All posts by bodyasinstr

More on grounding

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Maybe you’ve been bringing more awareness to your feet this week; if so, good for you!  Now let’s add to what I posted last time.

As you sit in your chair at your computer, read this and then move your chair away for a bit and try it.  To bring mindfulness to your actions, you must take the time.

Begin by noticing your feet-how do they feel, what sensations are you aware of when you focus?  Maybe you feel them firmly on the ground, maybe not.  It’s just important to notice.  Now let your attention wander to the rest of your body.  What feels settled, resting comfortably in the chair?  Maybe the back of your legs, maybe your arms or hands, maybe your butt.  Just notice.

When you’ve found what feels most settled, stay there and breathe.  Allow your attention to go where the grounded feeling is and just breathe as you notice.  Maybe you’ve selected your arms; as you focus you may notice the feeling in your arms is spreading to your fingers, maybe into your shoulders.  Let it move-your job is to simply follow.

Your feet

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I’ve written a number of posts around the subject of feet; so important to so many aspects of life but often only noticed when they ache.

Try today to bring consciousness to your feet-not judgement but awareness.  What are they doing as you sit at your computer?  I just noticed mine were perched on my toes and decided to put the whole foot on the ground.  Sometimes, depending on your chair, this isn’t possible but right now just notice.

As you walk down the street, notice.  Are you more on your toes?  Heels?  Do your feet roll outwards, inwards?

If you’re a musician, and you play seated, bring your awareness to your feet before you start to play and during.  Are you grounded-do you feel your feet firmly in the ground?  When you’re playing a difficult passage, do your feet lift off a bit or stay the same?

If you play while standing, you can also notice your feet; it’s the beginning of whole body and mind consciousness.

Notice your feet while you’re eating, reading-whatever!  Just begin to take in, physically and mentally, that your feet are there and they can support you, are meant to support you.

Somatic Experiencing-4

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In previous posts, I’ve written about trauma and the nervous system.  As a reminder, a healthy autonomic system flows between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches.  Activation takes us up into sympathetic, letting go-deactivating-brings up back down to parasympathetic.  Notice the word ‘up’ preceding sympathetic.

Sometimes activation takes us away from our body(as in up and away.)  Let’s start by looking at this.  Sit in a chair and first get a general sense of how you are in your body right now, where you feel grounded.  Now recall an experience in which you felt activated; it might be anxiety, fear or sadness, to name just a few.

Now notice your body again.  Is it the same or has there been a change.  Often people feel pulled away from their grounding when activated, pulled up into the activation.  The beauty of SE is that it teaches very practical ways to teach the nervous system that it is okay to be grounded and to also be activated, to flow between the two branches.

Somatic Experiencing-3

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I am often asked if I practice SE with the general population and if I find it as helpful as I do with musicians and actors.  My answer is a resounding YES to both parts of the question.  In my private practice I see people who have body-related issues.  They may be performers or may come from an entirely different perspective, what they have in common is a nervous system that is stuck in a position that does not allow flow between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches.

Somatic Experiencing-2

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As previously stated, the Autonomic Nervous System(ANS) regulates all the basic body functions.  It is comprised of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches.  They control opposite physical and emotional states; in a way they are like opposite sides of the same coin.

The parasympathetic system(PNS):

  1.  stimulates flow of saliva
  2. slows the heartbeat
  3. stimulates peristalsis(wave-like muscle contractions that move food to digestive tract) & secretion
  4. stimulates release of bile
  5. contracts the bladder

Sympathetic system(SNS):

  1. inhibits flow of saliva
  2. accelerates heartbeat
  3. inhibits peristalsis & secretion
  4. conversion of glycogen to glucose
  5. secretion of adrenaline
  6. inhibits bladder contraction

The PNS helps us to relax-regenerate and let go after stress.  The SNS readies us for action; it regulates arousal. In a healthy, regulated system, there is a flow between the two branches, called a pendulation in SE.  The body is relaxed, yet alert.

Resources

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I haven’t had the time to sit down and write for a few weeks-so good to be back!

