Breathing 101
Our breathing reflects every emotional or physical effort and every disturbance.” – Moshe Feldenkrais. Moshe Feldenkrais wrote extensively about the importance of breath and breathing, emphasizing the importance of awareness and self- discovery in breathing, rather than adhering to one “right” way to breathe. In the fitness world, the common practice is to exhale during the […]
Between stimulus and response
Sixteen weeks and counting This week I looked back at my calendar and realized that this upcoming week (June 30) marks the 16th week I have been teaching Awareness Through Movement® classes virtually, on Zoom. Sixteen weeks! I am very grateful to everyone who has been joining our weekly classes including current and former students […]
Now more than ever it is important to take care of yourself
It has been 10 weeks since the WHO declared a world pandemic on March 11 and a few days less since British Columbia proclaimed, on March 17, a public health emergency and then the next day, a provincial health emergency. We have been living in an altered world for two and a half months. Gatherings over […]
Get up and move!
I just came back from a 2 week holiday which included a week in London where I walked a lot and took public transit. I walked for hours and hours and at the end of the day felt tired but great at the same time. I didn’t have any back pain, or neck or shoulder […]
Imagine the possibilities
Professor Amy Cuddle is one of this week’s TED talk speakers in Vancouver. She speaks about the power of body language. In an article in the Globe and Mail Cuddle describes what she calls “power posing”, how assuming a body pose of power before a stressful situation, event or interview can positively impact how you […]
Sleep
Sleep is a big topic of conversation. Every day I hear someone say they didn’t have a good night sleep the previous night or that they are notoriously poor sleepers. Insomnia refers to the inability to get to sleep or to stay asleep after waking up at night. Many factors can affect sleep including the […]
Easy stair walking
Walking up and down stairs helps to maintain mobility in your hip joints, legs and back. The old agade use it or lose it applies here. People that don’t walk stairs on a regular basis eventually get rusty and then actively avoid stairs. Seek out stairs to help you stay young and agile. Aim for […]
Unglue Your Shoulders
Do your shoulders feel tense and tight especially after working at the computer for awhile? Does it sometimes feel like your shoulders are glued to your ears? Here is a quick sequence you can do to release tension in your shoulders and neck. Sit on the forward part of a chair. Place your feet flat […]
Increase the sensitivity of your hands
When Moshe Feldenkrais required eye surgery he consulted eye surgeons. It is told that when they examined him he felt they were too rough. So he taught them a lesson to help them increase the sensitivity in their hands. Here is an excerpt of his lesson, for you to explore: Sit comfortably on a chair, […]
Strengthening vs stretching
Alex Hutchinson reports in today’s Globe and Mail on a study completed at the University of Calgary’s Running Injury clinic which showed that a program to help runners with iliotibial (IT) band syndrome to strengthen their hip muscles was more effective than stretching only. The IT band runs along the outside of the leg from […]