Eating can be a tricky subject to begin with for many of us. Throw the Holidays in and it’s a perfect setup for New Year’s resolutions!

During this time of Holidays: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa and the New Year, we want to celebrate and have fun. Unfortunately, we often forget our bodies’ needs during this time, which can lead to stress and illness. There are too many opportunities to overindulge and be busy, when often at this time of year what we yearn for is peace and quiet.

Since food is a main event at these festivities, I would like to share some helpful ideas related to eating, posture and mindfulness.

If we break down the physical steps to the art of eating it may help. Most of us bring our mouths to our food rather than the food to our mouths. Observe yourself eating. Do you bend at the midsection of your back and send your mouth and chin towards the food? This puts your spine in a C curve and is not supportive of your posture, or a graceful form.

Next time you sit down to eat, experiment with bringing the food to your mouth rather than your mouth to the food. Practice sitting in a supportive posture and bringing a utensil to your mouth, letting your jaw gently open and allowing the food in. Slowing down the eating/feeding process and observing your habits brings mindfulness and allows for less indulgence and overeating: Awareness of eating brings more sensation to your body thus giving you a better sense of when you have had enough.

An unconscious habit I have observed many times at social gatherings is the tendency to mimic the posture of whomever you are speaking to. I think it is an unconscious way to non-verbally relate to others or set them at ease. If you are a really tall person talking to one shorter there is usually a pulling in and down to be on the same eye level. Or a short person talking to a taller person usually drops their head back and down and lifts the chest, leading to an unnatural extension in the spine. There are usually lots of Holiday gatherings where you can practice staying with your own body, even at an office party!

The reward will be coming out of the Holidays season with more height (or not losing what you do have), less pain, weighing the same, or less, and feeling relaxed and ready for the New Year!

Best wishes for a very joyous and peaceful holiday, whichever one you choose to celebrate!

All the Best,

Elaine

Some of our habits may be hard to live with but actually we cannot live with out them.

Habits allow us to function. The brain learns to put a series of movements into simple chunks which make it possible to do many activities at once, like chewing gum and walking at the same time. Have you ever watched a child learning to walk?

It takes practice, lots of falling down and starting over with one step at a time. Eventually the process is established and no longer an effort. This ability becomes so familiar and such as part of us that we don’t have to consider the inner workings. And thus a habit is born. <!–more–>

Not having to re-invent the wheel each time is efficient and saves a lot of time (can’t we all use more time!). However most of these habits: physical, emotional and mental, are done without awareness or conscious “inhabiting” of ourselves. For better or for worse, this ability can leave the habit in charge rather than the awareness of our whole being.

Understanding your physical posture is the foundation of Alexander work. Because we so often learn posture at an early age from watching our parents or caregivers most of us do not learn supportive habits. Did Grandma have her neck forward, or did Daddy walk with his feet toed out? Imagine walking with one of your parents. What patterns of movement feel familiar?

If you want to change a physical habit I suggest you start with something simple; a familiar activity that you do on a regular basis.

One thing I have noticed that wreaks havoc with my posture is using the cell phone and the computer. I have seen this with many people. We tend to fall into our electronic devices. Necks/heads fall forward and we round our shoulders. Here are some diagrams to help you sense the right position: Head Directions, Neck Directions and Body Directions.

Start by simply being aware of your body while you are texting, emailing or what ever you like (chopping veggies or brushing your teeth are good too). Remind yourself to take up your full posture, to sit or stand in a way that supports your entire body/being. This is not always possible when we are in a hurry. Practice and awareness will make a difference.

Remember when changing a habit it needs kindness and patience. Also changing too quickly can cause instability, so easy does it!

As Mark Twain said “Habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs one step at a time. Because these habits were learned so early on and often have emotional content, they don’t want to be cast aside but understood and released.

A few months a go a friend sent me a review of a book about habits. I was thrilled because working with and thinking about habits is one of my favorite pastimes! Here is a link to the book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. It even goes into how habits develop and become part of how we function as a society,

Thank you for reading. Please share with anyone you know that might be interested.

