A few years ago, I wrote The Trouble with Belly Breathing which took off in readership over the past year and a half. I’ve gotten requests to write a follow-up article on ways to use more of your lung capacity, so here we are! If you have a hard time breathing into your chest, sides, or back, whether from long COVID, anxiety, or something else, this is for you.
Read moreQuarantine and Kindness
I spent Friday evening in a Feldenkrais workshop on presence - presence with yourself, presence with others, and being present with both at the same time while keeping boundaries clear. The original plan was for a full weekend workshop, but obviously that didn’t happen, so the trainer, Donna Blank, offered a short online version. In the beginning of Donna’s work, she asks you to close your eyes, feel your contact and support from your chair and the floor, and look for a “felt sense” of the experience of just being there - sensory cues that tell you how you are rather than thoughts or emotions. It turns out, for me, that this is a very scary thing to do while dealing with quarantine.
Read moreWhere's Your Computer Mouse?
Have you ever considered the placement of your mouse on your desk? Where is it in relation to where you sit or stand? Close to you? Far from you? Tucked in front of you? Way off to one side? Each option has implications for your hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, and neck, and some options can really cause trouble. Here are a couple of recent examples from my clients.
Read moreDegrees of Awareness
The question of how much physical awareness one needs to get by has been on my mind a lot lately, and the variety person to person and day to day is astonishing. Think about it for yourself... How much attention do you need to give your feet as you walk down the street? How much does that change if the sidewalk is bumpy? What if you have a sprained ankle or some other foot injury? Are you someone who can walk while looking at your phone or reading a book?
Read moreBalance and Your Nervous System
This month, I've had the wonderful opportunity to help run a class taught by fellow Feldenkrais practitioner Becci Parsons on improving balance for people with peripheral neuropathy. This means that because of nerve impingement or nerve damage, they can't feel their feet to one degree or another. It's a very scary condition - imagine going through your day, unable to tell without looking where your feet are under you.
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