A Bearpaw Deep Dive #1
Sat 18 - Sun 19 July 2026 in Antwerp
I will be hosting a small group focusing
Deep relaxation via lying and standing
Sandbags and wooden balls for relaxation under pressure
Wrestling and partner work to build a relaxed and soft structure
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Why do a deep dive?
Would you like to find out how wonderful it feels to experience deep relaxation?
Are you looking for a way to keep doing what you are doing, but with less effort? Making it more sustainable?
Are you looking for ways to make easier to be mindful?
Does relaxation mean collapsing in heap for you?
Do you feel like you can’t relax while you still have things to do?
Do you want to experience a relaxation that feels safe and empowering?
I want to use the deep dive sessions to help you experience a deep expansive relaxation, and almost more importantly, show you how easily you can get there after the workshop.
And on the other side, I want to show you how much excess effort and tension you are probably putting into the things that you care about (which makes them more difficult and less sustainable).
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What will we do?
Deep relaxation: Lying and yawning
One of the most valuable things I offer is exploring lying for relaxation. I’ve developing some effective guidance to help you settle and relax more and more deeply.
It’s harder to make unhealthy decisions when you are relaxed
Exploring the joints and partner play
While it’s been a winding journey, I find myself losing less and less energy to being stressed and tense as the months and years go by. Getting feedback and direct experience of how much freedom and ease comes with relaxation can have a huge impact on your attitude towards people and how you respond under stress.
We will use some partner games and challenges to help organise the joints and muscles to move and be still with a more relaxed power.
There is power and safety in relaxation
“Zen bag” and the dragon pearl
With the lying as the foundation. We’ll go on to explore relaxation when we are being effortful. The “zen bag” (sandbag) and the dragon pearl — from Fighting Monkey — have helped me so much to learn how to relax without collapsing. Learning to relax in way that is empowering and powerful.
“What unnecessary effort are you adding?”
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Some examples of what we will explore
How have I helped people?
“"Every session has been a breakthrough for me."”
Amanda Dixon, Yoga Teacher
“This practice has transformed my self-awareness, energy, and ability to relax — it’s invaluable for everyone who is human.”
Brian O’Rourke, Physiotherapist
“It’s almost like it has left little Easter eggs inside my body that will hatch at some point.”
Phil Greenfield, Chiropractor
Register for the first deep dive now
rest into your body.
breathe deeper.
soften.
return to center.
sleep better.
slow down.
restored.
unwind.
confident.
clearer focus.
reconnected.
rest into your body. breathe deeper. soften. return to center. sleep better. slow down. restored. unwind. confident. clearer focus. reconnected.
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About
Máirtín Mcnamara
“Always gently, and mostly comfortable”
Máirtín has spent over 30 years immersed in body–mind practices, drawing on Qigong, Systema, Alexander Technique, and other traditions to refine a simple yet powerful approach to relaxation.
He has taught hundreds of students online and in person, guiding them to real results in just 5–10 minutes a day. His philosophy emphasizes intuition, awareness, and natural tempo over rigid technique.
Book
Máirtín is also the author of The Soul of My Shape, a book that takes you deeper into the ideas behind Bear Necessities. It explores how simple, everyday postures — lying, kneeling, squatting — can become gateways to relaxation, gentle strength, and awareness.
Readers often describe it as calming to read in itself, a slow invitation to settle and breathe. Together, the book and the course offer both a quick daily toolkit and a deeper dive into the roots of these practices.
Purchase Book →