Until next time,

All the Best,

Elaine

Sleep is the great restorer. We often take it for granted until we are lying awake longing for it’s arrival.

Being conscious of posture in bed can be conducive to a good night’s sleep as well as useful for your posture during the day.

There are many reasons for insomnia and I am not saying the Alexander Technique is the only answer for entering the land of deep sleep and dreams. What it can do is help you relax and unwind the physical tensions that contribute to the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

When you first get in bed, let your body lengthen out. Exhale out to your finger tips and toes. Give your body the instruction to relax the neck. Let your body unwind by reminding yourself to exhale and let go of any holding. Feel gravity help you by letting yourself relax into your bed. Let go of holding yourself in any place in your body.

Lie on your back and have a pillow under your head (not too high), a small support under your knees, and just exhale. Notice any tension in your body. Remember your body is always trying to inform you of what is going on, so this is a good time to listen. Don’t try to change anything, just allow what is there to be acknowledged.

Go through your body starting at your head, noticing any tensions and exhaling, letting go as best you can. Don’t try to change anything, just let go, moving on down to your shoulders, again exhaling any tightness in your shoulders and upper back. Continue on down your back to your pelvis, noticing tension in the lower back and imagining it leaving your body, exhaling as you move down your legs to your feet.

Now starting at the midline of your body, take a breath in and as you exhale think of the breath going out your fingers and toes and the top of your head. Let your body expand as you exhale, letting go of the sense of separation between you and the air around you.

Do this at least 3 or 4 times. Notice how you feel.

A chi gong exercise is to use your tongue to make circles inside your mouth: start on the middle of your left cheek, go up across the across the roof of your mouth and down the middle of your right cheek. Do this 9 times.

Also let yourself yawn or make yourself yawn. This can be done by taking several short breaths in and then exhaling. Yawning is very important; here is some useful information about yawning.

There is a wonderful Chi Gong meditation called Bone Dreaming. I like it because it works with sensing your bones and letting them move. When your attention is directed that way, the relaxation is deep and sleep can come. I have used it for sleep, as well as resting and unwinding. Click here to visit the website for Giles Marin (scroll down to find “The Bone Dreaming Meditation”).

Often the inability to sleep happens when we are too wound up and over-stimulated. Alexander directions of freeing the neck and letting go of tension so the body can lengthen and widen can provide a calming sensation. Sense the occiput moving away from the sacrum, creating a lengthening along the spine.

Ideally you sleep on your back but you can use these instructions if you are a side sleeper. If you sleep on your side make sure your head and neck are supported so that the head doesn’t drop lower than your shoulder. Also it is best not to curl into a C shape but keep the occiput and sacrum in the line, in the same plane. Side sleepers also generally do better if they use a pillow between their knees. This way the hips will stay aligned and the pelvis will not be twisted.

For back sleepers using a small pillow under the kness can eliminate strain from the lower back.

Hopefully you will be able to make use of these ideas on getting yourself to relax and enter a deep sleep! And if all else fails, check out how your ancestors slept.

Have a good Labor Day weekend and let me know what you discover about sleep and Alexander Technique.

Thank you.

All the Best,

Elaine

In the last newsletter, Lucy Rush’s phone number was left out. Here it is for those of you who asked for it: (415) 221-1500)

Depression is not on the list of topics most people discuss easily. Yet at the some point in life almost everyone experiences some degree of depression. And some people have to deal with it on an ongoing basis.

Years ago, while I was working with a student, as she was freeing her neck and allowing more movement up along her spine she said, “Oh, if I do this I can’t be depressed.” Now I’m not saying this is the answer to everyone’s depression, but there are many changes that can happen when we learn to be aware of how we are using our body, or in Alexander terms, our use.

