterone drops and then oestrogen. This hormonal decline contributes to increased insulin resistance, reduced cellular energy and a shift in fat storage toward the abdomen,” Briden explains. “Oestrogen is a metabolic superstar. It supports insulin sensitivity, increases energy expenditure and helps build muscle. It even reduces hunger.”
Meanwhile, progesterone has a more nuanced role. While it can increase appetite and decrease insulin sensitivity, it also calms the nervous system, lowers inflammation and can help moderate excess testosterone, another contributor to abdominal weight gain in women. Importantly, Briden notes that synthetic progestins (as found in birth‑control pills) do not confer these benefits.
Oestrogen and progesterone also interact with other key metabolic regulators: thyroid hormones, cortisol and gut-derived hormones like GLP‑1. Notably, perimenopause is a time when conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis commonly emerge, particularly for those who previously experienced postpartum thyroid issues. Briden highlights the influence of the nervous system and how it responds to stress, too. “A healthy oscillation between sympathetic and parasympathetic states supports insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility.” If you’re living in a chronic “fight‑or‑flight” state, it will directly impact how your body metabolises food and stores fat.
In her book The Metabolism Reset, Briden outlines a holistic plan to support women through these changes. She shares some key foundational strategies:
- Prioritise nourishment: Focus on whole foods, home-cooked meals, quality animal proteins and micronutrients. Briden especially recommends magnesium and inositol.
- Regular movement: Build muscle and regulate the nervous system with strength training and outdoor activity that supports circadian rhythm.
- Address gut health: Gut inflammation can drive insulin resistance and weight gain.
- Limit ultra-processed foods (namely sugar and refined carbohydrates) and alcohol: These can exacerbate metabolic dysfunction and worsen symptoms like night sweats.
- Boost connection: Social interaction can elevate oxytocin, an important metabolic and mood-regulating hormone.
Beyond merely surviving
Thriving in perimenopause, according to Briden, is about working with the body, not against it. When you recognise metabolic changes early and adapt accordingly, there is so much that can be done to manage these symptoms. “Women who thrive are usually the ones who enter this phase with good gut health, are not on weight‑promoting medications like hormonal birth control, eat a mostly whole-food diet and have a regular movement practice they enjoy,” Briden says. “Those who struggle often carry unresolved health issues or rely on traditional weight-loss advice like calorie counting.”
Michelle Bridges, renowned Australian personal trainer and creator of The Perimenopause Method, knows the challenges of perimenopause firsthand. During the COVID‑19 lockdown, while researching her program The Menopause Method, she began experiencing puzzling symptoms: poor sleep, a painful hip, tinnitus, anxiety and a persistent emotional flatness. “I tried to explain it away,” she recalls. “I thought it was the pandemic or being a single parent, but something just didn’t feel right.”
Her GP offered antidepressants, but Bridges chose not to fill the prescription. Instead, she continued researching and soon recognised that she was in perimenopause. The experience was eye‑opening. “This whole space was like an iceberg, there is so much more below the surface. Women need this education because we’ve been left out of the conversation. Understanding what’s happening in your body means you can make informed choices.”
Drawing on her expertise in fitness, Bridges leaned into movement as a tool for balance. And she’s quick to emphasise that exercise is not just a “nice to have”, it’s essential for this phase of life. “Strength training is the best bang for your buck,” she says. “Heavy weights build muscle and protect bone density. Jump training, like hopping, skipping or sprinting helps bone strength, especially in the hips. And cardio bursts, even five minutes of sprints after your session, can help shift stubborn weight and lift your mood.”
Education and boundaries
Bridges is also passionate about highlighting how brain health is affected during this transition. The brain is rich in oestrogen receptors, and when levels drop, women can experience cognitive changes, emotional sensitivity and disrupted sleep. “You suddenly feel like your resilience has evaporated,” she says. “And because no one talks about perimenopause starting in your 30s or early 40s, most women don’t even realise what’s happening. Without the right help, it can be a lonely and scary experience.”
It’s important to also acknowledge that hormonal fluctuations, particularly the drop in oestrogen and changes in cortisol regulation, can significantly impact energy levels and motivation. These shifts can make it harder to find the drive to make changes to exercise, nutrition or self‑care, even when you know it would help. Understanding that this lack of drive is physiological, not just psychological, is the first step in finding more compassionate, sustainable ways to support yourself through it.
