Tag Archives: movement awareness

Are you like me? Do you observe body postures in other’s? Check out these walking postures….

by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP

Upper & Lower Rotation -locked Head

Upper & Lower Rotation – locked Head

Are you like me? Do you observe body postures in other’s? Even prior to being a movement specialist I focused my attention on people’s body language. I remember a cuz asking me why I was looking at a friend of hers as she was walking towards us. Only I was a teen and didn’t know the answer at that time, which as it turns out is how I take in information!! For me, what people say out loud sometimes and what their body story do not match up. Even at an early age I began listening to body postures, not words!

In this picture above this gal has a nice upper and lower rotation however her head is locked! You can see that her right leg is forward while her left should is rotated forward, however her head is locked in a forward facing position.  What does this mean?  Her movement is not efficient so she is using too much effort in her activity.  What can she do differently?  Unlock her head and let is swing slightly as she moves forward.  Why?  Well let me show you some outcomes of a locked head (securely placed in one position always).

Sitting Posture

Head falling forward – depression, pain & anger

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Head falling forward – neck, shoulders, ribs, & shoulders frozen


Walking

Beautiful walking rotation posture enabling balance and ease in holding babies weight!

This posture is nice example of upper and lower rotation in walking. His head rotation is looking over his right leg to look at something on that side of him. However, for a more perfect alignment to support his babies weight, his head could be looking over his left leg.

Can you turn your shoulders left and right while turning your head in the opposite direction?

Learn more about your movement @ an upcoming workshop or class @ Monterey Centre – upcoming calendar. Movement focus events are on; Jaw, Balance, Walking, Breathing, Sitting and Self Awareness in Movement.


Copyright 2014 – 2024 Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
Jaw Release Program since 2007, Authored  Achieving your Goals  31 Day Program, Sleep Sweet Sleep, Kid’s Peace Bus Calendar of Values  Educational Program & InTouch with Your Values Self-Actualization Program.  Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement  since 2000, Labyrinths of Victoria since 2012, #yyj Peace Week Grassroots Calendar Founder, Vice-Chair of World Children

Triggered? Let’s call it what it is!

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Flight, Fright or Fight

Two powerful teachable moments yesterday in two separate workshops:

Movement:
  • shoulders response to flight, fright or fight
Communication:
  • hesitating to speak honestly on speculation of the other persons fear reaction and pointing out what is actually stopping one from being honest is their own fear?
Read more on flight, fight, freeze

Check out upcoming workshops or book  your own personal movement or empathy coaching session


Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
 Authored  Achieving your Goals  31 Day Program, Sleep Sweet Sleep, Kid’s Peace Bus Calendar of Values  Educational Program & InTouch with Your Values Self-Actualization Program.Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement  since 2000, Labyrinths of Victoria since 2012, #yyj Peace Week Grassroots Calendar Founder, Vice-Chair of World Children’s Summit on Peace & Nature in 2015

Overcoming sexual blocks through Somatic Movement!

couple-814825_960_720As my practice matures, there seems to be more ease for clients & students to open to their  sexual shame and deep-rooted beliefs that have been implanted by themselves and others that no longer serve them.

In movement I experience sexual shame,  or issues,  expressed through the automatic blocking of specific patterns of  movement.  In other words, one’s brain has been trained to block certain movements. As the Feldenkrais Method is gentle and conscious, (not strategy focused or orientated around dogma), logic is available for someone to begin noticing the connection to the trained habit of stopping a movement.   When one notices a blocked pattern of movement and experiences that they are able to move easily through it, they can increase their ability to move in a certain way!   This is the point in ones Feldenkrais journey that I generally find honest and value-based communication makes a huge contribution.   If there is an urge to talk, the dialogue is limited to what the feelings and needs are now in the moment.  If there is no talking, or story telling, the experience can move into feelings of acceptance and forgiveness.  

With no stories hijacking the present moment experience into the past, there is increased  inner safety achieved. In that second of observing whatever it was blocking the mind, something new replaces it.  Some of the feedback over days and weeks are amazing!  The movement and language for me is the deepest empathy experience on the planet.

I have witnessed movement difficulties for women have not only been difficult sexual experiences with others but that they have themselves compromised their sexual integrity by submitting to sex when they didn’t want to but felt they had to.

In men I have witnessed judgement, self comparisons and low self-esteem.  As women, we have an urge to share our history with our partners which includes our sexual prowess, however, it diminishes their sense of being good enough!

In love and empathy singles/couple coaching, mentoring and classes I am pleasantly surprised at the level of sexual honesty that is emerging. It is powerful and liberating to talk about sex as a need. As important as water and air! My joy is to introduce it using Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.  I notice a difference  in the participants as in the introduction of basic levels of survival sex and the higher attainment levels.  When one is meeting greater needs,  there is more conscious awareness and heightened sexual life achievement!  It introduces conscious options and choices.  