We store memories in our body. I have often thought of the body as an archeological site. With breathing and awareness as our tools we can unearth many memories that are not in our conscious thoughts. Doing this often gives a healing and lightening effect in ones entire being. For more information you can visit the Somatic Experience Website and watch a YouTube video about it.

When starting with Alexander lessons, you learn what physical and mental habits you are employing that contribute to compression, poor posture and pain. These same habits can also add or contribute to depression.

It is well known that exercise can be key in alleviating depression. When one is depressed it is usually hard not to identify with the emotion or feeling. We get stuck in thinking I’m sad or I’m depressed and there is usually a physical pulling in and contracting. This is one of the reasons the Alexander Technique can help when one is in a depressed state. As you change the holding in your body, your mood also has the opportunity to change. Being aware of your posture and how you move can take your thoughts in a new direction.

Of course there are many degrees of depression and seeking professional help is an important step.

However, remember how important it is to move your body and allow it to change your mood. The awareness of how your body and your thoughts impact each other is extremely useful.

The next time you are feeling a little blue or depressed try the following exercise. Lie down with support under your head. Have your legs resting on a chair or stool. From this relaxed position, just welcome in whatever sensations, feelings and thoughts are in your body-mind. Be aware of sensations, feelings and your breathing, especially your exhale. For just this time, let go of resistance, allow whatever is there just be there. Don’t pull away from whatever is there. Let your neck be free and allow movement up along your spine. Let the body lengthen and widen. Watch your breath and let yourself exhale completely.

Make time to walk in nature. Preferably somewhere with lots of green and/or the beach. Let yourself move out equally from the center of your body. Let your head reach for the sky, more of a thought than an action. Its a softening and allowing not a push. Let the front of your body expand out in front of you as you let the back expand out in the opposte direction. Allow the sides of your body to widen out, right side out to the horizon on the right and left out to the horizon on the left. Feel your feet connecting with the earth, not gripping but just making contact. As you look around let your eyes take in the beauty of nature. Sense the connection and know you are part of this beauty.

All the best,

Elaine

I hope your New Year is off to a healthy good start, but if not here is some information that will help. And if it is off to a good healthy start this will keep it going in that direction.

The lymphatic system is often overlooked in our understanding of staying healthy. I find this especially important as I get older. The Lymphatic system can slow down or become sluggish from many different factors, aging is one of them. This can cause pain and discomfort. Once you read Lucy’s description of the lymphatic system you will understand why there is pain and what to do about it.

Lucy Rush is an amazing Lymphatic massage practitioner. I asked her to explain in brief the Lymphatic system. In case you don’t know where your lymphatic system is located check this site for deeper understanding.

Lucy’s Synopsis:

The Lymphatic system is a fluid transport system, consisting of lymphatic tissues and lymph vessels. It is an integral part of our immune system and thus functions to protect us in several ways. Our lymphatic tissues, including our lymph nodes, are involved in the production and distribution of lymphocytes, which are white blood cells. B-cells and T-cells are two of the three types of lymphocytes. B-cells produce antibodies and T-cells help B-cells, as well as aiding in the elimination of viruses. Lymph vessels create and move lymph fluid. Lymph fluid is a clear liquid, comprised mostly of water (96%) along with a varying mixture of proteins, lipids, hormones, toxins, bacteria, cell waste, etc. Lymph nodes purify lymph fluid by filtering out, neutralizing or destroying any pathogenic substances or microorganisms.

The way in which you might be the most familiar with the lymphatic system is in the tissue swelling (edema) and tenderness one can get during a cold, flu or after a surgery. Lymphatic massage can be beneficial towards the end cycle of illness and post-operatively, as well as helping to strengthen the immune system for those who suffer from allergies or autoimmune diseases. It is a group of gentle, relaxing massage techniques that support comfort, recovery and wellness. These techniques help increase the flow rate of lymph as it moves through the node areas, enhances lymph node function and aids in detoxification. There are many benefits of lymphatic massage. The reduction of edema is perhaps the most visually apparent benefit and has a wonderful ripple effect. Decrease of swelling supports reduction of pain, discomfort and stiffness, helps to lessen numbness and enables mobility of muscles and joint range of motion.

