Exercising your Body-Mind

IN OUR MODERN WORLD, we recognise the interconnection of all things and beings. Quantum physics has paved the way for scientists, theologians, philosophers, artists and healers to embrace, and or, reassert the significance of the interconnectedness of life. The interrelation of the mind & the body is fascinating.  Once the body was thought of as being controlled by the mind. However, today, the body itself is seen as being a type of mind in its own right. We can also use the body to influence the mind, and the mind to influence the body! The boundaries between body & mind are becoming ever more blurred. Take that thought into the Pilates, yoga or movement class with you and start talking (and listening) to your body!

In 2007 I attended the Polestar Pilates International Conference in Sydney. The highlight for me, was Dr Louisa Walker's lecture 'Psyche and Soma: Emotions & the Bodymind'.  In her presentation, Louisa stated that the 'mind & body are inseparable in the organisms that we call the self', as both the body & the brain create & release chemicals that trigger our moods & behaviors. Each neuro-peptide receptor that is know in our brain, is also found throughout the body. Therefore, our states of mind are not specific to our brain, but are being created within the body itself. On the flip side, she also noted that many 'hormones', such as insulin, are also found in the brain.  The heart, for example, contains every neuro-peptide receptor (found in the brain), and many that govern emotions, leading to the idea that the heart is the place where our emotions ARE born. 'More afferent nerves (travel) from the heart to (the) brain than (from the) brain to (the) heart' (1).

A feeling, which may be felt in the stomach becomes processed by the brain to reveal information. Our 'gut instinct' has been found to have more credible validity. The entire lining of our intenstines is lined with nerve endings, which all contain neuropeptides and receptors(brain chemicals). This explains why we can feel emotions in our stomach. (2) 

HEALTHY BODY, HEALTHY MIND

CREATING a new physical experience by working on the body, in turn creates a new psychological state, just as shifting your psychological 'frame of mind',  creates a new physical experience. Establishing a practice of conscious & mindful movement, is the beginning of a path towards both a more peaceful mental state, and also a more comfortable body to be in.

Most of us are aware of the importance of exercise to our physical health. Exercise is also publicised again and again as a vital component of mental health. Exercise increases endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, hormones which elevate mood. Exercise also improves concentration and decreases stress, helps to guard against dementia and Alzheimers, improves cognitive activity, and results in more energy, higher confidence & stronger discipline. (3)

TALKING TO YOUR BODY

(Bringing the Mind into the Body)

Usually our physical being operates without consciousness. We don't have to think about breathing, pumping blood, growing new cells or digesting food, neither do we, generally, have to think about how to physically make our bodies move. We clap, walk,  jump, run, lift, carry, and swim without little conscious thought to do so.  However, bringing consciousness to movement can affect, transform & improve it. You can actually think yourself into a more full breath, thereby creating more oxygen in the body. You can think yourself into a taller spine, therefore off loading the joints. With a mere thought or idea, you can slow your pulse, calm your nervous system, release muscular tension, alter the recruitment pattern of muscles, change the shape of your spine, pelvis, neck, shoulders, pretty much anything you can 'talk to' can be affected.

Improving your awareness of, and control of, your body, requires an active, participating mind. Focusing the mind into the body begins a process of dialogue between you & your body.  'The puzzle of mind-body healing is how a thought, a nonmaterial object, can cause the brain to make a material object, a neuropeptide molecule, that will initiate communication to the immune system or the endocrine system, eventually leading to healing' (4).


Many body workers & movement educators use imagery and visual techniques to create a  feeling or a picture within a body. Once this image is held in the mind, it can become actualised in the body. We in fact 'use the same brain regions to recreate mentally, a set of movements (we) would have used had (we) physically performed them'.(5)

MINDFUL MOVEMENT

Mindfulness is a practice in itself. Fostering mindfulness during Pilates, yoga or any form of exercise you enjoy, will expand the benefits beyond purely the physical, and will also effect your mental state, allowing you to work more transformatively on a physical level. Meditation or physical practices such as Pilates are a fantastic way to begin listening to your body. The intelligence of your body can reveal much, listening will help you to understand what your body needs. 

I enjoy watching clients  tuning in to their breath, learning to activate 'new' muscles, improve their postural awareness, release unnecessary muscular tension, and gain confidence in having an internal dialogue with their body. Eric Franklin, imagery master has a new book 'Beautiful Body - Beautiful Mind'. This text looks at how we can use imagery techniques for beauty as well as health! http://www.optp.com/Products/Beautiful-Body--Beautiful-Mind__8619.aspx

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Bend and you will be whole.