Bridges insists that education and boundaries are everything. “Perimenopause is not a jail sentence. You won’t become invisible. This is actually a time of empowerment, when you get to choose the direction of the next phase of your life. But you have to put yourself first.”
Bridges shares several key takeaways that have been shown to ease perimenopausal symptoms and enhance quality of life. Many of these align with Briden’s evidence-based recommendations:
- Learn to say no.
- Clean up your sleep hygiene (this might be the number‑one priority!).
- Get clear on who and what truly matters to you.
- Prioritise your own needs without guilt.
- Practise meditation or mindfulness.
- Stay connected with friends and family.
- Make regular movement a non‑negotiable, especially strength training, even if it’s just a weighted walk.
- Focus on nourishing, whole-food nutrition.
- Minimise or eliminate alcohol.
- Explore hormone replacement therapy (HRT) if it feels like the right fit for you.
- Don’t underestimate the power of therapy. It can be a true game-changer.
Intimacy and desire
Fluctuating sex hormones can also influence sexual desire. While some women experience a dip in libido, others notice changes in arousal or orgasm, which is influenced by both hormonal shifts and the emotional landscape of this season of life.
For vaginal dryness, topical coconut oil can be a gentle and effective natural lubricant and its antibacterial properties also help support a healthy vaginal microbiome.
Intercourse should not be painful, and open communication with your partner about the changes your body is experiencing is essential. Bridges says, “When these conversations come from a place of love, they can often bring you closer. Sex — good sex — doesn’t just happen on its own. Like with exercise, it takes work. Be consistent, or at least make an effort to move in the right direction. You might find that what you enjoy now is different from what you enjoyed 15 years ago, and that’s okay! Explore new things and bring curiosity into the bedroom.”
Skin changes
Another visible sign of hormonal changes during perimenopause often shows up on the skin. As oestrogen levels decline, the skin can become drier, thinner, more sensitive and prone to breakouts, pigmentation and flare-ups of pre-existing conditions. Skincare pioneer and MUKTI Organics founder, Mukti, who has spent decades at the forefront of the natural beauty industry, explains that women can lose up to 30 per cent of their skin’s collagen in the first five years after menopause. This contributes to reduced elasticity, increased dryness and more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles, largely due to slower cell turnover and diminished collagen production.
“As women enter perimenopause, it’s crucial to reassess and adapt skincare routines,” says Mukti. “This stage of life often calls for a complete overhaul to meet the skin’s evolving needs.” She emphasises the importance of early intervention with targeted skincare to help mitigate the effects of hormonal ageing, including premature signs of ageing.
Some of the key strategies Mukti has seen work effectively over the years include incorporating more hydrating and nourishing products, daily sun protection and the introduction of active ingredients that support skin health. “Vitamin C is brilliant for collagen production and brightness, niacinamide helps even out skin tone, and retinal increases cell turnover,” she notes.
When it comes to caring for your skin during this season of life, Mukti recommends focusing on gentle, nourishing steps that support hydration and barrier repair. Use a gentle cleanser to remove makeup and impurities without stripping away natural oils. A hydrating mist can help to refresh the skin and keep it hydrated throughout the day. A targeted serum with adaptogenic botanicals and restorative ingredients may help strengthen the skin’s defences and restore resilience. Lock in moisture and enhance smoothness with a hydrating oil. A protective daily moisturiser shields the skin from environmental stressors. At night, indulge in a rich, replenishing cream designed to restore the skin’s lipid barrier and support overnight repair.
She also reminds women not to overlook the rest of the body. “There’s a misconception that body skin doesn’t need the same level of care as facial skin, but it’s often the first to show signs of ageing,” she explains. Look for products that are specifically formulated to reduce redness, soothe irritation and smooth uneven skin tone. It’s important they are designed to calm reactive skin and strengthen the barrier while offering a carefully balanced blend of healing antioxidants, lipids and skin-repairing actives. Mukti notes that many women benefit from formulations like these that not only treat visible signs of ageing but also support deeper skin health over time.
Mukti takes a holistic view of skin health, believing that what appears on the surface often reflects internal shifts. Echoing the advice shared by Briden and Bridges, she says: “Skin is our largest organ, and it’s often a mirror of our emotional and hormonal state. Supporting it requires more than just good products, it’s also about what you’re eating, how well you’re sleeping and the stress you’re carrying.” A diet rich in antioxidants and omega‑3 fatty acids, good sleep hygiene and emotional balance are, she adds, essential parts of the skincare conversation.
