How does this work? 

In the next several paragraphs, I’m going to discuss why isolating and engaging muscle groups in the feet, there is a brain-to-muscle repatterning that affects the muscles of the neck and shoulder area.

First, did you know that our entire body is encased in fibrous tissue that functions as the biological fabric that keeps our muscles, organs, and joints all together? This is called the fascia. When your body is inactive or experiences stress ongoingly, the fascia can become stiff and sticky. As a result, this causes the body to become less flexible and mobile.

Also, there are fascial lines throughout the body. According to Tom Meyers, author of Anatomy Trains, there are 12 specific fascial lines mapped throughout the body.

These lines wrap around specific muscles, separate muscle fibers, and muscles from bones, as well as connect them. They are involved in all movements the human body is capable of performing.

The fascial line that is repatterned (lengthened) in the Foot Sliders runs from near the bottom of the foot (heal), up the back of the calves, legs, and back, and then goes up the back of the skull, over the top of the head and attaches near the forehead.

As a result of performing this Somatic Movement Flow, the connective tissue (mainly the fascia and muscles) are lengthened, thereby unlocking tension and stiffness in the back of the neck and upper back.

Secondly, for those of you not familiar with anatomy and physiology, perhaps you’ve heard of Reflexology? Reflexology is a manual therapy (often included in a massage) utilizing the application of pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears to relieve stress and promote overall health. (See the map of the foot that highlights areas of the body that are affected by pressing on these points)

The area of the big toes is important for reflexologists because that is where the head, brain, pituitary and pineal glands, and upper cervical spine (neck) reflexes are located. When these reflex points are stimulated through mindful touch and movement, it can effectively release tight muscles of the neck and upper back.

Through consciously bending the big toes as in the Foot Sliders, specifically the area where a crease connects the toe and the ball of the foot, the muscles of the back of the neck restore to a more optimal length in a resting position. This is the reason why most people experience such a dramatic increase with their range of motion during the post-check part of this Flow.

In conclusion, it is noteworthy to mention that with consistent practice with this, and every Somatic Movement Flow, the positive effects are cumulative and long-lasting.

See our Tips and Guidelines to enhance your success.

Modification: 

If you find it difficult to sit comfortably on the floor, then you can explore this Somatic Movement while sitting in a chair. This is especially helpful if you are a desk worker and want quick relief from looking down at your computer monitor. In either case, just kick off your shoes and practice up to five repetitions with each foot. Remember to check-in before and after exploring the movement with each foot. When we do this, it causes the brain to register the reward of increased flexibility it anchors in the repatterning for long-lasting positive results. 

Give it a try and see for yourself! This flow is just one example of movements that I will be teaching and guiding you through in my new workshop series.

I’m excited to announce the newest edition to the Gentle Somatic Family of offerings:

Please join us in real-time to practice Gentle Somatic Yoga® and connect with our international Somatic Wellness community. Somatic Sanctuary™ is an ongoing monthly 2-hour LIVESTREAM Somatic Movement Workshop Series 

Click the link below to learn more about this experiential Gentle Somatic Yoga® (GSY) workshop monthly livestream event: 

To receive a FREE 30-minute home practice, click here. 

The post Erase Neck Pain ~ Somatic Movement Flow®: Foot Sliders appeared first on Gentle Somatic Yoga.

You can watch and practice all Flows at once, or explore them one at a time at your convenience. The anatomical focus continues to build on previous videos I’ve shared: neck, shoulders, and upper back. 

For those that like to understand, from a scientific and practical level, how/why Gentle Somatic Yoga & Wellness® is highly effective and unique compared to other styles of yoga might also enjoy further explanations found in this video. I’ll also provide more details in this week’s blog. You can find it on our website under blogs here. 

For more self-help videos like this please visit Somatic Wellness TV gentlesomaticyoga.com/somatic-wellness-tv/

How it works…

The video above shows how to self-correct from poor posture from being sedentary, which many of us who work from home or due to today’s pandemic, now work from home. 

Sitting, even for short amounts of time, causes compression on the spine. And, when the body maintains the same shape the muscles in the front body can remain contracted, even when you think you are relaxed. 

