Hello.
Just wanted to real quickly share this video from Psalm Isadora about the simple act of standing.
I say "real quickly" because honestly, this post has been a draft for at least a week. If I don't get it posted now, i never will.
Good posture is not just for the yoga mat. Good posture, or a "strong mountain," on the mat will eventually translate to a "strong mountain" in the grocery line, if you let it.
Take a minute to practice along w/Psalm.
Notice how you feel as you stand connected to your center.
See if you can bring this posture into your day.
& just for grins & giggles, notice how stress affects how you stand and move.
Personally, when my day gets rough, my right foot tends to turn outward. I sink into my hips & drop my belly forward. My shoulders, especially the left one, begin to round & my chin kind of juts out and down. And i begin to just hurl myself forward, kind of like a boulder tumbling down a hill picking up all kinds of muck becoming heavier and well.... muckier.
The really interesting thing is, the more I hunker down, the less I am aware of what is going on in my body. I can stay low to the ground and thrash my battle axe around, than wonder why my shoulders & arms hurt so damn much.
I guess, this is what I feel that I am:
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Except.... you know, without the armor & .... the boobs & not nearly as cute.
Not that there is anything wrong with being a dwarf my Tolkien friends. & in no way, NO WAY, is this intended to be malicious towards little people.
A fantasy style dwarf is just what comes to my mind when I try to define how my posture changes under stress. I just bear down and stomp about. & I have arthritic toes and popped ligaments and all around crazy feet problems to prove it.
And really, the inner me is just more elfin.
Like this:
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| http://www.wallfox.net/Abstract/Fantasy/water_fantasy_rocks_fairies_elf_sprites_1280x1024_wallpaper_28543 |
O.k. Maybe more like this:
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| http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/elf-10-10-sm.jpg |
At any rate, bringing awareness to how my posture really changes when I am stressed has helped me to truly feel how I am physically being affected as opposed to being a victim to the after effects of a day filled with mindless bolting to & fro.
This awareness allows me to work on regaining and maintaining the quiet strength of my center.
I would like to say that I frequently stop and practice this itty bit of breath work. But I can say that i do so more often than i used to & when i do, I am happy that i did.
Upon noticing the effects of stress on your posture -
- inhale acknowledging
exhale accepting those feelings as they are in that moment
(easing tension in the feet, facing toes forward & resting on the 4 corners of the feet)
inhale accepting
exhale remembering that all is impermanent.
(relaxing my knees, internally rotating my thighs, scooping my tailbone, engaging my abs)
Inhale surrendering to the feelings
Exhale sending positive energy to others who may be feeling the same as I in that moment.
(sliding my shoulder blades down, lengthening and softening my neck, relaxing my jaw, easing my gaze)
Inhale - welcoming energy from earth & sky into the core of my body
(lowering my ribs, re-scooping and connecting through tail bone and core)
Exhale sending that energy back out
Of course, I don't always get through all of the above. lol
However, the process is interesting if nothing else.
If you have minute, give it try. See what is going on. & if you feel inclined to do so, share your findings in the comments.
Would love to hear from you.
Peace
