Tag: somatosensory experience

Summer Fit Tip

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Fit Tips.

One of the many things I love about June, July, and summer in general is gardening. Full disclosure, I am possibly the most ineffective gardener on the planet, but what I lack in skill level I make up with unbridled enthusiasm. Gardening can be a relaxing and even meditative experience. Unless, of course, your efforts are completely demolished by one epic hail storm, which is exactly what happened to me last week. Ah well. But, after another trip to my favorite garden shop I was once again planting, raking, and laying down compost. That’s when I had a mental head smacking moment. Gardening offers a great opportunity to reinforce good posture, body mechanics, and even strengthen your core, legs, and upper back and shoulders while mobilizing your hips. On the other hand, you could also...

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Mindful Meditation or Back Yard TV

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

Ahhh, meditation. Every “expert” I know sings the praises of mindful meditation along with the many health benefits including stress management, reducing negative emotions, and increasing patience and tolerance. I have often been told by multiple experts, “You need to meditate. You’re so high strung, and it’s the only way to calm your mind.” To say I’m high strung is an understatement, but I prefer to think of it as high energy. One of my ballet teachers once said that I had “big energy.” I took it as a compliment until one of the dancers said, “That’s a nice way of putting it.” Hmmm….I wondered what she meant by that. The look on her face indicated it wasn’t a compliment. Along with having high energy, I...

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A Feldenkrais(R) Valentine

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Feldenkrais.

I have always loved Valentine’s Day, mostly because of the pretty decorations, but no Valentine’s Day could possibly compare to my first Feldenkrais Valentine’s Day. I was in the second week of Feldenkrais Training, and deeply engaged in an Awareness Through Movement lesson, lying on my back, sensing my contact with the floor, and gently rolling my head from side to side as invited to do by my teacher who was leading the class through the lesson. During a rest, I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling. I was lying directly under a huge chandelier, which could be a little disconcerting in itself if you think about it. What if it fell and landed on my head? I started to do what I did best, which was worry and perseverate on anything and everything that could possibly...

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Strong arms, soft shoulders.

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Feldenkrais.

Here is a wonderful exploration for finding the connection of your arms through your shoulders and spine. 1) Sit on the floor with your knees bent out to the sides and the soles of your feet facing (but not touching) each other. You may need to place a folded towel under your sit bones for comfort. Place your hands on the floor behind your pelvis and lean into your arms and hands. Play with the placement of your hands. Do you prefer your fingers pointing away from yourself? Towards yourself? Somewhere in between? Take a few minutes and very slowly explore where your arms and hands can be so you feel your arms can easily support you. Stop. Take your hands away from the floor and rest. 2) Return to sitting with your knees bent, soles of the feet facing each other and place your hands behind...

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