Author Archives: karen5022

How do I stop this “planning ahead” in my “head”?

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I have been having some Alexander Technique lessons with some of my colleagues recently, and I am amazed how much I need to be reminded of being in the present and not constantly “planning ahead”.  In other words, finding places I can give myself time and be conscious of when I’m tensing, rushing, etc.

So I started paying attention to the places I am more present. Where I am really aware of how I am moving in my everyday patterns of walking, sitting, standing, computer work, playing my violin, and on and on….and where I am “tensing” and “stiffening” to get a result.

For me, presence is when I “have time”, and that I am not reaching for a deadline, or something outside of myself.  We call this “end gaining”, and even though it is more apparent when their is a narrow focus or concentration of a “result”, I also find it shows up for me in many situations.

I actually even rehearse in my mind what I am doing next in my day:

  • Getting out of bed…as I think of…
  • Taking a shower…as I think of…
  • What will I wear…as I think of…
  • What will I have for breakfast…as I think of…
  • When is my first appointment…as I think of…
  • What will I teach in my yoga class this afternoon…as I think of………

Soooo, all these are “end gains” looking for something outside of my self, in the above examples…planning ahead in my “head” (interesting metaphor)!  What if I was present in the moment of “getting out of bed” being gentle and finding ease;  taking a shower and sensing the soothing warm water; exploring my closet and enjoying the colors and textures; oh, and could I enjoy the sensation of eating my breakfast knowing I have “time”?

I am going to find places today where I can give my self “time” – it is a choice! My aim would be to find more “present” spaces of being and less rushed “result driven” times.

 

 

What is proprioception and is it the same as kinesthetic awareness, what???

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The dictionary says proprioception is:

proprioception
 (prpr–-spshn)
The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. In humans, these stimuli are detected by nerves within the body itself, as well as by the semicircular canals of the inner ear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception
 
 
kinesthesia
kin•es•the•sia (ˌkɪn əsˈθi ʒə, -ʒi ə, ˌkaɪ nəs-)
The sensation in the body of the movement of muscles, tendons, and joints
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kinesthesia
 

Why would we want to be more aware of our perception of movement and spatial orientation? Because of the sense of effort that we habitually have decided is needed to do certain tasks, lifting an object, holding our coffee cup, knitting, playing golf, even standing or sitting we sometimes do with lots of tension and stress in our joints.

By educating your sensory awareness ( a combination of balance, spatial orientation, and sensations of movement in our muscles, tendons and joints), we can move in our life and do what we do with more ease in our joints, muscles and skeleton. By becoming aware of what habits may have caused chronic pain,  we can start changing where we over tense ourselves; the results will be sustainable and long term, because we are changing OURSELVES by OUR OWN awareness, which deepens and deepens as we remove the layers of habitual tension and stress.

The proprioceptive sense can be sharpened through study of many disciplines. Examples are the Feldenkrais method[26] and the Alexander Technique.  Juggling trains reaction time, spatial location, and efficient movement.  Standing on a wobble board or balance board is often used to retrain or increase proprioception abilities, particularly as physical therapy for ankle or knee injuries. Slacklining is another method to increase proprioception. more…

Interested….come have an introduction in how to sharpen your proprioceptive sense…we may juggle, do some yoga, crawl, walk, stand, and movement that you are finding challenging or painful!!