Non-Violence, Boundaries, and Navigating Chronic Pain with Anna Franzosa
Anna Franzosa is a yoga teacher, an artist, an animal rescuer, and an outspoken advocate on living with chronic illness and chronic pain. In this episode we discuss:
Anna’s early diagnosis with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and how that impacted her spirituality
Spirituality as connection to each other, to nature
The spiritual experience of attending a concert
Applying ahimsa, the practice of non-violence, not just externally but internally
How Anna found her “church” in yoga teacher training
Isolation and connection on this spiritual path
Empath as a power and a vulnerability
Anna’s amazing pregnancy-related predictive powers
Relationship between strong boundaries and genuine empathy
Boundaries as an act of self-love
Living with an invisible illness and navigating other’s judgement
The power of finding other people in the same boat
When our thoughts turn into weapons
The healing power of being fully seen
““For a long time I thought, ‘Who would want to see a disabled yoga teacher?’ And then at one point I said oh, good lord, me! I would like to see a disabled yoga teacher!””
““Spirituality is a tool for us to remember that we’re all connected.””
““There is one thing that I wish someone had told me. And that is, that it’s okay not to have a full-time job. It’s okay to not be well-enough to work full-time.” ”