Nurturing yourself
Caring for your whole self becomes more important than ever during perimenopause. Nourishing yourself with nutrient‑dense food, consistent movement, quality rest and open, supportive conversations can go a long way in promoting hormonal balance, physical vitality and emotional resilience. Regularly tuning in to your body and recognising when something feels off is key, and seeking help early can make all the difference.
When approached with curiosity, kindness and inspired action, perimenopause becomes a powerful invitation to step into the next, evolved version of yourself and a new chapter of life, where who knows what magic awaits.
Article Featured in Wellbeing 218
The post Thriving In Perimenopause appeared first on WellBeing Magazine.
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Thriving In Perimenopause
by | | Curated Content
September 30th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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From dyslexic dropout to top human behavior expert, Dr. Demartini’s journey proves it’s never too late to shine.
“I tell people give yourself permission to shine and be your unique self. That’s how you make a difference,” says Dr John Demartini. “You don’t make a difference fitting in. You make a difference standing out.”
It’s fair to say Demartini has made a difference by standing out. The American world‑renowned human behaviour specialist, writer, researcher and speaker is the author of more than 40 self‑development books, the most popular of which have been translated into 36 languages, and hosts an array of online personal development courses.
Demartini’s key teachings are on how to live a more inspired life. He shares insights on his podcast The Demartini Show and has been featured in documentaries including The Secret, the 2006 film that propelled the “law of attraction” — the idea that positive thinking can manifest positive outcomes in one’s life — into the mainstream.
At 70 years old, Demartini is a highly in‑demand speaker. He delivers up to 400 presentations each year and has addressed audiences of up to 11,000 people. The Breakthrough Experience, his two‑day seminar program which focuses on breaking through limitations to reach your goals, has been delivered to more than 150,000 students globally.
The class dunce
Demartini’s early years are not what you’d expect for someone as successful as he is now. Born in Texas, Demartini had leg and hand deformities and wore braces on his legs as a child. He struggled at school due to having a speech impediment and dyslexia and was unable to read properly until he was 18 years old.
“I only made it through elementary school by asking the smartest kids questions,” Demartini recalls. At a time when learning difficulties were not as widely understood as they are now, Demartini was put into the lowest reading groups and eventually his first‑grade teacher gave him the humiliation of wearing the “dunce” cap — a hat used as a form of punishment or humiliation in schools.
“She finally had my parents come to the class and said, ‘I’m afraid your son is not going to be able to read or write properly,’” says Demartini. “‘And I’m afraid he’s not going to amount to anything or go very far in life and will not be able to speak properly.’”
Wave of change
Internalising his teacher’s words, Demartini eventually dropped out of school at 14. Seeking the surfer lifestyle, he hitchhiked to California, before heading to Hawaii alone at 15, expecting a nomadic life of making surfboards and picking up odd jobs for a living.
It was a near‑death experience that led him to meet the person who would inspire him to turn his life around — nutritionist and health‑food store pioneer Paul Bragg.
Demartini got strychnine and cyanide poisoning at age 17 from the plants he was consuming in Hawaii. “I was surfing on a big wave and my diaphragm stopped. I luckily got some air and survived it, but I was pretty well unconscious for three days,” says Demartini. As part of his recovery, Demartini became a regular at a nearby health‑food store, where Bragg was hosting a guest lecture.
Bragg led the group through a guided meditation where Demartini saw a vision of the life he wanted. “I saw myself walking through an archway and onto a balcony about 40 feet up in front of a giant square with a million people in it, and I was speaking. It was just a mental image, but I got tears in my eyes … I just thought, this is what I want to do. I want to be able to be heard. I want to be able to communicate. I want to be able to say something intelligent, something that would mean something to somebody, and that somebody would be benefited by that.”
Bragg’s words opened Demartini’s mind to new possibilities. “He said, ‘What you think about, what you visualise, what you affirm, what you feel, what you write, what you take actions on becomes your life,’” recalls Demartini.
This newfound mindset, that he did have control over his future, motivated him to go back to school in Texas. “Everything I was told I would never be able to do became the thing that I wanted to excel at,” says Demartini.
The power of reading
After returning to school, Demartini recalls passing his GED (high school exams) by simply guessing the answers. But he wasn’t so lucky when he took exams at a junior college. He was devastated to discover that his marks were not only a failure but bottom of the class by a huge margin.
