I used Cognomovement to learn anatomy faster by helping my brain create place cells — the neural maps that make retaining information easier and more efficient.
Struggling in massage school at 40
What does "creating place cells" even mean? Let me tell you how I found out.
Once upon a time, there was a woman going through massage school at 40. This woman — me — had studied anatomy in some detail several times before. But this time was different.
For the first time in my life (and I'm not bragging here), I was severely struggling to get it. I bought special coloring books, flashcards, Etsy charts, apps — anything I thought might give me a boost.
I wasn't failing the class exactly, but I was definitely not enjoying it. In fact, I was dreading it. There was a nearly nauseating feeling in my gut every time it was time to head into Anatomy.
This class wasn't hands-on — it was writing down origins, insertions, nerve innervations, and actions. Ugh. My brain kept trying to make a great escape: What am I making for dinner? Can I get more sleep tonight? — basically anything more interesting than this.
The story that sparked a shift
The next morning, rushing to get out of the house for class, I remembered a story shared by Liz Larsen, co-founder of Cognomovement and author of Is Suffering Optional?, during our first training.
She told us about a boy, around nine or ten years old, who had only overheard his mom practicing Cognomovement. Inspired, he decided to try it himself — using the ball and a phrase he wanted to make real.
His words? "I can swim fast."
He moved the ball from low to high while repeating that simple sentence. Within two weeks, he had completely surpassed the swim group he was in. His coaches were stunned.
This wasn't magic — it was neuroplasticity in action. He used the natural malleability of his brain to plant a new belief, and that belief triggered a cascade in the nervous system that helped him become what he declared. (If that resonates, it's the same principle behind my own story in Did Cognomovement Teach Me to Swim?)
Mapping in: "I love muscles"
So I figured — what do I have to lose?
I got out the Cognomovement ball and began moving it from low to high. Breathing. Observing the colors and shapes. Tuning in. The phrase I chose was: "I love muscles."
I said it out loud. My body heard it. And something fascinating happened.
Right around the diaphragm, I felt a flicker of curiosity. Instead of laughing off the idea ("I love muscles?" Really?), a part of my nervous system leaned in and asked, "Do I?"
The results were immediate
The next day I grabbed my enormous backpack — books, flashcards, laptop — and headed to Anatomy. Something was different. I didn't feel dread. In fact, there was a subtle sense of excitement, maybe even anticipation.
In class my brain was focused. I noticed I was taking notes differently. My mind was offering up creative new ways to understand and organize the material.
Then finals week came. Our teacher split us into teams of two for a Jeopardy-style review game. My brain? On fire. Not only was I calling out correct anatomical terms — when another team challenged us, I casually listed the structures from superior to inferior, just because I could.
"That's the highest score I've seen in eight years of teaching this class."— My anatomy instructor
So yeah… that's my story of "I love muscles."
What place cells have to do with it
Here's the important part about mapping in, and why it works.
When we engage in Cognomovement and set an intention — especially one tied to curiosity, enjoyment, or love — we're activating place cells. These are specialized neurons in the hippocampus that help form spatial and contextual memory. They map where we are, track our position in an environment, and assign emotional and mental significance to that space.
The discovery of place cells earned a share of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — recognized as the brain's inner "GPS," the system that lets us build a cognitive map of the world around us.
When you do Cognomovement with a focus on a specific subject — like anatomy — your brain starts to associate that subject with safety, attention, and positive emotional energy. It tags it as important. As something worth your focus. As something you might even enjoy.
From somatic shift to learning breakthrough
Instead of forcing yourself through with logic or willpower, you're creating a somatic map — a full-body signal that says: This matters. This is interesting. This is safe. Let's love this now.
And guess what happens? The dread fades. The mind opens. Curiosity kicks in. Learning becomes easier, faster, and fun.
You might just end up loving something you never thought you could.
Try it: map in something new
If there's something in your life right now that feels frustrating, boring, or downright hard, ask yourself: Can I map in something different?
- Maybe it's eating better
- Maybe it's cleaning out a space you keep avoiding
- Maybe it's launching a big life change
Whatever it is, try saying a phrase that reflects how you want to feel. Move the ball. Breathe. Let your body listen. Let's rewire what's possible — one phrase at a time.
Written by Helen Parde, LMT — Integrative Health Facilitator and Certified Advanced Cognomovement Practitioner at Whole Body and Sole, Herriman & South Jordan, Utah.