Curl and you will be straight.

Keep empty and you will be filled.

Grow old and you will be renewed.

Lao Tzu 'Tao Teh Ching'

MOVEMENT OF THE DAY 

Imagery Exercise 

Stand or sit. Where is the weight through your feet or sit bones? Where do you feel you are holding yourself up from? How do your shoulders feel?  What about your neck, pelvis, jaw and legs? Now tune into your spine and see it as a stack of vertebrae and see if you can create space between each vertebrae. Taking your mind to your coccyx, let it hang down toward the earth. Feel the top of your head floating lightly upwards like a helium balloon, creating space throughout your spine. Beginning with your coccyx, slowly move up the spine allowing each vertebrae to float above the one below. .As you move up the spine, let the rest of your body melt and soften. When you arrive at the skull, feel it floating away from the base of the spine.


How has this image changed your physical body? Has the weight shifted through your feet? How do your shoulders feel now? What about your neck, pelvis, jaw & legs? 


NOTES

(1) Dr Louise Walker 'Psyche & Soma: Emotions & the Bodymind'  pg 21 Handbook, Polestar Pilates Australia & New Zealand Inaugural International Conference 19-21st October 2007, Manly NSW, Australia



(2) Dr Louise Walker 'Psyche & Soma: Emotions & the Bodymind'  pg 22 Handbook, Polestar Pilates Australia & New Zealand Inaugural International Conference 19-21st October 2007, Manly NSW, Australia

(3) http://ezinearticles.com/?Benefits-of-Exercise-on-Mental-Health&id=4719639

(4) Dr Louise Walker 'Psyche & Soma: Emotions & the Bodymind'  pg 29 Handbook, Polestar Pilates Australia & New Zealand Inaugural International Conference 19-21st October 2007, Manly NSW, Australia

(5) Dr Louise Walker 'Psyche & Soma: Emotions & the Bodymind'  pg 28 Handbook, Polestar Pilates Australia & New Zealand Inaugural International Conference 19-21st October 2007, Manly NSW, Australia

JADE EGG for female PELVIC FLOOR health.....

WHAT IS IT?

Jade egg practices originated from ancient Taoist practices. Today they are useful tools for Pelvic Floor health.  It is a small egg shaped stone made from pure Jade which you insert into the vagina. It has a hole running the length of it, to which you attach a string (unflavoured dental floss!), so that it's easy to take out. They do come in various sizes, but the standard size is about 5.5cm (2 1/8") long and 3 cm ( 1 1/8") wide. 

 BENEFITS

•  Increased, functional Pelvic Floor endurance
• Offload leg & hip muscles as you strengthen deeper within the pelvis
• Proprioception of Pelvic Floor, a great tool to use in conjunction with Pilates
• Decrease pelvic, leg & hip pain
• Increase pelvic stability & 'core' awareness.
• Healing properties of Jade tonify the kidneys, and assist fertility & childbirth.

The Jade Egg encourages the Pelvic Floor (PF) to contract, & strengthen, in a gentle, functional way. Melissa Macourek took her egg  into the pilates studio with incredible results and inspired me to explore it. You don't have to practise the Taoist exercises, unless you feel to. I have found that practising very gentle Pilates exercises & Pilates breathing is very helpful while 'wearing' the egg, as is simply walking around with it in.  Many yoga practitioners practise with a similar stone. For healing any PF damage, I would recommend having it in for short periods, 5-10 minutes at a time, everyday if possible. Practising for too long can fatigue the muscles, short, regular practise sessions will be most beneficial. Please consult a qualified Pilates Instructor or Pelvic Floor specialist for any serious damage or ongoing issues.

The best thing about the Jade Egg, is that you are strengthening the PF and allowing it to work as it should, which is subtly. You do not need to focus on 'squeezing' around the egg, or  trying to 'feel' anything. A healthy PF, after all, should work without you noticing it. You can however practise your Pilates Pelvic Floor lifts, and use it as a proprioceptive tool for working with PF in movement. I'm writing a PF blog at the moment, but it started becoming so long that I thought I'd write about the Jade Egg here separately.


Jade is a healing gemstone which has properties that are beneficial to the female reproductive organs. One of my favourite gem sites 'charms of light', writes of Jade:

"Jade aids the body’s filtration and elimination organs.  It is excellent for treating kidney problems and adrenal glands.  Jade removes toxins, rebinds skeletal and cellular systems, and heals stitches.  It assists fertility and childbirth.  Jade balances body fluids."

