In a recent episode of Living Naturally with Michaela, host Michaela Jones, ND welcomed Dr. Michelle Greenwell, CIH for a deep and dynamic conversation about empowerment, energy, and how our breath and movement can shape our experience of the world. Centered around the solar plexus—the energetic and physiological seat of confidence and personal power—this episode offered practical tools and profound insight into how we can live more boldly and radiate peace from within.

https://youtu.be/NhKlB5lDGc4?si=27L44trYWyUiKDVf

Finding Power in the Solar Plexus

Michelle began by guiding listeners to explore the area just above the belly button—the solar plexus—home to the diaphragm and key digestive organs like the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Often, shallow breathing and poor posture constrict this area, tightening both body and emotions. This physical smallness can lead to feelings of anger, resentment, and self-judgment—emotions that belong to the wood element in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

“When you breathe bigger,” Michelle shared, “you create expansion. That’s when transformation can happen.” This simple truth is the gateway to empowerment—by giving yourself the space to breathe fully, you give yourself permission to take up space emotionally and energetically as well.

A Breath and Movement Practice to Expand Your Energy

Michelle offered a beautifully simple Tai Chi movement called Commencement to help listeners embody expansion. Whether seated or standing, the practice begins by gently pressing into the feet or seat to invite the arms to float upward with the breath. As the breath deepens and the joints soften, the arms rise with ease, flowing through energetic pathways that align the mind and body.

She invited listeners to breathe in “peace within,” feeling the belly expand and the body settle. Exploring what this intention extends to movement and relaxation. After exploring this for a few movement patterns, she then invites the listener to change the intention to “peace without,” connecting to the collective breath of millions and recognizing our place in something greater than ourselves.

This grounding practice helps release the constriction of judgment and isolation, and encourages a return to confidence, clarity, and connection.

Radiate and Rise: An Invitation for Empowered Living

In alignment with the episode’s theme of Radiate and Rise, Michelle encouraged everyone to approach each day with intention: “Start your day the way you want it to go.” Rather than beginning with stressful headlines or outside chaos, begin with breath, movement, and a conscious choice to expand into possibility.

Michaela beautifully reinforced this idea by reminding us that how we feel on the inside is reflected on the outside—and vice versa. When we feel boxed in physically, mentally, or emotionally, we can become disconnected from ourselves and others. But when we choose breath, posture, and intention, we reclaim our inner power and begin to shine our light more brightly in the world.

Watch and Learn More

If you’re curious to experience the Commencement movement or want to watch the energy unfold in real time, be sure to visit Michaela’s YouTube channel or Michelle Greenwell’s channel, where the full episode and guided practices are available. You’ll find more tools to support mind-body connection and discover how subtle shifts can unlock greater vitality and joy.

Also, be sure to follow the entire Radiate and Rise series this month, as Michaela shares the body, mind, and spirit aspects of the theme with each of her monthly guests.

Empowerment begins with the breath.
Radiance begins with presence.
And both begin with you.

🌅 Sip into Radiance: Bras D’Or Sunset and the Energy of Empowerment

To complement the empowering conversation on the solar plexus and living boldly, Dr. Michelle Greenwell brought along a radiant cup of Bras D’Or Sunset (pronounced ‘brah door’) from the Cape Breton Tea Company. This vibrant, orange-yellow blend is inspired by golden beach memories—bonfires at dusk, waves lapping the shore, and that soothing warmth of the setting sun. Infused with the intention to “put yourself at ease as you center into the golden memories that rejuvenate and inspire you,” Bras D’Or Sunset aligns beautifully with the solar plexus energy. Its glowing color and comforting essence serve as a gentle reminder to embrace your inner light, expand your energy, and rise into your day with confidence.

Bras D’Or Sunset is a part of the Harmony Blends series, that have traveled to Tenerife, Spain, and San Diego, California, for special conference presentations. The six teas in this series are colour coded for the chakra system and are part of an Unwinding Trauma – Building Resiliency program offered at the Greenwell Center for Holistic Health. You can find the Movement and Music 12 week course in the shop, which can walk you through the expansion of a challenge into its fruitful support for claiming new perspective and opportunity. These recorded sessions provide you with intuitive music played specifically for transforming each part of the trauma journey, along with movement patterns to bring into your daily practice. The teas are highlighted to provide you with a full series that can transform you by sipping on them through the day or adding them to challenging activities that you want to have support and empowerment with.

As you consider what you need to Radiate and Rise, Dr Michelle Greenwell, has many different tools to help you realize your dreams.

Are you interested in learning more about Tai Chi?

You can find the in-person classes on the calendar for the Greenwell Center for classes on Cape Breton Island in Inverness County. In the Okanagan Valley, you can find Wine Country Tai Chi Society classes in West Kelowna. Both offer seated and standing options for all levels and abilities. You can learn more about the classes by checking out their landing pages and blogs. For online classes, follow Michelle’s posts. Coming up in August is a special nature series to support how to take your Tai Chi out into nature with intuitive musician Colin MacLeod, and in the fall they will be expanding her programming into a certification program for movement enthusiasts as well as musicians wanting to learn more about playing for movement classes and using the Unwinding Trauma – Building Resiliency protocols.

Have you been inspired yet? Tea, podcasts, movement, connection, learning…it all begins with your action to learn more, bring more into your day, and expand your influence to the people around you.