Consider this:

Next time you are standing in line at a store look at the people near you and look at their posture.  You might notice that many people have their head and shoulders forward and down (haunched). Interestingly, most people are not even aware of this, let alone know how to change it. 

In our blog from a few weeks ago, Foot Sliders, we talked about fascia. Fascia is what our entire body is encased in:  fibrous tissue that functions as the biological fabric that keeps our muscles, organs, and joints all together. When your body is inactive or experiences stress ongoingly, the fascia can become stiff and sticky.  As a result, this contributes to the body becoming less flexible and mobile. 

Go here to read more https://www.gentlesomaticyoga.com/somatic-foot-sliders/

So why am I mentioning this? 

Because it is important to consciously move our body everyday for a  variety of reasons. And, the ones I’m going to share with you in this blog are the most important for this flow.

• Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. These changes range from individual neurons making renewed connections strengthening the brain-to-muscle connection. 

• Plasticity

Every time you learn something, neural circuits are altered in your brain. These circuits are composed of a number of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate with one another through special junctions called synapses.

When you learn something new, it is actually these synapses whose efficiency increases, thus facilitating the passage of nerve impulses along a particular circuit.

• Posture

The way gravity moves through the body is an unconscious experience. When we sit for too long with our head, bones, and ligaments not properly aligned, our muscles work against gravity.  In other words some muscle groups become overly engaged intending to keep the body upright and can stay contracted even when the body changes position. This reflex is called sensory motor amnesia. 

• Sensory motor amnesia

Sensory Motor Amnesia is the root cause of most chronic muscular pain and misaligned posture. It is when the brain has lost the ability to relax tight, contracted muscles that are in effect functioning on “cruise control”.

With Sensory Motor Amnesia we temporarily loose voluntary control of specific muscle groups. When this happens the muscles stay contracted despite our best efforts to relax them. 

How do you reverse Amnesia? 

In Gentle Somatic Yoga and Wellness, the Somatic Movements are designed to assist in unwinding from unconscious habits, creating new neural pathways,  and increasing neuroplasticity. 

Through these practices, you can retrain the brain to notice (sensory) how to move – or not move.   From here you can make the decision to mindfully contact chronically tight or contracted/frozen muscles and instruct them about how to release or “unwind” (motor). We do this through practicing therapeutic corrective exercises called Somatic Movement Flows. Through slow and mindful movement, your pain and stiffness can be erased and new neural pathways in the brain will keep it this way.

See our Tips and Guidelines to enhance your success.

Enjoy!

In Radiant Health,

James Knight, Founder of Gentle Somatic Yoga and Somatic Wellness

To receive a FREE 30-minute home practice, click here. 

The post Somatic Movement Flow®: How to Correct Poor Posture | Celtic Cross, Somatic Neck Release and Looking Over Shoulder appeared first on Gentle Somatic Yoga.

This week’s Somatic Movement Flow® is called ‘Nodding Yes with Self Massage variations’. It will guide you into innovative ways to dissolve tension in this part of your body. You’ll notice I modified this Flow for the chair with hopes that you can practice this anywhere: on the plane, at your desk, or while watching a movie on the couch 😊.

As mentioned above, this Flow can be especially helpful to prevent or manage headaches. Be sure not to “overdo it” by pressing too hard with your fingers, or staying in a stretch too long (not more than 3 seconds!). Move in a way that feels good and nourishing to your body!

For more self-help videos like this, please visit Somatic Wellness TV gentlesomaticyoga.com/somatic-wellness-tv/

Did you know…

Tension headaches affect about 1.6 billion people (21.8% of the population) followed by migraine headaches, which affect about 848 million people worldwide every year! 

Although there can be many causes of headaches and migraines, Gentle Somatic Yoga® may be able to help prevent, diminish, or abort this unpleasant experience.

From a body (soma) level, anything you can do to lessen muscle tension in the face, scalp, neck, shoulders, and upper back, can significantly help headaches and promote overall relaxation. Included in this blog is a self-care video above that you can try on your own and experience the benefits.  

More things to ponder: 

If you would enjoy learning more about this subject, I thought it could be helpful to review the human nervous system, specifically alpha brainwaves and the parasympathetic nervous system because understanding this might inspire more ways to learn for self-correction. In Gentle Somatic Yoga®, the practitioner is not only repatterning muscles to a more optimum length (flexibility), he/she is also mindfully retraining the nervous system. This is done specifically through the art of interoception, breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation. 