MY JADE EGG EXPERIENCE

I have been lucky enough to suffer very little PF stress incontinence during pregnancy, however, in 2007-8 I had a large uterine fibroid, which made it hard to connect to my PF and deep abdominals. Therefore, during this time, my adductors and hamstrings began overcompensating and I ended up with a lot of pain & tightness high on my hamstring insertion points and through the groin. After surgery and lots of pilates, this improved, but was still not 'right', and during pregnancy it became quite painful again.


Post pregnancy, after only a few sessions using the Jade Egg I had some incredible results. Simply wearing it around a few times,  and spending some sessions going through very basic pilates breathing, pelvic tilts, bridging, knee drops and knee floats, I had some profound results. Before then it had been an ongoing battle to take my leg into any loaded adduction (inner thigh squeezes) or straight leg hip extension or hamstring work, without feeling a lot of groin pressure and pain. With the egg in I felt my legs and groin letting go, and I could feel my PF (especially on the side that I experienced the leg pain) gently hugging the egg. I could feel that my Pelvic Floor on that side was weaker. My PF was clearly waking up and allowing me to off load the other muscles. I could control & articulate my spine much more easily with the egg in and it also enabled me to let go of my outer abdominals and connect to my deeper abdominals (transversus abdominus). Since then I have been able to increase the load on my hamstrings & adductors, & range of movement in the planes I was finding challenging and I haven't experienced any more pain! I also have an old hip injury from dancing which periodically flares up, and find that if I pop the egg in that it calms everything down.  Essentially, the Jade Egg brings you back into your center. I've found it so helpful for connecting to my 'core' in back extension (wunda chair, mat & reformer) & hip extension (mat, reformer scooter & knee stretch), for increased awareness & pelvic stability in reformer leg strapwork and short spine, for spinal and pelvic alignment & symmetry in bridging, lateral flexion and side lying work, and it has helped me to re-connect to my core in stronger work such as downstretch.

WHERE DO I GET ONE?

I purchased my egg at The Desilets Method, this is linked from Samsara Pilates. There are quite a few sites online that sell them, and if anyone knows where you can get them in Australia I'd love to hear! I chose a medium size which is the only size at The Desilets Method, some sites sell smaller or larger ones. Also, I would love to hear from anyone who gets an egg and uses it and has any feedback, especially if you suffer any urinary incontinence, hip pain or pelvic pain. Melissa Macourek has some great information and Jade Egg exercises for those of you that wish to explore specific egg work! 


  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

'Mental hunger and spiritual nutritional process often accompany physical hunger. We may sometimes feel our whole being starving for greater love and for banquets of healing truth.'

Nancy Mellon 'Body Eloquence'

MOVEMENT OF THE DAY

Imagine you are wearing a Jade Egg, and imagine that you can touch it from both sides. Is one side harder to feel? Can you touch it from front & back, is there any difference here? Try gently lifting it up, and then letting it slide down. Make sure you are breathing normally and that these movements are very gentle! Your belly should stay soft. My favourite part (from Samsara Pilates), can you 'put a lid on it'?

Exercise after birth....

Pregnancy, birth & the early stages of motherhood are truly momentous in a woman's life, each woman's experience as diverse as the women themselves. One commonality is the huge bodily changes she will go through during & after the pregnancy: hormonally, emotionally, physically & posturally. The rigours of motherhood are also hugely taxing: sleep deprevation, hours flexed forward to feed, carrying baby around the clock, and recovering from the birth. This is a time that requires a new mother to be patient, gentle, nurturing, kind and accepting of themselves.

Every woman will experience birth, pregnancy & the recovery differently. My advice to any new mother or practitioner working with a new mother, is to work slowly and gently. Take the pressure off! Allow a good 12-18 months to get back your fitness. You have the rest of your life to be as physically active as you like. This early baby time is short & precious and your body needs to be honoured & nurtured, not pushed.