“I almost burst into tears. I ran to my car, and I kind of sunk in my car, and I just cried,” he says. “I heard my first‑grade teacher talking. ‘I’m afraid your son will never be able to read or write or communicate, never amount to a thing, never go very far in life. You better put him into sports or something.’”
When he got home, his mother comforted him and told him that whatever he would become in life — a teacher, a philosopher, a surfer or a panhandler — she would love him no matter what. This gave him a burst of inspiration to make changes.
“My hand went into a determined fist, I saw the [meditation] vision in my mind and I said to myself — I’m going to master this thing called reading and studying and learning,” says Demartini. “I’m going to master this thing called teaching, healing and philosophy, and I’m going to do whatever it takes.”
With focus and determination, Demartini opened a dictionary and started learning 30 new words a day. His mum tested him on spelling and understanding. “I grew my vocabulary by 20,000 words over the next two years, and I went from the bottom of the class to the top of the class,” says Demartini. “I read eight complete sets of encyclopaedias, anything to grow my vocabulary, anything to grow my knowledge, to catch up with the other kids.”
After spending his early school years asking the smart kids questions to get by, Demartini had transformed into the one that others were coming to with questions. “By the time I went to the University of Houston a couple years later, I had 150, sometimes 400, students under the trees every day asking questions and I was teaching.”
“I was reading four to seven books a day, and I was devouring that and then sharing whatever I was reading on many topics. It wasn’t only about health. It was on philosophy. It was on the mastery of life and how to grow your business, how to grow your wealth and how to stabilise relationships.”
Today, Demartini says he has read more than 31,000 books. When asked if he could recommend just one book, he doesn’t hesitate — A Syntopicon: An Index to The Great Ideas, a two‑volume set by Mortimer Adler. “It covers the most significant questions that the greatest minds in the last 3000 years have asked, summarised,” says Demartini.
Values: your internal compass
After amassing his knowledge, Demartini continued his teaching journey by giving talks to local health professionals, then on radio and TV, and soon he was speaking at state conferences, national meetings and even to global audiences.
Those who follow Demartini and his teachings are all from different walks of life. Yet they have one thing in common, they’re searching for deeper fulfilment in life, whether that’s in their career, relationships, personal development or finances.
One of the pillars that underpins his teachings is the concept of values, which he thinks is one of the most important drivers of human behaviour. “Every human being — regardless of age, gender, culture — lives moment by moment by a set of priorities, a unique fingerprint, a specific set of values,” says Demartini. “Whatever’s highest on that list of values in their life — in my case, teaching — you spontaneously are inspired to do it.”
Demartini teaches that, when you are looking for a sense of purpose, it can be found in what your highest value is, not what you think it should be. These values are not social idealisms like honesty and kindness. Instead, they are specific areas of life that are most important to you, this could be family, career, travel, creativity, learning or health.
Demartini has a quiz on his website to help people uncover their highest values, the outcome of which he says often surprises people. He says that setting goals that are aligned with your values can help influence your decisions and guide you towards the people, jobs and situations that will most fulfil you. By identifying and understanding how your goals relate to your highest value, you can reframe seemingly mundane tasks into something meaningful and fulfilling.
In his book The Values Factor, Demartini writes about one of his clients, a doctor who put a high value on learning and on healing his patients. He spent all his money on books and seminars in the belief that it would make him a better doctor, at the expense of his family’s finances and happiness. Bills were left unpaid with no savings for a family vacation and no future college fund for his children.
Demartini helped his client relate his highest value, healing others, to his much‑needed goal of wealth building. “I helped him see that creating financial independence would actually free him to focus on his patients without having to worry about his wife and children,” Demartini writes. Through brainstorming more cost‑effective ways to gain knowledge such as utilising libraries and making smart investments, Demartini helped the man see that being financially responsible would not only help his family but would give him more influence and prestige among other doctors. It might even allow him to fund research or clinics. Demartini helped him understand that generating wealth would ultimately increase his opportunities to do what he valued most — heal patients. Within months, the doctor’s financial situation had completely transformed.
A legacy of impact
Despite now being in his 70s, Demartini doesn’t plan to slow down his work anytime soon and is inspired by the endless stream of messages he receives. He opens a document on his computer and scrolls through many pages of thankyou letters from people who say his teachings have helped them discover their true values and pursue the life they want.