Thought I’d share the resources I gave to the parents and students after my presentation at Juilliard Pre-College; they are all very, very helpful.

1. WALKING MEDITATION-Many musicians have no sense of their feet and legs and don’t realize how crucial this connection is to their well being and to their sound-

Walk 12 paces (can be less) slowly across the room with your eyes closed, if possible. Return. Focus all your attention on the soles of the feet or lower legs.  When the mind wanders, refocus on your feet.  Set a timer, as in sitting meditation, start with 5 minutes, work up to 20, walking back and forth. IMPORTANT-your mind will wander, of course,  take that as a given.  This is not like practicing music where you are striving for perfection.  Only strive to be present for these few minutes, gently quieting your mind when necessary

2.BREATHING-The New Science Of Breath, www.coherence.com

I highly recommend this CD; I use it all the time.  It is engineered to modulate the autonomic nervous system and it does.

3. Neuroplasticity-The Mindful Brain, Daniel Siegal

I love everything this incredible scientist, psychiatrist, therapist has written.  His books give me hope, wonder and a desire for more.

Meditation

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Consistent meditation helps to restore resiliency; makes it easier to let go of tension, to maintain self-regulation. When we are stressed, the hormone cortisol is released.  This has an important impact on blood flow; the heart rate goes up, and blood is moved away from the brain’s highest cognitive center.  It’s a time when people make more mistakes;  they are distracted and the ability to recall important information diminishes.  Processing information becomes more difficult.

We all know this place.  I see musicians and actors who perform in this state all the time and have seen how important a daily meditation practice is to them.  It doesn’t eliminate stress, of course, but enables them to recover from difficult situations, to self-regulate.

The Adolescent Brain

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I am preparing for a workshop, Reaching The Inner Musician,  I am giving on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Juilliard.  This will be for Pre-College students and their parents and I am looking forward to it. In the next few weeks I will be sharing on this blog what I presented;  today I will write briefly about the adolescent brain.

We all know adolescence is a very difficult time; I know of no adult who would like to repeat this particular time of  life.  Between emerging sexuality; which for many is overwhelming; the search for a separate identity,;new and complicated relationships; academic demands and stress at home; negotiating this period can be difficult.

At the same time, the adolescent brain is in flux; it is exposed to serious hormonal changes and, more importantly, the prefrontal regions don’t fully mature until the mid-twenties.  This makes the important middle prefrontal functions unpredictable. They include regulation of heart rate, respiration and digestion, attunement to others and emotional balance.

Many studies have concluded that consistant meditation effects this area of the brain, making life easier. Even five minutes a day can make a difference.

Autonomic Nervous System-1

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The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is coordinated by the middle prefrontal region of the brain.  It is responsible for bodily functions such as heart rate, respiration and digestion. It has two branches: sympathetic, which is often compared to a car accelerator and the parasympathetic, similar to the car’s brake.  When there is a flow between the two-a balance-our mind feels calm and we are able to let go of much facial and body tension.  We are open.

When we detect a threat-environmental, physical or emotional-we usually go into a state of alert and activate the sympathetic branch.  It is here the body readies itself for action; adrenaline pumps and cortisol (stress hormone) is released.  Often the heart pounds wildly and the stomach churns. Muscle tension mounts.  We are on guard.

I have worked with many musicians and actors who perform in this state and feel, as a result of my SE training, much more able to help regulate their systems.

Somatic Experiencing-1

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In the last few years I have become very interested in learning about the autonomic nervous system and its role in the healthy (or not) functioning of the body and psyche.  As a result, I am now completing my first year of a three year professional training program in Somatic Experiencing (SE).  This brilliant model was developed by Peter Levine, specifically designed to heal trauma by restoring regulation to the autonomic nervous system.

Trauma is defined as something that has effected this system, not by the content.  So what may be a trauma to your friend may be a difficult experience to you, one you can shake off, that does not impact your nervous system.

I have begun to use SE with musicians and actors who have severe stage fright and find every performance traumatic.  I am witnessing changes already, evidenced by reduced fear. I am also finding it very helpful in working with performers who have excellent technique but feel removed from the music, unable to express their musical voice.