“Dear Benita, everyone,

I absolutely have to make time right now to let my enthusiasm shine through and shout a huge compliment to the world, so that it reaches everyone involved.

A quick word about myself—I’m actually relatively new here, and this is my first post: In May of this year, I suffered a herniated disc, and I’ve been practicing Cantienica ever since. Thanks to my sister, I caught the Cantienica bug—now I’m doing “Long Cantienica” :-). And I have lots of Cantienica books on my nightstand. And I only experience discomfort when my mindfulness slips and my posture slips back into its old, incorrect pattern. Even the lingering numbness serves as a reminder that there’s still “more” to do…

What a relief to experience my very first “pain-free oasis” right on the first day of my herniated disc by following the Cantienica instructions! I immediately Googled for instructors, contacted the nearest one, and took private lessons—experiencing even more oases of well-being. By the time the conventional medical system (orthopedist, MRI appointment, consultation to discuss the results, prescription for physical therapy) finally got me my first physical therapy session, I had long since been actively managing my condition on my own—and successfully. And having been completely “spoiled” by Cantienica, there were things I didn’t like about the physical therapy. Right from the very first session, I struggled onto the table, into the prone position, and was first given warming radiation—and the headrest was adjusted in such a way that my neck was completely compressed, even though my body was now accustomed to being relaxed. Then came the first “homework”: tilting the pelvis forward and backward for mobilization. And later came exercises that “crush” the “butterfly.” And of course, Cat–Cow: arching and sagging (Ouch!). And anyway, that pressing tension—I really hated it… The poor physical therapist sensed that I didn’t quite trust the method, and here and there I objected, and she kept hearing me say, “Cantienica”…

I also have to share a wonderful “aha” moment (I have enough material for an 18th love story!). A good month after my herniated disc first appeared, an important family celebration took me on an 800-km trip despite my condition (the paralysis hadn’t gone away yet). I chose to take the train. On the way there, I was still happy to switch from my seat to my thin sleeping pad on the floor. On the return trip, I was lucky that our two-year-old slept for hours—and I even got to read! I hadn’t brought the Cantienica book along for nothing after all :-), and I devoured the pelvic floor book from cover to cover. Sitting there in the COVID-empty dining car on the front edge of a rather simple (i.e., not “ergonomically shaped”) bench, I not only read intently but also performed the exercises described in the book. And hundreds of kilometers spent sitting went by pain-free… :-). A woman who sat next to me for a while commented on my great posture. That called for an enthusiastic sales pitch, and she jotted down the book’s title…

But now to the 17 love stories: I devoured them—or rather, there are only a few left to read. So inspiring! The beauty of commonalities amid diversity! All these unique paths and personalities! This variety of connections to educational backgrounds, career paths, and life experiences! So many connections between my own path and the many others featured! And the way Caroline manages to create this trusting space for conversation—offering supportive, empathetic, and non-judgmental guidance—that harmonious blend of support and guidance in the form of prompts for further input… Simply professional, and yet with soooo much heart and intellect… I found her incredibly likable.

I have a big problem during the Cantienica group sessions: concentration. My “associationitis” quickly leads me from one keyword to mental wanderings. And last time, one thought kept taking over my mind: What if I were to start this training program…

Thank you—from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for this source of inspiration! And huge kudos for carrying out the project. It really works ;-).”

Waldblume posted on the forum.

What wonderful feedback! Thank you!

You can find all the interviews in our playlist on YouTube.