Nice to meet you!

About Me

Many times I have heard "You should write"—starting with my 11th-grade English teacher, Mrs. Beam (tribute on homepage). And it was the vivid memory of her cornering me after class one day that suddenly flooded my mind amid all the doubts and uncertainties regarding this site—"Stephen, you should consider becoming a writer or journalist." She knew my interests lay elsewhere, but still she bothered. Naturally, I paid no attention to her, nor to others. I now find myself wishing I had. Having to replace a familiar lead-in story with a formidable multi-part mega-story that was intertwined with my own sent my anxiety level to new highs. The irony—within minutes of beginning to write, the anxiety seemed to fade. When I suddenly realized hours had passed like minutes, I found myself oddly feeling like I had returned home from a long journey and was finally lying in my own bed. Make of that what you will, but it's the best description I can offer—perhaps the late Diane L. Beam saw something that I couldn't, or wouldn't see. The learning curve is steep, and it continues, but the beauty of an online story is that it's a living thing, capable of constant improvement for the sake of the reader, and constant refinement for the author's peace of mind. The next undertaking offers no such comfort.

Newfound awareness and a fresh perspective only lead to a better understanding, regardless of where or when. We often hear the term "personal growth," but this sounds more like something the "world in general" could use right now, doesn't it? Maybe that starts with each of us being inspired to discover our own fresh perspective and awareness before looking to inspire others—and that would include me.

The acronym "Stedáwi" (Steh-dah´-vee) began as an art signature in the 1980s, soon became a nickname, then an online moniker, a business name, and now, of course, the name of this site. Residing in Hawaii these past fifty years, I marvel at both the change in the urban landscape and the resilience of the natural beauty that surrounds it. Similarly, I reflect on all the changes within myself during that time, while the essence of the young boy who pored over pages of distant places, different cultures, and the many ways one might live their life has remained steadfast. My life has passed so quickly, and seems so matter-of-fact to me, yet it is one that many seem to find unusual. I don't see it as such, but we seldom see ourselves as others do, and that may well describe much of what you'll discover in the stories found here.

My study of neurosomatics began just one year after arriving in the islands, when a traumatic experience resurrected my background in behavioral science. Working several jobs just to survive, a new direction was in order, and the personal care sector seemed a good fit. A non-verbal learning project with animals led to a post-graduate semester in neuropsychology, while martial arts led to an M.A. in Chinese Medicine and a Shiatsu Therapy license. Combined with guided movement and feedback, each of those disciplines formed the foundation for an approach to somatic therapy that would occupy the next two decades. Feldenkrais and Breath were added at that point. Events during those years and the more recent shift to neurosomatic education created my connections to the initial featured story, "An Awakening To Gift A World." Writing it created its own connection, but it has also created something entirely new and separate—an undertaking measurable only by time—that is, of course, unless you ask that young boy.

I hope you'll join me,

Stephen Williams

|

I'm Stephen Williams