Road Tripping by Stefanie Rothert

It makes sense that traveling can quickly become a metaphor for our neuro- pathways, patterns we have in our body and mind. To me, that is what Neurosculpting® is all about, finding those stuck places where we can sometimes subtly or drastically make a change, or expand what is already there. We literally travel through our nervous system and make discoveries.

I’ve always loved traveling. I was lucky enough to be raised as a traveler, flying with my mother to Germany at six months of age. We lived in France my freshman year of high school, and I worked in Germany the summer before my senior year. During that time, I took the train by myself all over Europe, visiting friends and family.

Needing a break:

I think most of us can relate to “needing a vacation”. Though I enjoy my work, doing the same routine becomes stale for me. Also, I tend to get stuck in my head, not as able to see new possibilities. Life can feel redundant, although I am doing exceptional things. This relates to Neurosculpting® like this; living in survival mode. I love dancing, and when driving to dance class on my lunch break feels like a chore, I know I need a break.

Getting lost on the way:

We were on a five day trip to Yellowstone National Park, my husband and I were arguing, and I went the wrong way. This added three hours to the trip, with three kids in the car. When we got to the campground, there was a long line, we drove up to one of the last campsites left with five feet of snow covering the fire pit, table, and entire site, leaving us the parking spot for our tents. At this point, I resorted to Gratitude, a process that, when it feels genuine, can bring you to the pre-frontal cortex, higher functioning part of the brain. At this point, it was almost comical, what more could go wrong? We all were able to shift to gratitude to be able to cook some warm food, and have tents to sleep in. I told the girls, we are alive, we can walk, talk, see and hear, and we are here, many people wish they could even come here, and can’t.

That was my first major step to literally stepping out of my stress and negativity that I was carrying. I had had three- four conflicts in the previous week, by the last one, I was thrown into a dark place.

Finding wonder in the wrong way

After 3 days of hiking, eating, sleeping, laughing, yelling, intense dreams, we drove home. I mostly felt refreshed. We went the wrong way again. I looked up at the vast Wyoming sky, and felt that that was what I needed to see. I had chosen this way, to see this. I was filled with wonder.

The clouds were elaborate scenes to me, of my own inner struggle of dark and light, hope, possibilities, large, puffy, I could see figures fighting, passionate, fighting for what’s right, conquering evil or obstacles. I asked my logical stepdaughter what she saw… “clouds”. I let my mind relax, noticing a story of perfection that I had clung to, which was making me miserable. I let the wonder fill my body, seeing the beautiful open sky full of majestic clouds. I told my husband, “It doesn’t matter if we went the wrong way, life isn’t perfect, we will still get there.”

And then we discovered the the GPS in the car. The way is always in front of us, our own stories get in the way. Road trips are a great way to get clear for me, always have been.

Stefanie Rothert

Stefanie began meditating at the age of 15, her first studies included reading about shamanism and at the Berkeley Psychic Institute in Mountain View, California. She later went on to study movement based Theatre at the University of Washington. She continued her studies of meditation privately with Charlette Rose, furthering her exploration of the tools from BPI. She began her studies of yoga in Santa Fe, NM with Tias Little, Massage Therapy in Telluride, CO at the Connecting Point School of Massage, Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine and Chinese Herbology at the Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, and Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. She began her own practice of intuitive work and teaching Meditation at the age of 19 (1997), and has maintained a private practice in the Healing Arts since then with Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology and Energywork.  She re-discovered dance with Kendra Howard in Boulder, and continues her dancing at StreetSide Studio, Boulder. She was exposed to Neurosculpting® in 2011, but only began an in-depth study and practice of it in 2016. She believes it has been the missing piece in her practice, because of the integrative aspect of Body and Mind. She found that even though she had been meditating for many years, there was a lot more to be discovered.

Stefanie believes that Meditation is a powerful tool to transform your life, and mind. Through it, we can heal ourselves, find our own answers, learn to be in charge of, and navigate our own minds and bodies. As humans, this is a unique ability. In a world where our senses are bombarded, and many of live in a constant low grade, or high grade states of stress, we can learn to slow down our nervous systems. She is extremely excited to teach Neurosculpting®, it is a freeing, creative, powerful, fun way to meditate. It has completely changed the way she thinks about everything. She currently has a private practice in Arvada and Boulder, CO.