FEET
Parallel along the lines of the second toes, if these lines were pointing straight
Toes separated by widening of the feet through the balls of the feet
Equal weight on 3 points of the foot: the ball of the large toe, the ball of the fourth and fifth toes, and the center of the heel
Toes relaxed and not clawed
The arch is lifted (the acicular bone can be felt as a primary center of this lift)
KNEES
Knees unlocked, as far as the kneecaps being even with the end of the large toe
The greater the flexion of the knees, the more the pelvis naturally tucks under
Strong, aligned buttocks and thighs result in less knee flexion being required to maintain pelvic alignment
THIGHS (when feet are pointed straight ahead)
The front of the thighs (quadriceps muscle) are lifting the kneecaps (in a relaxed standing posture, this is slight) - this lifting of the kneecaps increases with increasing exertion in the legs.
The backs of the thighs (hamstring muscle) are as relaxed as possible
There is balanced activity of the lateral and medial rotators (this includes buttocks and thigh musculature)
PELVIS & BUTTOCKS
The pelvis stretches down in back and in front equally, so that the pelvic basin is not tipping to the front or back
The pelvis widens out to the front, back and sides, instead of squeezing together
The buttocks are active (not flaccid), without excessive contraction, knitting together or anal contraction
The greater the strength needed in the lower body, the stronger the tone of the buttocks
ABDOMEN
The abdominal wall remains relaxed
LOWER RIBS
Lower ribs remain in, particularly during inhalation
This involves activity of the psoas muscles, and creates a feeling deep inside the upper abdomen of pulling in and up, just below the lower ribs
CHEST
Lifted and open (sternum up and forward), without contracting the pectoral muscles
This is a stretching up which begins with the head and neck
SPINE
Upwards elongation and decompression, which for most persons, results in a straightening effect
Slightly lengthening during inhalation, and shortening during exhalation
SHOULDERS
Relaxed down, and out to each side
For those persons with shoulders typically rolled forward, the shoulders will also roll back
For everyone, the shoulders are "squared off”, which can be imaged and felt as rolling the shoulders back and down without drawing them together.
NECK AND HEAD
The neck elongates, while the head is held as though gently pushed back from the upper lip, and lifted from the top of the head - this must, of course, be done without any strain or forcing
Occasionally imagine and feel that the cranial volume is increasing as the cranium opens like a flower to the front, back and sides along the suture lines – this encourages normal cranial respiratory motion
When normalized, the skull widens out to the sides, shortens from front to back, and increases in vertical height during inhalation, with the opposite occurring during exhalation – visualizing and feeling this also encourages healing of distortions in the rhythm
FACE AND EYES
Neck, throat, and face relaxed
Eyes soft / relaxed / smiling
Visual and auditory stimuli allowed to flow in, rather than being grasped for outwardly – this will increase peripheral vision and hearing
Tip of the tongue touching the palate, just behind the upper front teeth
Lips touching lightly, with the jaws slightly separated
The outer corners of the mouth have a very subtle sense of lifting, in an inner smile – this is the “neutral” or “idling” position for the mouth, when you are relaxed and the face is not expressing other emotions
DEVELOPED NATURAL BREATHING
During relaxed states, breathing involves primarily the abdomen and lower ribs
During states of stronger activity, breathing also includes the middle and upper rib cage
During relaxation and moderate activity, the lower abdomen will protrude slightly farther during inhalation than during exhalation – however, it is not appropriate during normal daily activity to contract the abdomen to increase the exhalation
During stronger activity, the lower abdomen may not expand during inhalation, as the focus of the breath is increasingly in the chest; likewise, the abdomen may contract during exhalation
Parallel along the lines of the second toes, if these lines were pointing straight
Toes separated by widening of the feet through the balls of the feet
Equal weight on 3 points of the foot: the ball of the large toe, the ball of the fourth and fifth toes, and the center of the heel
Toes relaxed and not clawed
The arch is lifted (the acicular bone can be felt as a primary center of this lift)
KNEES
Knees unlocked, as far as the kneecaps being even with the end of the large toe
The greater the flexion of the knees, the more the pelvis naturally tucks under
Strong, aligned buttocks and thighs result in less knee flexion being required to maintain pelvic alignment
THIGHS (when feet are pointed straight ahead)
The front of the thighs (quadriceps muscle) are lifting the kneecaps (in a relaxed standing posture, this is slight) - this lifting of the kneecaps increases with increasing exertion in the legs.
The backs of the thighs (hamstring muscle) are as relaxed as possible
There is balanced activity of the lateral and medial rotators (this includes buttocks and thigh musculature)
PELVIS & BUTTOCKS
The pelvis stretches down in back and in front equally, so that the pelvic basin is not tipping to the front or back
The pelvis widens out to the front, back and sides, instead of squeezing together
The buttocks are active (not flaccid), without excessive contraction, knitting together or anal contraction
The greater the strength needed in the lower body, the stronger the tone of the buttocks
ABDOMEN
The abdominal wall remains relaxed
LOWER RIBS
Lower ribs remain in, particularly during inhalation
This involves activity of the psoas muscles, and creates a feeling deep inside the upper abdomen of pulling in and up, just below the lower ribs
CHEST
Lifted and open (sternum up and forward), without contracting the pectoral muscles
This is a stretching up which begins with the head and neck
SPINE
Upwards elongation and decompression, which for most persons, results in a straightening effect
Slightly lengthening during inhalation, and shortening during exhalation
SHOULDERS
Relaxed down, and out to each side
For those persons with shoulders typically rolled forward, the shoulders will also roll back
For everyone, the shoulders are "squared off”, which can be imaged and felt as rolling the shoulders back and down without drawing them together.
NECK AND HEAD
The neck elongates, while the head is held as though gently pushed back from the upper lip, and lifted from the top of the head - this must, of course, be done without any strain or forcing
Occasionally imagine and feel that the cranial volume is increasing as the cranium opens like a flower to the front, back and sides along the suture lines – this encourages normal cranial respiratory motion
When normalized, the skull widens out to the sides, shortens from front to back, and increases in vertical height during inhalation, with the opposite occurring during exhalation – visualizing and feeling this also encourages healing of distortions in the rhythm
FACE AND EYES
Neck, throat, and face relaxed
Eyes soft / relaxed / smiling
Visual and auditory stimuli allowed to flow in, rather than being grasped for outwardly – this will increase peripheral vision and hearing
Tip of the tongue touching the palate, just behind the upper front teeth
Lips touching lightly, with the jaws slightly separated
The outer corners of the mouth have a very subtle sense of lifting, in an inner smile – this is the “neutral” or “idling” position for the mouth, when you are relaxed and the face is not expressing other emotions
DEVELOPED NATURAL BREATHING
During relaxed states, breathing involves primarily the abdomen and lower ribs
During states of stronger activity, breathing also includes the middle and upper rib cage
During relaxation and moderate activity, the lower abdomen will protrude slightly farther during inhalation than during exhalation – however, it is not appropriate during normal daily activity to contract the abdomen to increase the exhalation
During stronger activity, the lower abdomen may not expand during inhalation, as the focus of the breath is increasingly in the chest; likewise, the abdomen may contract during exhalation
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