I’ve cried during a massage, not out of pain, but relief, as the sadness I carried around for years was finally released. I felt less guarded and lighter afterward (albeit confused about the salty discharge streaming from my eyes!). This is when I realized how our issues or emotional charges can be held in our tissues for a lifetime.
I also experienced an emotional release during an intense week at the restorative exercise certification. The week was packed with daily Restorative Exercise (RE) classes which resulted in the opening up of deep connective tissue, especially around the shoulder girdle and chest. It was great to spend the whole week just on my own alignment, but it was intense. The third evening of the workshop, I woke up in the middle of the night bawling my eyes out. I felt like I was releasing old emotions that had been trapped inside my body since I was a child. The next morning when Katy Bowman, biomechanist, and the creator of the Nutritious Movement™ program gave me and a few other students a ride to class, I told her what happened and she responded right away with an enthusiastic “Cool!” I thought, “Yeah that was cool, I feel so much lighter and freer.” Katy mentioned that emotional releases happen quite a bit when people do RE. Sure enough, one by one the other students in the morning commute reported the same thing happening to them as the week went on.
Since the RE week, I’ve been walking around with more confidence, not a John Travolta Saturday Night Fever, “I’m the sh**” kind of confidence, but more of a warm open feeling through the chest (with just a hint of “Yeah, I’m the sh**”). I feel more self-assured, in a gentle authentic way. I notice that people smile at me more, or maybe I’m just noticing the smiles because I’m not looking down all the time.
My first “Ah-ha!” moment in realizing that our issues are in our tissues was in 1998 when I was training to be a facilitator in metapsychology at the Trauma Relief Services in Oregon. Part of our final exam was to sit in a cafe with our instructor and report to her what we thought other people were experiencing emotionally based simply on observing them from a distance. I found myself mirroring their postures and sure enough, I was flooded with different emotions depending on the posture I was imitating. Try it. Sit with your shoulders slumped forward or lean back in the chair with your legs straight out in front while leaning to one side and notice how it makes you feel emotional. Now try walking like John Travolta, does it make you feel confident? Maybe, but it’s a false confidence and people can see right through that (the silly feeling you get is real though). If you really want to be “the shi**,” walk in alignment. ; )
Now for some alignment evaluation: Let’s analyze John Travolta’s swagger. Watch the video, his arms are internally rotated like a gorilla’s. He’s definitely a rib thruster (think rooster) and a tailbone tucker (think humper). You can see the tailbone tucking/humping better in his dance videos; just make sure there are no children in the room when you watch it. His chronic knee flexion and his bouncing are going to wear out his knees. Notice that his reciprocal arm swing needs work, his right arm appears to have been affected by a stroke and doesn’t swing at all, so his torso twists to move him forward and he does a weird flapping thing with his hands. Interesting how the strut looked so cool and sexy in the 70’s but doesn’t fly today. It’s kind of like movement fashion. However, walking in alignment never goes out of style baby!
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother you’re stayin’ aligned, stayin’ aligned. Remember you are the shi**! Important Note: If you are not familiar with American slang, being “the shi**” is actually a good thing, like being the cat’s meow, or the bee’s knees.
In the Womb Care and Free The Belly courses I address how to work with emotional charges held in the belly. I feel this should be foundational in any abdominal massage course. You will learn how emotional charges may be stored in your tissues and how to allow those old energetic patterns to be released leaving you feeling lighter and freer in your body.
I really love your posts, Alignment Monkey. You give me more things to think about and add to what I learn from Katy. So keep it up, ok?
Signed,
An Alignment Puppy
Thank you for the encouragement Joni!
Very interesting read. My background is in acting and we spent two semesters on Voice & Movement. First semester was about analyzing our own personal habits of posture and walk etc to be able to pick and choose what worked for the character we are portraying and to be able to leave behind what does not fit. Second semester as about putting on physical postures and voice inflections that are not our norm but that are appropriate for the characters. I some ways, by working from the outside in you can uncover something about a characeter (& also about yourself) that you hadnt noticed before. I often found the work to be emotionally freeing and would end up in tears during a performance piece without realizing that they were happening.
Now, as I practice yoga, I sometimes find that back bend work, which depends upon opening of the chest and shoulders will cause an emotional release for me as well. It’s amazing how much we carry with us without lifting a single thing.
I agree with Joni. Your style of interpretation has an element that mine lacks. It’s nice to have all aspects of the experience of being well. Keep posting, you have a gift!
I really liked the analysis of the John Travolta walk. I watched that clip again and again. That kind of thing is so helpful, because it helps me use my ‘book knowledge’, applying it to someone in action. I need to do much more of that! The “tailbone tucker (think humper)” comment was particularly revealing. That gives me something to think about when watching people walk….
Hi Nickie, Thank you for sharing, it’s very interesting to hear from someone with a background in acting.
I’ve also experienced emotional release in yoga with chest opening poses. My yoga instructor told the class that he often notices people take a big gulp of water after back bends as a way to push the emotion back down. He encouraged us to try to allow the emotion to move through us instead of pushing it down.
This was such a great video to analyze. I’ll be looking for more.
When I’m out walking it’s hard for me not to analyze gait patterns, I see it everywhere now.
Thanks Katy. Watching this video got me thinking about something you said in the RES program about the connection between alignment and culture. I remember thinking JT’s strut was pretty cool back in the late 70’s, but today it would be considered silly. I’m sure many men adopted the strut back then. Come to think of it, I have seen similar, but toned down struts in the present.
I find the dance scene more disturbing than the walk–I can see the winging scapula through his shirt. I think he needs to get out of those heels asap.
More good stuff here, Barbara! Thanks for this post.
I often warn my clients that when we do chest-openers, they shouldn’t be surprised if they experience some sort of emotional energy. I have experienced it myself, most profoundly while pregnant. And, I would say fear of that emotional effect actually kept me from performing certain moves in yoga like the backbend. (I cried like a baby the first time I did one.)
I watch my clients, many of whom are pregnant and postpartum (i.e., often in a protective sort of mode), very closely to see what stories their bodies are telling me. I’ve learned a lot.
Thanks again.
So very interesting, loved the analysis of John Travolta. Your sense of humor in the blog is very refreshing, I learn and laugh a lot. Thank you!
Give him some credit–his feet look pretty straight! 🙂
I know! I was surprised to see that.