This article is part of the SoleHealing Fundamentals series.

Dynamic Movement – Physical Aspect

Stretching helps order the body and movement helps with reorganization that is necessary from periods of inertia. Think of natural rhythm like stretching and relaxing. An aspect of movement with a natural resting place. 

Dr. Janice Brown D.Ac.

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Physical Movement

Learn to listen to your body signals.

These feelings are such important messengers, and they are directing you to specific activity that will help you to feel better in the moment. In our habits and routines, we become well practiced at rationalizing these subtle feelings away. When was the last time you noticed what movement your body was asking for?

Like many people these days I have a watch or some form of device that actually taps me and says, time to stand, breathe, move. This is a mental awareness or a reminder. What we are talking about in this article is the intrinsic body awareness that you are perceiving that it is necessary to move the physical aspect of yourself into a different position.

It’s time to open to a deep awareness of your own guidance system and let that be your notification of need. To begin with start paying attention to these three fundamentals: standing, sitting and lying down.

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Standing

If you feel like standing up, then go for a walk. Ideally, outside and in the fresh air as much as is possible, even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. 

Fresh air is revitalizing and consciously brings your awareness back to where you are in the moment and then you can decide how your body is feeling and what positional choice needs to be made next to begin to feel better right now.

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Sitting

If you want to sit down, maybe you have been involved in too much activity and it is time to take a rest break. A rest break is a nice way of thinking about sitting on purpose. 

Sitting, is actually an energetic preparation for the next series of movements. It gives you a chance to sit and reposition yourself in your body and your mind for whatever the next opportunity is. Think of it as a pause and regroup.

Recalibrating positional awareness

If you sit frequently through the day, you will need to take the opportunity to stand up and walk around from time to time to give the body back its sensing perspective of what it would benefit from next.

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Lying Down

This sense of body position awareness is your own personal guidance system. 

So, if you feel like lying down, do it. Your body needs a moment of pause or stillness. This doesn’t necessarily mean sleep, it is rest. Psst… this is a ‘no-device’ time. Tune in, move around a little bit, follow your body’s cues.

I find, my body appreciates it when I “point my heels”. That seems weird. But it actually creates a very subtle stretch that spaces out the joint spaces in your body, along your spine, through your hips, knees and ankles. Try it and see. PS, I always do this lying down on a soft surface like a bed or couch where my body feels supported so I don’t need to brace or hold up any aspect of my body. Point one heel, and then the next, now both and repeat. Breathe into all those spaces that you feel opening up in your body. This is a quick recalibration. You can also do the full subtle joint space release series.

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Don’t forget that movement also includes movement of your mental aspect and emotional movement, these are both absolutely necessary for fundamental health.

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ACTION: Get aware. Have you been flopped on the couch, binge watching Netflix for 6 hours straight and only moving to reach for your snacks? Is your body screaming at you to stand up, walk or sit? Maybe you’ve spent the morning at your zoom station or desk and really need to move out of the sitting position…but when? When you’re done that last page of work, or when your body whispers to you? Listen to the whisper.

Dr. Janice Brown D.Ac.

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This article is part of the SoleHealing Fundamentals series.