Spontaneous Motion

In the opening keynote presentation at the 2010 International Association of Structural Integrator's Symposium, Michael Salveson noted that the body works best when joints are in their neutral position, that is when all forces on the joint are equal. In this video, you can see people demonstrating undulations where they are exploring the movement of their spinal joints and helping create more balanced, neutral positioning and range of motion.

Michael also noted that in the Daoist traditions (Chinese medical arts), the joins is a resevoir of chi (energy). When a joint is weak or injured, it borrows chi (energy) from nearby joints.

The spine has 125 joints. As the central pillar of the body, its range of motion (or lack thereof) determines the ease with which a person can move. Try some of these undulations to create more chi in your spine.

Exercise of the Month: Standing Alignment

Can standing in good alignment really be considered an exercise? Actually, it's an important habit to develop with daily practice. Good posture isn't just to look good, it balances all joints of the body so you can move with ease and comfort. Additionally, being in line helps you make better decisions.

Research done at the University of Aberdeen as reported in the New York Times article, Abstract Thoughts? The Body Takes Them Literally, notes that people who are thinking about the future lean forward and when recalling the past most people lean back. Being in alignment helps a person be present. Letting go of bad posture habits helps us make better sense of what's going on around us.

So spend a few minutes every day standing with focus on alignment of your hips over your ankles, your ribs over your hips, your cranium over your ribs with your shoulders and arms relaxed. Ground firmly to the earth below you, as though you have deep roots and draw a line of energy up your inside arches and legs, through your spine so the crown of your head subtly lifts toward the heavens. Stay in this space, the present moment, for as long as you can hold your attention here. I practice this when I'm waiting anywhere, such as when my computer is starting or when standing in line at the store or bank.

91-Year Old Yogini

To what do you aspire? What do you picture yourself doing you are 91?

Tao Porchon-Lynch teaches yoga. She's quite a dancer, too. See for yourself on this CNN video. The savasana she leads her students through is quite beautiful.

These Shoes Were Made for Walking

Walking can nourish the cardiovascular system, improve brain function, reduce stress, and strengthen muscles large and small. But not if the foundation of the gait, that is your shoes, isn’t up to the task.

Improper shoes create muscle tension and inhibit your stride and its effect throughout the body. How do you choose the right shoe?

Karin Edwards, a Rolfer from Portland, has written an excellent article with four simple tips for choosing shoes. They should be flexible and lightweight so you can feel the ground through the soles, with a neutral heel and wide toe box. For more details on shoes and how to walk once you’ve found the right pair, read the entire article on her website.

Give your feet the freedom of shoes that allow their full potential, then each step can spread from toe to head.

Exercise of the Month: Head Waggle

You can do this exercise anytime, anywhere to release tension at the back of your neck and head. The head waggle is a side-to-side movement (not a yes or a no, but an interesting maybe) of the head on top of the neck. This video shows you how to do it and some other undulations that will make it easier.



A colleague who lived in India for a while observed this interesting culteral movement and surmises that it is the reason why Indians have more fluid structure than Americans.