  1.  Basic Sex – Disconnected to self and others (less ethics & integrity)
  2.  Heighten Achievement – Connected to self and partner (increased integrity & ethics)

In personal living spaces the focus of the occupants is telling through what is expressed in their surroundings.  If there balance between couples (and children) as well as their interests, sexual gratification will also be a struggle of balance between the two.

In all three approaches there is a focus on creating a power with relationship through inner reflection of outward actions..

  • Movement Action –  brain, body, emotional & mindful awareness
  • Mindful Action – awareness of  thoughts, emotions & responses
  • Environment – stimulus for generating responses & reactions

Explore unique ways of slowing down to check in and notice where your focus of attention is.  
This mindfulness of inner alignment can enhance your life experiences.
Techniques:  Intentional Actions with Goal Setting, InTouch Relationships & Communication, Awareness Through Movement with Feldenkrais® Method
Connect to book a personal movement, coaching or consulting session!

Copyright 2014 – 2024 Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Value-Based Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement  since 2000, Founder of Greater Victoria Peace & Intercultural Celebrations since 2010 & Greater Victoria Labyrinths since 2012, #yyj Peace Week Calendar Founder – 2014 & 201

Body Balance: Inverted Foot

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Observing and exploring  an inverted foot posture I was told that due to a medical condition as a child the tendons in some of the toes had been cut.  With no opinions and continuing to investigate what movement was available, without any one particular focus, the lesson ended with new joint movement in the ankle.  There was also more contact between the foot and the floor  with less inversion.

Upon return for the following lesson the foot presented itself without being inverted!  The curling in was not present.

Renee’s notes:  When viewing the inverted foot the image of a baby who has not put any weight on their feet yet or developed their limb, ankle and foot muscles is what came to mind.  Exploring it from this perspective created a curiosity that led the lesson.

Recommendation:  Explore the facts with a curiosity and forget the labels!

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©by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP, May, 2014
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement since 2000
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FAQ – Who would come to Inside Awareness?

 This is a great question:

  • The focus of Inside Awareness is on learning to increase the quality of life experiences beginning inside and expanding out.  Much like a drop water expands equally out on all sides.   The learning practice is based upon the four aspects of self; physical, emotional, mental and beliefs which are easily translated into focused areas of personal  and relationship development.
  • Inside Awareness programs have been designed for early childhood to end of life, (and all stages in between!)  Patterns of movement, habitual behavior and language, and lifestyles are a thread through life and are unconscious actions and reactions until a focus of attention is placed on them specifically.  Learning with Inside  is designed for developing this skill so something new can happen! This is to learn  moving beyond conflict, pain and struggle with more awareness and ease into a space of deeper connection inside and outside.

Therefore adults, parents, children, educators, employees and employers would benefit with these learning and coaching programs.

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©by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP, May, 2014
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement since 2000
Follow Inside on:

Facebook             Google Plus          Twitter          Pinterest

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Independence: The basics of developing support and fearlessness begins with connection to gravity

“What infants need is the opportunity and time to take in and figure out the world around them.”   Magda Gerber

Integrating the emotional and physical behaviors into ones own image of self

In private sessions with clients there is less distraction and the benefit can be  deepened awareness of their  own behavior.  This includes clarity  of how reactions are dependent on both thinking and locked in movement patterns.    The two are locked into behavior!

Clients searching for a change in their relationships will enjoy the simple movement techniques I introduce to increase their focus.   Some will begin to alternate between talking and movement sessions.  Both these types of sessions are designed to increase the success in their progress and are compatible.

Clients who come for improving their movement and reducing pain will find themselves integrating their emotional reactions that are  keeping them in their pain and strain.

Both types of clients discover physical movement and emotional reactions are married together in their reactions.  They come to know  the  value in  learning their automatic  habits.  If someone is able to observe their habits then there will be change.

One example is  a  client who discovered one of the largest muscles in their body and that they had not been using them.  They didn’t even know at first how to engage it!    This client originally came to improve their relationship connections.  To relieve their tension and increase their breathing patterns  I introduced small movements  for them to experience.  Afterwards  our sessions began to alternate between the two types of sessions, movement awareness and talking awareness.

They discovered a large muscle that was dormant and not being used.  They realized the strain that this put on their whole body in the effort to move in any activity.  They also realized they did not even know  how to activate this muscle.  There was no connection to the brain signals.

Then came  the awareness of  tension being held in another set of muscles.  The control that went into holding these muscles stopped any ability to  engage these new ones!  The control of this other set of muscles was directly related to emotional behavior!  The balance then came from intellectually knowing one is safe and supported to begin to release control.

I love my work!  When clients can experience their journey through learning techniques their journey is more concise and clear.  There is beauty in waking up the parts that have no brain awareness!  When this client stopped using these big muscles the brain lost the memory of it.  Therefore there is a disconnection until they relearn they have these muscles and  how to use it.  If they are not aware that they have stopped using it,  how will they even know about it?

This is something that cannot be learned through outside sources and activities. It takes a control environment of focused somatic learning.  

When the education stops change begin!