One story that stands out for him was a man Demartini met and worked with more than a decade ago. “He was a struggling musician and artist,” recalls Demartini. “He’s got three Grammys today. When I hear that, I’m brought to tears.”
Demartini has also spoken in schools, teaching about how to live an inspired and value‑driven life. While working with dyslexic people is not an area he focuses on, he has met young people who relate to the struggles that he had as a young man. Many had learning difficulties and felt like they wouldn’t achieve anything significant.
“I have had the opportunity to [meet] many people that remind me of me when I was young, in my classes. Many of them have had tears in their eyes and believe that they could do more with their life because of the talk I did,” says Demartini. “I certainly know that … they saw new possibilities, and that meant the world.”
Reflecting on his life, Demartini never forgot how much of an impact Paul Bragg made on him and how Bragg’s words inspired him to completely change his life. It was a comment from Bragg’s daughter, Patricia, that helped Demartini realise that perhaps he was having as big an impact on others as Bragg had on him. “[Patricia] attended my program in Hawaii and came up to me during a break,” Demartini recalls. “She looked into my eyes and said, ‘You remind me of my father’. That was a very inspiring moment.”
While Demartini no longer panhandles or hitchhikes, he never lost his love for a nomadic lifestyle — it’s just much more luxurious now. He once owned many properties but now lives aboard a luxury ship which sails around the globe and is aptly named The World. It’s not a bad life for someone who’s first‑grade teacher suggested he’d amount to nothing.
Looking ahead, he plans to remain empowered in all areas of his life, such as continuing to study and learn, maintain vitality and movement, travel the world with his “global family” and continue to inspire others through his teachings. “I wanted to exemplify that in my own life and show what was possible … because if I do that, it helps other people,” says Demartini. “You living an inspired life, and overcoming [challenges], is more significant than just talking about it. “To put your life together, integrate it and have mastery over all areas of your life, that’s wellbeing. That’s wellness.”
Article Featured in Wellbeing 218
The post Living an Inspired Life appeared first on WellBeing Magazine.
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Living an Inspired Life
by | | Curated Content
September 30th 2025
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WellBeing Magazine
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Waving and handshakes feel automatic, but they reveal fascinating insights into human behavior if you take a closer look.
Humans, and our hominid relations, are fascinated by their hands and always have been. We know this because our ancestors left evidence of their handy wonder behind for us to find.
The oldest known cave painting is a red hand stencil from the Maltravieso cave in Caceres, Spain. A “stencil” was made by placing the hand on the rock and spreading pigment around the edge of the hand. Publishing their findings in the journal Quaternary Geochronology researchers have dated this Maltravieso hand to 64,000 years ago and believe that it was made by a Neanderthal. Other caves in places like Peche Merle in southwestern France and El Castillo in northern Spain contain human hand stencils that date to around 30,000 and 40,000 years ago. For tens of thousands of years, humans and our cousins have been interested enough in our hands to want to represent them but, in fact, the history of our fascination goes back even further.
In 2021, researchers from Bournemouth University in the UK found human handprints that appear to have been deliberately made in travertine (freshwater limestone) on the high plateau of Tibet. Travertine is deposited from natural waters and when soft it takes an impression but then hardens to form rock. These researchers found five handprints and five footprints that appear to have been deliberately placed. Radiometric dating placed the deposit as dating to between 169,000 and 226,000 years ago. In the intervening 200,000 years, humans have not only painted their hands but have crafted exquisite forms of art from all manner of materials into the shape of hands, such as the 2000-year-old hand with delicately long fingers that was carved from mica and found in southern Ohio as part of the Hopewell Mound Group in the 1920s.
It is not surprising that humans have been entranced by their hands. After all, it is the capacity to grip and employ an opposable thumb that has been the basis of many technological advancements that have made us who we are as a species. In many ways, our hands defi ne us but how did we go from being in love with our hands to using them as a form of greeting?
Why wave?
What do you do when you see someone you know in the street? Before you even think about what you may or may not have to say to them, you will raise your hand and, depending on your mood, you might even jiggle it about a bit. Where did this habit of waving hello originate?
One theory is that the gesture of raising your hand may go back to protecting your eyes from the glare of the sun. This protective gesture may also have had sacred overtones as our ancestors looked upward to the sky to pay respect to the “gods”. It is possible that raising the hand in greeting had a quasi “may the gods be with you” element to it.
