Spinal Denial

   Wild week. Wild weekend. I watch my clients who have back/shoulder complaints and wonder if they have any awareness of their spines. I then wonder if I have any awareness of MY spine. And what would that even mean?

   So, I've been thinking about it. And I think you should, too. What is your individual spine? Visualize how it is shaped within your being, what it holds up, how it is pressed down, and how easily/difficultly it bends.

   I mean, really really think about it. It's YOUR spine after all.

   Try this:
-Focus in on the connection from your skull to your spine. Literally take a couple minutes here relaxing everything surrounding this connection. Let it be as loose as you can.
-Focus in on the very bottom of your spine. Your tailbone. Take about 5 minutes here relaxing within your pelvic bones as much as you can. Let it be as loose and relaxed as you can.
-Now find a way to roll through your spine gently up and down meeting these two points. Notice points along the way where there is blockage: points where you can't necessarily focus in on the movement or conection. If you find such points repeat the exercise of focusing in on this area and relaxing everything associated.

   An additionally and super kooky tip--- I tend to enjoy vocalizing through this exercise, although I know chanting and humming and singing "through your bones" is not necessarily an easy idea for everyone to get used to!! However, if you find yourself alone and brave (!) try internally singing into the areas that may be blocked. If you're doing it right you will feel the resonance in your bones. It's a comforting and slight vibration. If it sends vibes through the rest of you then you are really hitting something! It doesn't have to be loud, after all you are only singing to yourself!

   It might be helpful to write down anything you notice. Do this daily for the week and see if you get anywhere.

   And with that I am not going to tell you what your spine is good for or why it is there. This is another element of your body you need to know, understand, and relate to in order to find your body's calm. Additionally you may "grow a spine" and notice a strength that is there and willing to support you :)

   You have a spine- now enjoy it and use it! Or just be aware of it.

Until next week.

Body Talk

   Are you listening? Your body is talking to you! Are you paying attention? Your body is reacting to you! We make countless choices all day long. Some of our choices seem like second nature. Getting up and going to work, for example. We choose to do this, and rarely (if ever) think, "I'll stay in bed. No worries." Many of our choices have results and ramifications for us. I want to talk to you about your body and it's apparent choices.

   How do you stand? How is your posture? How do you walk? Notice your stance next time you're in line at the bank. Or when you're out with friends and everyone is standing around talking. Notice, if you are aware, how you stand. Honestly? Most of us are totally unaware of how we stand. Additionally, we kind of think that the way we stand and hold ourself and walk is just "natural" and furthermore "the way we are." But that's not true. You choose to stand/walk the way you do, and at any point you can change your mind.

  I will use myself as a small example. (Better not to talk about others!) Lately I have been holding my shoulders up. Tons. I feel fortunate that I can notice when this happens. I find myself several times a day thinking to myself, "Whoah! Shoulders! Relax!" Maybe once a day (usually at the end of the day), when I am feeling my tense shoulders again, I'll think to relax and then FINALLY I'll think, "Why am I doing this? Why have I been holding my shoulders up all day? What is making me so tense?" I won't lie and tell you that I figure it out, at all. But I will tell you that having that small amount of reflection helps me to relax immensely.

   What happens is I have a conversation with my body. And we get somewhere. And I do believe my relationship with my body is most important because I can learn so much about letting other people "be" when I can let myself "be." These are still choices.

   And now you! Are you experiencing some level of pain anywhere in your body? Tension? Aches? Do you know where/how they started? Can you go back further to know what caused or triggered that to happen in the first place? Or have you been ignoring your body for too long that you are unaware of what your "second nature" stance has become by your choice. What if you thought of your body as saying to you, "Listen to me, please. Pay attention to me, too, please." Sounds like something you might want to tell another person doesn't it? But don't you think it still applies to the relationship you have (or need to have) with your body? What would you choose to do if given the opportunity to listen and react?

   Give your body something to be calm about. Take care and I'll write again next week :)