“I apply Integrative Lymphatic Massage on a broad spectrum of conditions. These include sinus and bronchial congestion, abdominal bloating and discomforts, joint sprains, cosmetic surgery post-op, and internal organ and cancer surgery post-op. I am continually amazed at the effectiveness of lymphatic massage and its cumulative results and enjoy teaching my clients simple techniques and practices that they can do at home to support their health and wellness.”

(CLICK HERE to read more)

Lucy Rush, CMT is a massage therapist and educator. She is in private practice specializing in Integrative Lymphatic Massage, Acupressure and Swedish/Deep Tissue techniques. She has been an instructor at the San Francisco School of Massage for the past twenty-one years and teaches at two other schools in the greater Bay Area and abroad.

One of the newest exercise machines, the ZAAZ, purports to move the lymphatic and circulatory systems as well as give you one hour of exercise all in 12 minutes.

Sound too good to be true? Actually I think it is great but remember there are no magic solutions. It is still very important to have the awareness of how you are using your body while you are on the machine, and to understand your alignment. It’s still important to walk and move in a variety of ways. However, 12 minutes on the machine is really better than not doing any movement. Besides the there is a sense of relaxation and energy I get when I use the ZAAZ machine.

Another great way to get things moving is to attend the upcoming workshop, “Spring Cleansing and the Alexander Technique” lead by Denise Aubin and special guest: yours truly, Elaine Belle. Click Here for the workshop flyer.

Hopefully this information about your Lymphatic system is inspiring you to pay closer attention to your body and give you an understanding your many different systems working in your body that keep you healthy. The human body is truly a wondrous work of art. Being of aware of the multilayered systems and how amazingly each system works together gives one reason to pause and appreciate this gift of life.

All the best,

Elaine

Have you ever considered the way a great athlete seems at one with what ever equipment they use, as if it were an extension of their arm or body? That’s because their brain considers it as such. There has been much research done on what is called your peripersonal space and how your brain interprets this. Peripersonal space refers to the space surrounding our body and which is within the reach of our limbs.

“In order to guide the movement of the body through space, the brain must constantly monitor the position of the of the body in relation to nearby objects.” This is from Body Schema and Multisensor Representations of Peripersonal Space By Nicholas P. Homles and Charles Spence.

Sandra and Mathew Blakeslee have also done research on this and have an amazing book out called The Body Has a Mind of Its Own: How Body Maps in Your Brain Help You Do (Almost) Everything Better.

Even though a lot of research is now being done about peripersonal space, I believe chi gong masters have been aware of this for millennia. In chi gong, this space is called “wei chi.” I think it’s interesting to note how important this space is to the health of an individuals in at least two ways:

Denise Aubin, medical chi gong teacher, says “all living bodies generate an external field of energy called wei chi. This field of chi protects the body from the invasion of external pathogens and communicates with, as well as interacts with, the surrounding universal and environmental energy fields.” For more clarification on this, click here.  Also, please go to Denise’s website and check out her classes.

The body mind work together. Too often, we get concerned with trying to figure things out with our minds. Generally, this causes additional tension in the body, sending the message of additional stress back to the brain, creating a negative feedback cycle. This is another way peripersonal space affects health.

Your body posture gives unconscious messages to your brain, impacting you on subtle but significant levels. When you are slumping over your computer or cell phone, your brain reads this as stress, and produces more stress hormones. Even though you may not be feeling anxious or depressed, you are giving your brain messages implying that there is a problem. Becoming aware of your peripersonal space can help you sense your posture, and what messages you are giving your brain. It is not about holding a posture that looks good; you need to take the time to align your body – brain.

Research shows that cortisol levels go up or down according to your posture, and that standing or sitting in an expansive posture decreases your cortisol level. For greater detail about this, here is a wonderful video that seems long but teaches you simple, short exercises to improve your body-brain connection.