Another school of thought is that the wave has a later origin, perhaps arising from the military salute. The salute itself may date back to times when Medieval knights would raise their visors to each other before battle as a sign of mutual respect. Other sources suggest that it may date back to Roman times when officials would require people raise open palms to show peaceful intent, although this is by no means proven.
A far more recent saluting origin story suggests that it goes back a few hundred years when raising your hat was considered polite. In this case the salute was the hatless person’s courtesy.
In essence, the origin of the wave is likely bound up in some sort of recurring gesture where the hand was raised to the head, which transformed into a casual and friendly greeting.
Shake it up
Handshaking, of course, is taking it up a notch by bringing your hand together with someone else’s hand, and it has some interesting history of its own.
The earliest depiction of a human handshake occurs in a ninth-century BCE (2900 years ago) relief that shows the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III grasping the hand of a Babylonian ruler to seal an alliance.
In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Greek poet Homer mentions handshakes several times. Homer is writing a couple of centuries after the Assyrian relief but because he is telling a story, he is able to describe the meaning of the handshake which he said was to display trust and pledge goodwill. The question remains though as to why a handshake should be used to display these things.
A commonly aired theory is that by extending empty right hands, strangers can show that they are not holding weapons and that they are no threat. The up and down motion associated with the handshake has been suggested as a way of removing any knives or weapons that might be hidden up a sleeve. None of this is, or can, be proven but it does have an appealing logic to it. Even if this peace-gesturing origin of the handshake is true, how has it transitioned to become the ubiquitous everyday greeting that it is in the modern Western world?
Before we answer that question, it is worth noting that the handshake does not permeate all societies. In Chinese culture, for instance, the fist and palm salute, where the right hand is made into a fist and held in the palm of the left hand in front of the chest, has been a hand gesture of greeting for at least 3000 years. The “namaste” gesture of holding the palms and fingers of the hands together is another touchless hand-based greeting gesture.
As far as the modern Western handshake goes, it is thought that it may have been popularised by Quakers in the 1600s who saw clasping each other’s hand as a more egalitarian gesture than bowing or lifting a hat. Certainly, by the 1800s, etiquette books were including guidelines for “proper” handshake protocol.
In 1898, the book Manners and Rules of Good Society explained the handshake in some detail: “The hand, instead of being extended straight out, is now offered on a line or parallel with the chest, a trifle higher than the old-fashioned style, and the fingers of the hand are gently shaken, but the palm is not grasped or even touched.”
We are a little more laissez-faire with our handshakes these days, but we would all do well to not take the handshake for granted because it is probably even more than a creation of our culture.
Deep in your DNA
For her book The Handshake: A Gripping History, author Ella Al-Shamahi interviewed primatologist Dr Cat Hobaiter. According to Hobaiter, chimpanzees and bonobos also shake hands. Both species tend to overlap the fingers more than the palms, although overlapping of palms in a good strong handshake has also been observed. Hobaiter says that for both chimpanzees and bonobos, handshakes were linked to positive social interactions and could even mend relationships after fights. Humans separated from our last common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos around seven million years ago, so it is highly likely that handshaking goes back at least that far.
Our fascination with our hands is deeply imprinted in our DNA, it is not merely historic, it is evolutionary. Although the exact form of using our hands in greeting one another waxes and wanes, it seems likely that humans will always off er each other some form of handy hello.
Article Featured in Wellbeing 218
The post A Handy Hello appeared first on WellBeing Magazine.
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A Handy Hello
by | | Curated Content
September 29th 2025
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Dr. Will Cole
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The Pesticide & Herbicide Problem: Soil, Sickness & Solutions | Glyphosate Girl Kelly Ryerson Click An Icon Below To Subscribe I had the privilege of sitting down with Kelly Ryerson, also known as "Glyphosate Girl," whose work has shed much-needed light on how toxins like glyphosate are silently shaping our health. In this episode, we…
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The Pesticide & Herbicide Problem: Soil, Sickness & Solutions | Glyphosate Girl Kelly Ryerson
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September 25th 2025
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Dr. Will Cole
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The New Microbiome-Metabolism Science & The GLP-1 Connection You Need to Know | Colleen Cutcliffe Click An Icon Below To Subscribe I was so excited to welcome back my friend Colleen Cutcliffe, PhD, co-founder of Pendulum, for this deep dive into the gut microbiome and its role in metabolic health. Colleen shares the latest research…
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The New Microbiome-Metabolism Science & The GLP-1 Connection You Need to Know | Colleen Cutcliffe