NEW MUMMA EXERCISE TIPS

• There ARE parcels of time that you can  make valuable use of! A few times a week, or once a day, set aside one of baby's naps to GIVE YOUR BODY SOME LOVING.
•  I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF, especially in the first 3-6 months.
•  KEEP IT SIMPLE. You will be amazed the benefits you will reap from just 30 mins of breathing, one or two simple exercises or a few stretches and you will notice over time that you can do more & more.
• LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. It will tell you when you have overdone it. Trust your instincts, some days you will feel like doing more than others.
• WALK!! Spending time in nature, breathing fresh air and getting out of the house is invaluable. Walking is also one of the best forms of exercise you can undertake in the early months, and you can start almost immediately after the birth. Wear baby in a carrier or take the pram and walk for an hour each day.
• CONGRATULATE YOURSELF when you find time to re-connect with your body. 
• Abdominal work in the first 6 months should be very gentle, many people are ill informed as to the correct abdominal exercises that are safe. KEEP YOUR HEAD ON THE FLOOR (no crunches or sit ups!). Single knee floats are great, as are, knee drops and Pelvic Tilts or Bridging. You can progress to double knee floats when your deep abdominals are strong enough that you can keep your belly flat to lift the second leg!!  (this will feel light & easy, not a strain through the front of your body)
• FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO! There is so much you can do to strengthen your legs, arms, glutes & calves in first post natal months without putting pressure on your abdominals. Enjoy feeling these muscles strengthening!

EXERCISE GUIDELINES

• You are able to resume GENTLE EXERCISE at 6 weeks post vaginal birth, & 12 weeks.post Cesarean.
• Find a reputable PILATES Instructor with post natal experience & you will need a letter of clearance from your GP. 
• Have someone CHECK FOR A DIASTASIS (separation in the rectus abdominis). This is very common & just means you will have to be more gentle & patient with yourself. IT WILL HEAL and close and you WILL be able to do all your favourite exercises, just not yet!
• AVOID: Any exercise that puts strain on your rectus abdominis, such as the plank (push up position), crunches or sit ups, roll ups etc. (especially with a diastasis) I would avoid these for 6 months minimum, as long as you are breast feeding your ligaments & connective tissue are subject to the hormone relaxin, so be mindful.
• AVOID: Any big back extensions till you are sure your deep abdominals can support these movements. Large back extensions stretch the front of your body and can push your rectus abdominis apart. (especially with a diastasis). Avoid for at least 3 months.
• DO gentle Transversus Abdominis strengthening. Pilates is great for this, but make sure you aren't overloading your abdominals, LESS is MORE to begin with. 

DIASTASIS checking  yourself: Here's a great link, although if you have any concerns please seek professional advice! 

Pelvic Floor is a very hot topic & I am currently putting together an article with some great links, so I won't go into it too much here. Pregnancy puts a lot of strain on the Pelvic Floor, just carrying the baby to term is a big task! Birth itself can of course dammage the pelvic floor too. Many women have pelvic floor issues before the pregnancy also. If you know you have or have developed a problem in this area it's important to get rehabilitation of some sort. I do not advicate surgery and would try all other avenues first. Pilates is a great start (but make sure it's studio classes, rather than matwork, as there isn't the time or personal attention here to make sure you are working correctly), if you still don't notice an improvement, you may need more specialist help through a pelvic floor specialist or pelvic physiotherapist (physical therapist).

THOUGHT OF THE DAY 

"Essence and energy, body and breath, are indivisable: when the body does not move, essence cannot flow, energy becomes stagnant." Sun Ssu Mo

MOVEMENT OF THE DAY

CAT STRETCH 

This is a great stretch pre & post natally. Draw your belly into your spine and feel your tailbone hang down to your knees as you flex your spine. Keep your glutes (butt muscles) soft and your shoulders relaxed.  As you lengthen your spine and lift your chest forward, be sure to keep your lower back soft and your belly gently drawn towards your spine. You can hold each position for several breaths, or move from one to the other each time you exhale. 

BREATHING

Breathing is central to all physical & spiritual practices. Breathing is our main interface with our world, and it is intimately linked to our psychological state. 

The benefits of breath centered practices have been celebrated for thousands of years. In today's world with all the stressors we encounter, the need to 'breathe' has never been more important. Stress and anxiety are the cause of much illness & ill health, especially in western societies. Many of us live in a constant heightened state of anxiety and are unable to switch off our innate stress response. Deep breathing has been shown to reduce stress, which in turn brings the body into balance. 

" Breathing slowly and mindfully activates the hypothalamus, connected to the pituitary gland in the brain, to send out neurohormones that inhibit stress-producing hormones and trigger a relaxation response in the body."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/136646-why-does-deep-breathing-calm-you-down/#ixzz1D8JgosGC

Breathing practice has been shown to contribute to weight loss, reduce depression, insomnia & calm the nervous system amongst other benefits. Just 10 minutes a day is enough to literally transform your life! 