I hope you find the websites mentioned above as informative and helpful as I did.

As we go in to the holiday season, take time out to allow your body to give your brain some positive input!

I think one of the best ways to re-align and slow down and connect to yourself is taking time (even 5 minutes) during the day to do constructive rest position.

For starting the New Year off right, the January newsletter will be on the lymphatic system, featuring Lucy Rush. Denise and I will be doing a workshop called “Rest, Restore and Realign” on January 13th. Click here for details.

Have you ever noticed how your posture changes with different emotions or with stress? In my personal experience, as well as what I have seen in clients, during times of stress or emotional reactivity our nervous system takes over. When we are frightened or upset, the shoulders raise up in the “startled response.” When the nervous system registers that everything is okay, our shoulders relax and calming breath replaces held breath.

With different emotions our posture and our breathing change. With fear we tend to pull in and breathing gets rapid; with anger we usually tighten and exhale more rapidly; with sadness we tend not to exhale deeply, holding back tears and tightening the whole body. Unfortunately unless we listen to our bodies and respond to the stress or emotional needs, our nervous system stays stuck and does not release. Too often this becomes a repeating pattern. For greater depth and understanding of the trauma this causes the body, go to the Somatic Experience website or read Peter Levine’s book,Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.

The good news is that release and change can occur as we listen to our bodies. One’s body may need rest, emotional expression or in some cases professional help to unwind the trauma in order to once again have a regulated autonomic nervous system.

Sometimes spending too much time at the computer will put our posture out of alignment, creating stress on our whole body/mind system. Then add in emotional upset and anything can happen: pain, accidents, feeling of out of alignment in all areas or our body/mind/spirit.

Pain and discomfort are our body’s way of getting us to listen. The good news is that when you do listen, you can bring about change and learn more about your self and your body’s needs; you can work with your reactions rather than feel you have no control. You can learn to push the pause button and not explode or implode. This of course takes patience and willingness to change some of the habitual responses.

Finding some form of body awareness or bodywork that you can do on a regular basis to support the changes you want to make is very helpful.

The first step is finding the desire to listen to your body, developing that relationship of awareness rather than ignoring it, and learning to appreciate all the myriad of possibilities your body is capable of when you are aware and honor it’s needs. It does not have to be expensive massage or body work, you can do self massage and find CD’s or DVD’s that guide you through movements and awareness.

Of course having lessons of Alexander technique or other forms of body awareness is always informative and supportive.

Here are a few of my favorite suggestions for developing awareness:

1. Lying down in Rest position – lie on your back with support under your head so that your ears are in line with your shoulders your hips, your knees are up and feet flat and hip width apart. In this position you are supported and can relax and let your body lengthen and widen. Sensing any tension you can breathe into that area and let go. You can sense your skeleton and allow lengthening along the bones, releasing any holding in your joints. Let your breath take your ribs away from each other.

Click here for more details.  

2. Find a place to walk in nature, preferably one with lots of green. Being in nature is relaxing for the body, taking in the green color is soothing to the nervous system. Google Forest Therapy for more details and to see studies done in Japan regarding the benefits. Here is a link to an informative video about Forest Therapy:

3. Find ways to move your body that are enjoyable to you. This could be walking, dancing, lying on the floor and stretching. Finding pleasure in movement will encourage you to do it more often.

Here is a link to a great form of dance, 5 Rhythms which was founded by Gabrielle Roth.

4. I find consciously releasing held emotions from the body very helpful. Sedona Method is something you can do on your own and is very simple and beneficial.

Here is a link to free talks on releasing. (WRONG LINK)

Or, you can also Google “The Sedona Method” for more information.

5. Perhaps most important is to let yourself exhale. I find most people do not exhale fully, so taking time through out the day to exhale can make a big difference in stress level. It’s also a good thing to do when you are upset – remember counting to ten before you react to some upsetting moment? Add exhaling and the benefits increase.

