Life as a Spiraling Curriculum

“Lessons are repeated until learned” may sound like a curse, but in truth it reflects the way life unfolds. Again and again, we find ourselves circling back to familiar patterns of thinking, sensing, feeling, and moving—until something shifts. Sometimes that shift comes when we establish clear boundaries; other times it arrives when deep wounds begin to heal.

For example, I can now see that my low back pain was tied to something deeper: my inability to say no. The pain revealed a hidden belief shaping how I moved through life—I am only safe if I put your needs before my own. Today, when I feel that tugging in my lower back, I take it as a signal to slow down, tend to myself, and rest. It has become yet another tool in my evolving self-care toolbox.

I enjoy the image of a spiral when I think about learning. At first, a new movement may feel awkward, effortful, even jerky. But with patient practice, it becomes smoother, more integrated, more natural—sometimes even spontaneous.

Let’s gather to explore spirals in movement. The lessons will invite you to release unnecessary tension and discover an easier, more fluid path.

An essential Self.

An oriented Self.

A Self deserving of care.

By Michele Westlaken