People use the word “shoulder” to mean many things. Most people aren’t aware of all the body parts that make up the “shoulder” or of how the shoulder is intimately connected with and a part of our Whole Selves.
Deepened awareness and understanding of what makes up what we think of as the "shoulder" and the importance of the shoulder in all our movement: this is our focus as we explore movement together in Mindful Move Groove during this mid-winter time.
To help us have a better understanding of the bony structure of the shoulder, we recently watched: How Scapular Movement Works. I invite you to take a few moments to watch this video and explore the movement of your own scapula.
But what does this have to do with LOVE, another word people use to mean many things.
Awareness of the movement of all that is the shoulder and its relationship to the whole body is key if you desire effortless alignment. It is this awareness that allows us to move through our day with more ease in all the actions that include the shoulder (physically or mentally) such as reaching, grasping, embracing, pulling, hugging, comforting, creating, setting boundaries, starting your car and manipulating keypads and utensils!
When we allow ourselves to feel the firm structural support of the Lower Body into the Upper Body, our face, neck and shoulders can relax, and we are more able to soften and open our hearts when we desire to do so.
Wth the pelvis as our firm base of support, our upper body - chest, arms, and head - is able to suspend and lift with less effort. When our upper bodies expend less effort trying to hold ourselves upright, there is a natural opening and widening across the chest. With good structural support, we might notice that the area around our hearts is more able to radiate and expand. - Erika Berland, Sitting: the physical art of meditation
Deepening our somatic awareness of the parts of us that make up the shoulder, the ways these parts move and the ways these parts are integrated into the whole Self is just one way to cultivate our capacity to more effortlessly expand our heart energy and to radiate our love.
Remember, love is a verb, not a noun.
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And this is what Mindful Move Groove is all about! It is not just your ordinary exercise class. It is not just a dance class. Mindful movement extends way beyond the existence and movement of physical body parts!
Mindful Move Groove is:
an opportunity to explore and learn and move
in ways that support you in living your life more fully
with deepened awareness of spirit, body and mind
while also getting your groove on!