I spent Friday evening in a Feldenkrais workshop on presence - presence with yourself, presence with others, and being present with both at the same time while keeping boundaries clear. The original plan was for a full weekend workshop, but obviously that didn’t happen, so the trainer, Donna Blank, offered a short online version. In the beginning of Donna’s work, she asks you to close your eyes, feel your contact and support from your chair and the floor, and look for a “felt sense” of the experience of just being there - sensory cues that tell you how you are rather than thoughts or emotions. It turns out, for me, that this is a very scary thing to do while dealing with quarantine.
Read moreSelf-Care Tips for Covid-19 Times
Over the past few weeks that quarantine has been in effect in Washington, I’ve talked to a few people who are doing really well and enjoying staying home, but the vast majority of us are struggling. Whether you’re stuck at home due to being immuno-compromised or an essential worker still leaving the house, it’s likely that your sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, or freeze) is on high alert. Here are some easy things to do that will give your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) a boost.
Read moreAn Accidental Experiment in Hand Dominance
I have never considered myself ambidextrous. I’ve learned some skills requiring ambidexterity (violin, piano, typing, and using my phone), but my left hand has always felt stupider than my right. A month ago, left handedness was forced upon me when I got a cat bite on my right forearm. Being a body and movement nerd, I became my own experiment.
Read moreImproving Cat/Cow
Cat/Cow alternates between flexion (Cat) and extension (Cow), but Cow can put a lot of strain on your lower or mid back if it isn’t done well. These poses are not as simple as they appear.
Read moreWhere's Your Computer Mouse?
Have you ever considered the placement of your mouse on your desk? Where is it in relation to where you sit or stand? Close to you? Far from you? Tucked in front of you? Way off to one side? Each option has implications for your hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, and neck, and some options can really cause trouble. Here are a couple of recent examples from my clients.
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