Meet Lauren Welles

I am a freelance photographer and photo instructor who left an unfulfilling, 16-year career as a corporate attorney after learning how to listen to my heart and follow its lead. As a lawyer, hunched over, staring at a computer all day, and then as a photographer lugging around heavy equipment, my body had suffered from chronic pain and stiffness for decades.

Yet a voice within me kept say that good health and well-being is not something that is destined to diminish as we age; we just need the right knowledge and practice. I sought to find that information, studying the mind-body connection, yoga, meditation, to name a few. All of that has been very helpful; I’ve learned how to calm my nervous system and strengthen and better nurture my body. And yet, the Ixchel System has taken me so much deeper, changing another belief I held—that the practice of achieving and maintaining good health must be strenuous and complicated. Seemingly by accident, I found myself in an Ixchel introductory class, taught by its brilliant founder, Victoria Salomon. When I was told to move my pelvis forward a couple of inches, my body immediately released so much tension; I was amazed how something so simple could have such a positive effect on my physicality. I immediately signed up to study the full course. As the physical and emotional breakthroughs continued to come, I decided to become a practitioner.

I believe we teach what we most need to learn—I continue to shift the physical and emotional patterns that have contributed to my long-term pain and stress— I am quite passionate about teaching others how to implement this comprehensive system, empowering them to take charge of their bodies, to heal and, ultimately, to thrive in their lives.