Awake Athlete Podcast Jess Gumkowski

In this episode, I offer an expanded perspective on the roots of disease and injury as learned through many years of studying the body and mind and training and racing as an endurance athlete. 
I share about my struggles with slowing down and how difficult it was for me to "chill" when injury or sickness showed up. For many years, I pushed through, and that only brought me more of the same. 
But in 2004, it all began to change when I embarked on an educational journey that led me to an undeniable understanding of the inherent power of the body to heal itself and the influence that our minds have over our healing.
So come with me along this episode and open your mind to a new perspective on injury and disease as healing.

Welcome to season four of the Awake Athlete podcast. I am thrilled to be traversing this life with you, and I am grateful for your attention as we dive into another season of mind training. This season will be more experiential as I have weaved in corresponding meditations and yoga nidra practices to assist you in deepening the messages of the episodes ahead. 
In this season opener, I dive into the contrast of life, precisely the contrast of racing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside and the following Saturday sitting for an eight-hour meditation. The confirmation that I pulled away from these two very different experiences is that the inner work required to make these endeavors successful was the same. 
I also share about my healing journey and what I think about my ayahuasca experience in 2010.
I go into the most advantageous time to train the mind and cultivate calm as a spacious anchor for life. I hope you enjoy this kick-off episode and that you put at least one nugget into action in your life today.

Yoga Nidra, often referred to as "yogic sleep," is a deep relaxation and meditation practice that promotes profound physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. 
It's typically done in a comfortable, lying-down position, and the aim of Yoga Nidra is to reach a state of conscious awareness between wakefulness and sleep, where you can access deep inner peace, reduce stress, and unlock your subconscious potential. 
It's a powerful tool for relaxation, self-discovery, and healing. Enjoy the healing benefits of this 20-minute practice. 

Since the last time I fired up the mic, I published Awake Athlete: When Mastery Is Your Only Option, and in this episode, I let the book decide the teaching, so tune in and let's learn together. 
As we dive in, we find that the work is always the same; it's zooming out and seeing that there are limitless solutions for every problem and that every turn in life gives us opportunities to grow. And that dedication trumps motivation as it lends longevity to our experiences.
The overarching message is that in a world where most will support you going back to sleep, I urge you to stay awake and lean into robust neutrality that allows for more ease in life.  

In this episode, I reflect upon a trail run and the importance of staying awake in the valleys of life. I received a reminder that day of how so much can shift in just a moment and that when we are in the valleys of life, we should not forget to plant seeds for the future. 
The valleys of life are fertile ground for growing what we desire. If we stay conditioned to repulse bad and cling to good, we'll never reach our potential. We must learn to shift our mindset around life's valleys and get curious about the thoughts driving these preferences.

The power of breath is a remarkable and often overlooked force in our lives. Although the world of athletics is steadily discovering its power for physical and mental performance, I believe the masses are merely scratching the surface of its true power. 
Each inhale fills us with life-giving oxygen, while each exhale releases not just carbon dioxide but also stress and tension. Breath is the bridge between the mind and body, capable of calming a racing heart or energizing a tired spirit. 
It's the perfect tool for mindfulness, helping us stay present and find inner peace. By harnessing the simple act of breathing, we can unlock profound physical and mental benefits, making it a fundamental key to well-being and self-awareness. 
And it may, as it has with others, just save your race day performance!