Dear Students:
For some reason, I seem to meeting a lot people that are experiencing neck & arm pain. After hearing their stories, I always feel compelled to give them tips on how they can lessen their upper body symptoms on their own. By softening the hands & jaw, one can improve the movements in the vertebrae, wrists, elbows, & shoulders. All it takes is a moment of awareness for one to be able to stop a habit that no longer serves them.
The following two explorations are to help you perceive and understand the importance of what I am saying:
1) Place an index finger, bent like a hook, between your teeth without intentionally biting down upon it. Next, make a fist with your other hand and sense if this causes your teeth to press into the finger in your mouth. May you sense this, as it is a demonstration of the direct connection between your hands & jaw.
2) Rest one palm lightly on the back of your neck, then purse your lips, tongue and jaw while feeling if the neck muscles tighten. If you can sense this, you are witnessing these muscles contracting in reaction to what is happening with your mouth.
I hope these explorations shed a light on how tensing these areas unnecessarily can compromise movement in the superior extremity joints. Over time, this can cause the nerves and muscles to become irritated.
The following awareness questions may help you elevate the quality of how you carry out repeated tasks such as writing and typing:1) How lightly can you hold a pen and still have good penmanship? When you sign a check do you have white knuckles? 2) While typing on the computer do your shoulders rise up to your ears? Does your tongue press or move around in your mouth in an unwanted way? 3) Is it possible to text on your phone with space between your lips and teeth? Do your thumbs continue to reach and press when you are finished with your message?
When asking students to become aware of how they move, Moshe Feldenkrais says: “This demands a great deal of quiet attention because the habit of life is not so easily seen.”
May you take the time each day to thoughtfully attend to yourself so you can establish more pleasing ways of being in the world.
~Donna
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