So next time you're in your Pilates or yoga class, or when you're jogging, swimming, cycling, practicing Qi gong or Tai Chi, whatever  your favourite movement practice, or when you're at home with some spare minutes.... try focusing on your breath a little more, let the breath guide you and see what you can learn from it. Slow down (or speed up) in your postures or exercises to accommodate the breath. Make breathing the focus rather than pushing your body, notice how much easier it is to move when the breath stays free & relaxed!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

"If you know the techniques of mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful smiling, you can bring your mind back to your body and you become truly alive." Thich Nhat Hanh

EXERCISE OF THE DAY

Taking the spine into slight extension has a very calming effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, and provides a shortcut to reaching a deep state of relaxation. 

Lie on the floor or bed with a small rolled up towel along your spine from the base of your ribcage to your skull (or lie on the length of a Pilates Foam roller on the floor, or a yoga bolster), knees bent and feet resting on the floor/ bed. Relax, keep your chin gently drawn down to lengthen the back of your neck, relax between your shoulder blades and let your ribcage sink down, let the pelvis and legs relax and keep the muscles that run either side of your spine soft, notice your breath. 

Feel your lungs expand out into your ribcage on the inhalation, noticing any tightness and breathing into it. On the exhalation let the air out slowly. 

BREATHE FOR 10-15 minutes before removing foam roller or towel. 

CAUTION: If you have any back issues,  keep you lower back relaxed and lie on a towel all the way from the skull to the sacrum. (This exercise should be comfortable and pain free, please stop and see a professional if you experience any pain.)

 NOTE: I find this really helpful in getting to sleep at night and believe it would be very helpful to you insomniacs out there! Place a flat folded T-shirt or towel under your upper back so that the extension is very slight. You can sleep with it there or if you stir, take it out (without waking yourself fully!)

NEW BEGINNINGS

My beatiful daughter Sascha Leilani was born June 18 2010, almost 8 months ago now, she's starting to settle into routines and is becoming less of a baby and more of a little girl every day....  

 

I'm finding myself better slept and excited about my life which feels full of new beginnings! I have recently begun working from home, teaching Pilates from my boutique style studio 'Anuenue Pilates Massage' in central Victoria.  (After working as an instructor in various pilates studios & for physiotherapists for the past 8 yrs in Australia, London & Hawaii).  anuenue.webs.com


Being a new mother is such a precious time, and with it, for me, has come a greater appreciation of time, breathing, relaxation and exercise, and finding space for this in my now rather full life!

I am finding I have more time at home, snatches of time in which I seem to be able to get an enormous amount done, quiet time (while Sascha naps) which is perfect for reading & online research/ socialising, and having my home studio I now have more of a chance to play & explore Pilates and also begin healing my post baby body! I have found my Pilates practice at this time has been a daily place of healing for body, mind & spirit, a chance for me to 'center', relax, nurture & repair, and helps to make me a more balanced mother & partner also! Although I'm blessed with an equipment studio at home, you can do so much with a mat & a couple of simple props. 

I am beginning this blog to share my journey, knowledge and body mind experiences. I will post exercises you can do at home, as well as books to recommend, thoughts, ideas & mantras that inspire me, guide me and that I feel to share!

I am currently reading Eric Franklin's books 'Relax the neck, Liberate the shoulders', and also 'Pelvic Power for men & women'... two bibles to come back to again and again and very accessible for anyone! My thought of the day comes from the Pelvic Power book...

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

'To achieve permanent improvement of strength, posture and flexibility we have to change our very patterns of movement, because only when a conscious change takes place on the level of the nervous system will something really change'.  Eric Franklin

MOVEMENT OF THE DAY

Again from Eric Franklin, but a technique I used daily as a Qi Gong practitioner....

Place your palms an inch or two apart and breath into your hands, notice the sensations, warmth, tingling, a magnetism, perhaps even heaviness. Gently move your hands away from each other and then towards (without touching), continue, and notice the thickness of the air between them. This is energy, qi or prana which is present in all living things and indeed in the earth itself. You can use this energy to heal yourself and others, you can gather it from the earth, sky, ocean, rivers and you can strengthen and build it with awareness & practise. 

After several minutes of feeling the energy between your hands, place them anywhere on the body that feels stiff or sore (if you're lucky enough not to feel tight anywhere you can place them on your kidneys) and feel the warmth and healing energy you have created as it moves into your body... enjoy!