In review of the brainwave states: 

Beta brainwave dominant: happens during our normal waking state when attention is directed towards cognitive tasks like engaging in problem solving, judgment, decision making, or focused mental activity. Emotionally this state can be provoked by worrying and/or, feeling defensive.

Alpha brainwave dominant: happens when one is more in a calm, neutral, and receptive state of acceptance. This is more of a “witness” state where one can observe without reacting…. Emotionally, this state can be enhanced by being relaxed, trusting, and peaceful…

Theta brainwave dominant: happens when one is daydreaming… or just about to fall asleep and there is a vague awareness of images and symbols within the mind’s eye… this is the intriguing space between the conscious and the subconscious worlds… Emotionally, this state is achieved when one is not “trying”… it happens when we are super relaxed and drifting with our consciousness… allowing enjoyable/pleasant feelings to arise without thinking about anything in particular…

Delta brainwave dominant: happens when one has entered deep sleep. Most people are not aware of this state. However, there are practices/skills that one can foster to enter this state consciously. Those include: Gentle Somatic Yoga® when we are in longer Body Scans/Savasana, biofeedback, and yoga nidra. 

In review of the nervous system: 

When we are in a Sympathetic Nervous System dominant state, we are triggered into the stressful reflex to fight, freeze, or flee. This is due to the perception that our life is in danger (real or not). 

When we are in a Parasympathetic Nervous System dominant state, we feel safe, calm, and receptive to learn something new. Also, when in this state, we avoid overworking/overdoing, and by doing so we restore the body (soma) into optimal states of health and wellbeing. This is the preferable state, and a natural byproduct, when practicing Gentle Somatic Yoga®. It ensures long-lasting beneficial results! 

Remember, the beneficial effects are cumulative; the more you practice. 

See our Tips and Guidelines to enhance your success.

Enjoy!

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Click HERE.

Wishing you a joy-filled and stress-free holiday season!

James Knight, Founder of Gentle Somatic Yoga & Wellness

To receive a FREE 30-minute home practice, click here. 

The post Holiday Somatic Movement Flow®: Nodding Yes with Self Massage appeared first on Gentle Somatic Yoga.

How does this work? 

In this blog, let’s discuss how and why most people find “miraculous” immediate results in this Somatic Movement Flow!

First, an interesting fact… Did you know that Americans spend more than $50 billion a year on back pain? Back pain can be caused by a variety of problems, including injury to muscles attached to the vertebral column. And, unfortunately, many traditional modalities (prescription medicine, surgeries, and gadgets to name a few) used to treat this condition offer temporary relief to the symptoms but the pain eventually comes back.

In Gentle Somatic Yoga & Wellness, we teach you how to reverse these conditions by going to the root of the cause of chronic pain/stiffness and repattern the brain-to-muscle connection for beneficial, long-lasting results.

Next, highlighting some anatomy involved in this Flow: the erector spinae is a group of muscles that work together to extend the vertebral column and thus maintain good posture. The muscles are stimulated by the spinal nerves. Many of these muscles are small and susceptible to injury. This is compounded when muscles are tight and compress the nerves that pass through the spinal cord. This can lead to chronic pain, and this can affect emotional equilibrium. 

One of the unique aspects of this Somatic Movement Flow® is that participants are invited to isolate and articulate the muscles surrounding each vertebrate. The brain loves this challenge because slow, smooth, and mindful movements can release deep stress-holding patterns held within muscles and repattern them back to their optimal length. In layman’s terms, this means that you gain flexibility and mobility of the spine.

In conclusion, remember, the beneficial effects are cumulative the more you practice. Also, you can easily explore this Somatic Movement sitting in a chair.

See our Tips and Guidelines to enhance your success.

Enjoy!

If you have any additional questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Click HERE.

May the Holiday Season of 2020 bring happiness and joy to you and your loved ones.

James Knight, Founder of Gentle Somatic Yoga & Wellness

To receive a FREE 30-minute home practice, click here. 

The post Somatic Movement Flow® : Beads on a Necklace appeared first on Gentle Somatic Yoga.