From Hell to Heaven: Somatic Education Saved My Life
Hello! They call me Andrei, the weaver of embodied awareness at LinSublim. I'm a SMC CEI Somatics certified exercise instructor.
My journey began with a deep passion for technology. Which hooked me on computers since an early age (first PC at 5, started programming at 12). I spent countless hours learning, experimenting, and developing my skills. Which I had to give up abruptly..
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"Things took a turn for the worse when in 2019, after a pretty strong Sinusitis, I was prescribed Levofloxacin. After I took my second pill of levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, I had no idea that these pills would unleash a torrent of health problems that would nearly destroy my life. The fluoroquinolones (FQs) caused a cascade of symptoms and permanent side effects which are disabling, including severe pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, insomnia, joint issues, and neurological problems.
They're also known to cause tendon breaks even after months or years after you took the last pill (you can read it on the prescription!). I couldn't walk without excruciating pain and was at risk of breaking my Achilles tendon, and I had trouble even sitting on a chair for more than 30 minutes. For 2 years I kept having new symptoms day in day out without understanding what was causing the cascading unexplainable symptoms.
Only when I began researching did I find the root cause in fluoroquinolones. Perhaps I was simply unlucky with the timing of my prescription. In 2019, when I was prescribed Levofloxacin, the dangers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics were becoming increasingly apparent. Just one year prior, in November 2018, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had finalized a review highlighting the serious, disabling, and potentially permanent side effects associated with these drugs. This review, which included input from patients, healthcare professionals, and academics, led to the suspension and withdrawal from the market of several quinolone antibiotics and stricter restrictions on the remaining fluoroquinolones. While the EMA's recommendations were a crucial step towards patient safety, they came too late for me. The cascading symptoms and long-term consequences I experienced underscore the devastating impact of these drugs, and highlight the importance of informed medical decisions. It's a stark reminder that even with regulatory warnings, the potential for harm remains, and patients can still fall victim to the severe side effects these medications can induce.
I went from being a healthy, active person to a prisoner in my own body. I was desperate for help, but the medical system failed me. Doctors either dismissed my symptoms or sent me from one speciality and test to another, without any resolution and with tens of pills prescribed. Thus I was left to suffer alone. I eventually came to terms that this would be my life from now on. Depression and Chronic pain are a vicious circle of suffering.
In my darkest hour, I discovered somatic education based on the works of Moshe Feldenkrais and Thomas Hanna. I was skeptical at first, but I was willing to try anything to get better. I started practicing somatic lessons online, and to my surprise, I began to feel a difference instantly.
The lessons taught me how to listen to my body and learn to move in a way that was more comfortable and efficient. This meant that I could go around the pain, muscle tensions and stiffness.
As I continued to practice somatic education, my health began to improve dramatically. The pain subsided, and my energy levels resumed. I even started to regain my mobility. My depression and even anxiety seemed to resolve. I later found out that the healing process takes place because our nervous systems go from sympathetic to parasympathetic mode! The vagal tonus increases and healing can occur!
Somatic education has been a life-changer for me. It has taught me the importance of taking care of my body and mind, and it has given me the tools to heal myself. I am now confident that I can manage my health and live a normal life.
I am fully aware that I may always experience some residual effects of the levofloxacin toxicity due to the fact that it has impacted, poisoned and damaged my mitochondria. Fluorquionlones are making their way into and intoxicating our food, water and soil.
I want to share my story with others so that they can experience the same benefits. I believe that somatic education has the potential to help millions of people around the world.
My Approach & Mission
As a SMC certified exercise instructor, the legacy of Thomas Hanna and Moshe Feldenkrais guide my hands. I craft paths of movement that awaken hidden wisdom within. Dive deeper into this art of self-discovery here: What is Somatic Education?
A lifelong autodidact, I devour knowledge with insatiable curiosity. IT, programming, Linux, networks, and even cyber security danced in my mind for nearly two decades. Now, I'm slowly learning new skills outside of the realm of computers.
My mind harbors a paradox: open, yet fiercely skeptical. For me, truth demands tangible evidence, a constant hunger I feed daily. Openness thrives on a tapestry of experiences: skepticism, proof, practice, exploration, comparison. It demands shattering our own walls, beliefs, and preconceptions, a process I've repeated countless times.
Science is my compass, its words etched in research papers I relentlessly scrutinize. I sift through myths and placebos, seeking practices that truly empower.
Startling discovery: many chronic pain solutions, fitness programs, even anti-stress techniques, offer little more than the comfort of a placebo!
My approach draws on a vibrant tapestry of knowledge: somatic experience, ancestral echoes of trauma, the wisdom of the polyvagal theory, fascia, neuroscience, and the collective brilliance of those who've shaped true somatic education.
An eternal student, I crave the endless dance of learning. From brains and nervous systems to cybernetics and Milton Erickson's hypnotic whispers, from neuroscience and NLP to the art of peak performance and marketing's intricate threads, even delving into cyber security and biohacking's cutting edge – all fuel my quest for the most impactful methods.
Only after I had discovered somatic education did I break free from the chains of always being busy doing everything better, faster and more efficient. I pivoted from doing, to being. Breaking free from toxic productivity is hard, however it is possible, and the rewards are worth it.
My Dream & LinSublim's Mission
I yearn to ignite within others a spark of self-mastery, guiding them on a path woven from the wisdom of somatic awareness. Forget the faded tapestries and incense – this journey embraces practicality, empowering individuals to forge a profound connection with their own bodies. It's about unlocking true independence, not just financially, but in the way they move, the way they breathe, and the way they inhabit themselves. Imagine a future where self-reliance blooms, nurtured by a deep understanding of their physical potential and the ability to move with grace and confidence. That, my dear, is the essence of my dream – to empower individuals through somatic education and cultivate a generation who are self-aware, self-reliant, and truly connected to themselves and everyone else in the world.
Join the Somatic Revolution Of LinSublim
If you're struggling with pain, fatigue, stress, burnout, depression, anxiety or other health problems, I encourage you to explore somatic education.
Together, we can create a world where everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of a healthy life.
