Episode 44 - Holding the Still Point: A Tribute to John Barnes

In this deeply personal solo episode of the Myofascial Health Podcast, host Unu shares a heartfelt tribute to John F. Barnes, the father of Myofascial Release, following the news of his passing. Speaking with honesty, reverence, and vulnerability, Unu reflects on John’s profound impact not only on the myofascial release community, but on his own life as a clinician, mentor, and human being. He recounts his journey from near burnout in traditional healthcare to finding authentic healing, purpose, and joy through Myofascial Release under John’s guidance.

The episode explores John’s unique teaching style—one rooted not in rigid answers, but in feeling, intuition, and truth—as well as his humor, generosity, and deep love for the work and the people carrying it forward. Unu also reflects on conversations he shared with John about death, consciousness, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, drawing parallels between myofascial unwinding, still points, and the “death space” that teaches familiarity with one’s own mind. He discusses the concept of the Bardo, cycles of endings and renewals, and what it means to live a life truly worth living. The episode closes with gratitude, reflection on legacy, and a prayer for John, his loved ones, and the community he helped build. This is an episode about loss, love, consciousness, and the responsibility of carrying forward a body of work rooted in integrity, presence, and authentic healing.