LISTEN to this week's featured guest Jake Ferree!
Jake is a highly sought after Yoga instructor, personal trainer and healer. He has been in the fitness industry for over 10 years and is a Lululemon Ambassador
Los Angeles
trainerjake.com
Whether through a yoga class, private training, thai massage therapy, or a breathwork/healing session, Jake teaches from the heart with a simple yet powerful message: There is always more to explore and discover.
Dedicated to your personal transformation inside and out, Jake's true gift lies in his ability to inspire and empower.
Here is what you can expect by working with Jake:
An experience that goes well beyond physical poses
Intelligent and creative sequencing set to awesome music
Empowerment through playing your edge
tapping into your true potential where the impossible becomes possible
An authentic experience of peace, joy and inner-strength
Hard work and big fun. Prepare to be challenged
Jake's Breath/healing/massage work integrates pranayama breathing, Thai massage, Reiki and Reconnective Healing to facilitate the release of blockages throughout the body so that you can experience the peace, love and joy that resides within.
Are you ready to make a deeper shift in your Body/Mind/Spirit?
Let Jake be your inspiration. He'll take you there.
The following is from Jake's blog:
June 15, 2018
FINDING PRIDE
I FEEL NOTHING -
I saw this statement on somebody’s shirt the other day at the gym. The guy wearing the shirt was very muscular, very fit and reading his shirt hurt my heart. It brought me back in time......
I remember the moment I closed myself off. I remember the moment I knew I had to build an armor. I remember the moment I had to do all I could do to “not feel anything”.
I was 14, in middle school and rumors started spreading that I was gay. It seemed as if everybody in school was talking about it and I couldn’t understand what I was doing to have people talk that way about me. I never looked at other guys in that way or had a relationship with guys. I always dated girls and did the things guys were “supposed” to do.
I figured that if I wasn’t showing “the signs” of being gay than it must be the way I talk or just the way I act that gave people the impression that I was gay.
When the rumors started I remember running into the bathroom at school and crying. I couldn’t hold back my tears. Somebody walked in and saw me crying. I was so ashamed and in that moment I remember very clearly deciding that I have to close down.
Feeling was too hard. I feel nothing became my mantra.
I grew up thinking being “myself” was “bad” because being gay is wrong, bad and gross. I tried so hard to “feel nothing”. I figured it was easier that way. I closed a part of me off so much that it became the norm and I even fooled myself into thinking that being gay was just a choice and to fit in and be accepted I would choose to be straight.
I find it amazing that even after all of these years just writing this makes my hands shake and tears come into my eyes.
I spent many years trying to close down who I truly am in the inside thinking that I wouldn’t be accepted, appreciated, liked or loved. I built up an armor on the inside and also physically on the outside to keep people out and to “protect” myself.
I once thought “not feeling” gave me strength. I now know that feeling everything is the bravest and strongest thing that any of us can do. It’s a practice but I make the effort to feel.
The road to self acceptance and self love has lead me to PRIDE. I’M PROUD of myself for where I am now. I Am PROUD of myself for living my authentic life and not hiding who I am to others and especially myself. I’M PROUD that I try to feel everything instead of nothing.
I can look back now and appreciate the “shame” for what it supplied me. Like a lot of people dealing with shame, it forced me to over compensate in other areas. I began working on my health and body. I wanted to know as much as possible about the body and build it up to be as strong as possible. In my early 20’s I even competed in bodybuilding shows.
I appreciate that my shame helped shine a light on what is now my passion. My passion to fitness lead me to a yoga mat and it was on the mat that the real work to self love, acceptance and appreciation really began. It was on the yoga mat that brought up my feelings and it was on the yoga mat that continually reminded me to feel.
I TURNED MY SHAME TO SHINE. I now honor my shame because it was needed to get me exactly where I am today. I Am A PROUD GAY MAN who will Keep feeling and keep healing.
I think we can all remember a time when we didn’t feel accepted. We all have to learn to love ourselves. It doesn’t matter your sexual preference, race or religion. Acceptance is for everyone. To me, Pride is acceptance. Pride is self love. Although this month may be directed to the gay community it is my belief that pride should be for everybody and when things continue to progress we can all be proud of the people who helped pave the way before us and we can all have pride in who we are. When we remind ourselves that we are all one and there is no separation we can all stand proud together.
Celebrate this month. Celebrate yourself, celebrate each other, celebrate those who came before you and celebrate love.
HAPPY PRIDE TO ALL 💚💛❤️🧡💙