6. There are many forms of meditation and meditation has been proven to reduce stress. Breathing through the Whole body: The Buddha’s Instructions on Integrating Mind Body and Breath by Will Johnson is a great read and gives one a deeper understanding of the body and breathing. Here is a link to his website: www.embodiment.net

All the best,

Elaine

Ah feet, how little attention we give them and how much they do for us. Since they are the support and foundation of our body and essential to movement, let’s give them some recognition.

What do you think of when you think of your feet? They are so Important to us but are often neglected unless they are hurting or needing new shoes.

For centuries women have been at the mercy of what shoe designers deem appropriate. (Most men have not had to go through the pains of high heels and super pointed shoes.) But the exercise and awareness is of course for all feet, no matter how big, small or what sex they are.

CLICK HERE if you just want to go right to the exercise.

For me and many others the level of comfort in shoes is perhaps the most important in making a choice of shoe. Luckily shoe manufactures are aware of this now. We no longer have to force our feet into too-tall, too-tight or too-anything shoes.

Who remembers when Birkenstocks and Roots hit the market? They were not much for the fashion world, but they did add much to promote comfort in shoes. Now there are many shoes available with both style and comfort. (My daughter and my friend Lee, both high hell–I meant heel–junkies would say high heels are comfortable.)

The latest rage in shoes is the “running barefoot” — the Vibram five fingers shoe. I have resisted these for some time; the thought of having no arch support with my high arches was not enticing. But I really liked the idea of getting my toes to spread. When I finally tried them, I felt how relaxed my foot and was I was sold. As Vibram says, “The more it looks like a foot the more it acts like a foot.” As many of you may or may not know, the outer toes are for support, agility and flexibility. The weight and movement is really meant to go through the big toe; I think that’s why we have that big fleshy mound on the bottom of the big toes. If the other toes are able to separate and aren’t all smashed together, then you have more support from them.

I do not think these shoes are for everyone. If you have flat feet or knee problems go slow and investigate what is best for you. There are exercises available for to improve and change your support.

Check out Body Control by Lynn Robinson & Gordon Thomson. Also Peter Egoscue has some great exercises for Flat feet and Ankles in his book Pain Free.

Unfortunately most people realize too late what not giving attention to the feet does. With bunions and other foot problems as we age, the most dominate thing that happens is less activity. I am not saying don’t ever wear high heels; some women love them and want that look (My daughter and Dear Ms. Lee wouldn’t be without them) But finding a balance and noticing what happens when you do wear those kind of shoes can help prevent problems later.

Regardless of what shoe are wearing, becoming aware of your feet through Alexander Technique, foot reflexology, and the following exercise will make a difference in your support system.

Foot Massage exercise:

As you massage your feet sense the bones, touch along the bone and feel the individual bones, do they feel pliable or hard and stiff? Follow them from the beginning of the toe out to the end. Do the toes tend to be stuck together as if they were still in a shoe or can you spread them easily? As you rub the bottom of your foot where are the tender points? You can check the reflexology chart and see what organ or body part that might relate to.

Waking up the feet and your awareness of them

Stand with your feet hip width apart, bend one knee forward and lift your ankle (your foot will be in the same position as if you were wearing a high heel.) Now roll slowly across the ball of your foot starting with your little toe all the way to the big toe, then reverse this so you are moving back and forth at least 5 or 6 times. Now pause and take note of any changes, sensations or awareness. With the same foot solid on the ground, imagine your lower leg is like a pencil and you are going to trace a circle on the bottom of the floor, moving your leg in a circle in one direction a few times and then the other. When this is done, stop and compare the side you have worked with to the side you have not worked with. Is there any change or difference? Did that bring more awareness to your foot, knee, hip relationship? Now repeat this on the other side.

You will want to be aware of your whole body as you are doing this exercise, maintain an upright spine and ease in your neck.

Please feel free you email if you have any questions. Thanks for reading and let me know if there is a topic you would like addressed.

All the Best,

Elaine