Spirals, The View So Far

I'll copy all the Facebook posts about spirals here to bring other readers up to date with the discussion

from March 14
As above so below, as micro so macro. Our basic organizing unit, our DNA map, is a spiral and that design flows through form and function through the tissues of our bodies, the flow of air and water around the globe, all the way up to the level of our spiral Milky Way galaxy, and probably beyond. In the opening sentence, the old adage gives the impression that there is "this" and "that." But think for a moment of the continuity of the air touching your skin and in your lungs and with the air in your environment. And, that air with the air in the world. And the air in the world with the airless layers around the earth, and on and on, each layer in continuous contact with everything else surrounding it. You are in a continuous flow of connection to the heart of the universe. We are hardly separate beings. Indeed, we are "made of star stuff." And the basic design of the universe is encoded in our tiniest parts. Next time, spirals in muscle fibers and muscle groups and why it's so important.

from March 21
So spirals: present from DNA to the shape of the galaxy.  Tendons, ligaments joint capsules and the fascia of muscles are composed of parallel fibers of collagen, which resemble the the spiral weave of a rope. Each collagen molecule is a triple helix spiral. Visually, the gross structure of a tendon is also a spiral. so working from the most basic unit of molecules all the way up to the muscle itself, spirals are present.  to finish this discussion, I continue on the blog and give you the attributes for the source of this information  See you there...

so to continue on with the above discussion, functionally many muscles have a twist in them between the origin and insertion. The teres major ( of which I wrote on FaceBook on March 11,) Latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and levator scapula all have a twist.  One function of this twist is to provide rotation. To illustrate this let's look at the levator scapula.  
go here for a muscle diagram

You can see easily that without the twist, the range of motion in the shoulder joint would be far less.  When this muscle contracts it brings the inner edge of the scapulae out towards the lateral portion of the head.  With out this twist, the muscle would pull the scapula straight up and in.  ( I just got an image of T- REX with his tiny flailing arms!) so functionally this works out better for us.

Another aspect of the twist is that it also increases muscle strength and allows the structure to withstand greater pulling forces.


The source for much of this material is from a book called Massage and Manual Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions,  by Thomas Hendrickson. (Second Edition, pages 8-9)
Following is a section on spiral form in the tissues

"Muscles are composed of parallel fibers organized in spirals.  Actin and myosin are the two basic contractile proteins that compose the functional unit of muscle contraction and form the myofibrils (literally "muscle threads"), which are woven together in a spiral like a rope.  Each actin filament is a double helix that is composed of two strands that spiral around each other during muscle contraction, and myosin contains globular heads that are arranged in a spiral. DNA, the code of instructions for cellualr reproduction, is also a double helix spiral.  The advantage of the spiral weave of soft tissue is that it increases the ability of the tissue to withstand stress"

I know not everyone is so intrigued by the inner workings of the body, but I find the structure, and the manifestation of our consciousness through the body and the continuity of form and function that stretches from the atomic to the cosmic level to be fascinating. 

take care

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

(From Facebook (January 7 2014)
For the new year I'd like to challenge your thinking a bit.  In working with the body it is essential to also pay heed to the mind, for in a very large way, the body and mind shape each other. Physical sensations give rise to emotions, and habitual emotional responses shape the body and physiology. Following is an excerpt from Marianne Williamson, the full quote is finished on my blog.)


I have a friend who had this posted on the wall in her massage room. It is an excerpt from Marianne Williamson.   I find it a continual challenge.  Tell me what you think...

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.  there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us;  it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

I think this is a most challenging and evolutionary way of thinking and being.

May all beings be free! And let it begin with thee...

Peace

Happy Solstice Everyone, I hope you enjoy this poem, it's one of my very favorites,

Toward the Winter Solstice

 

by Timothy Steele

Although the roof is just a story high,

It dizzies me a little to look down.

I lariat-twirl the cord of Christmas lights

And cast it to the weeping birch’s crown;

A dowel into which I've  screwed a hook

Enables me to reach, lift, drape, and twine

The cord among the boughs so that the bulbs

Will accent the tree’s elegant design.

Friends, passing home from work or shopping, pause

And call up commendations or critiques.

I make adjustments. Though a potpourri

Of Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and Sikhs,

We all are conscious of the time of year;

We all enjoy its colorful displays

And keep some festival that mitigates

The dwindling warmth and compass of the days.

Some say that L.A. doesn’t suit the Yule,

But UPS vans now like magi make

Their present-laden rounds, while fallen leaves

Are gaily resurrected in their wake;

The desert lifts a full moon from the east

And issues a dry Santa Ana breeze,

And valets at chic restaurants will soon

Be tending flocks of cars and SUVs.

And as the neighborhoods sink into dusk

The fan palms scattered all across town stand

More calmly prominent, and this place seems

A vast oasis in the Holy Land.

This house might be a caravansary,

The tree a kind of cordial fountainhead

Of welcome, looped and decked with necklaces

And ceintures of green, yellow, blue, and red.

Some wonder if the star of Bethlehem

Occurred when Jupiter and Saturn crossed;

It’s comforting to look up from this roof

And feel that, while all changes, nothing’s lost,

To recollect that in antiquity

The winter solstice fell in Capricorn

And that, in the Orion Nebula,

From swirling gas, new stars are being born.

Have wonderous Holiday.

Peace

Chicken or Egg, Symptom or Emotion?

From Face Book on Nov.6, 2013
Here's what may be a new thought, "The emerging science is providing some really good evidence that the physical sensation can lead to the emotion, instead of the emotion manifesting as a physical experience."

Below are some excerpts from an article written by Douglas Nelson who  is the founder and principal instructor for Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars. The link to the article is http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/2226/%E2%80%9CHow-Exactly-Does-Massage-Therapy-Work%E2%80%9D

"Sure. Your mind is always trying to make sense of what the body experiences. The brain needs a reason for what it experiences; we interpret meaning so we know how to respond appropriately. As an example, let's imagine you have an increased respiration and pulse rate. Are you excited or are you fearful? When you think about it, the physical experiences of excitement and fear are almost identical. The mind must decide which emotion it is based on the context of the experience. If you are seated in a theater waiting for a much anticipated concert to begin, it is excitement. If you are seated in a dental chair, your mind is going to interpret your physical sensations as signs of fear. 

"The same process can occur with regard to a bad mood. I am sure you can remember being really tense some morning, feeling completely out of sorts. If someone asked you why, you probably couldn't point to any specific offense as the reason. Throughout the morning, however, little things that would normally go unnoticed now really bothered you. You looked for things that were wrong to confirm that the tension you were feeling was perfectly appropriate for the terrible mood you were in. In essence, you created a viable emotional reason to explain your tense physical state."

"I assume that the reverse is also true, correct?" Craig interjected. "A better physical state should have a positive effect on emotions."

"Exactly. This might indeed explain what you experience after a massage. You leave my office with a very different physiology than when you arrived. The optimization of muscle function after massage will be experienced as efficient and effortless movement. The muscle tension in your shoulders is drastically reduced. Your breathing is slower and there is a heightened sense of awareness. Think about the emotional correlate your brain must then assign to this new stream of physical information. When do you normally feel such lack of tension, such lightness and freedom?" 
"When I am extremely relaxed, happy, and contented; when the world seems like a wonderful place," he responded.

I learned this for myself a few years ago.  I had been experiencing extreme anxiety for some years, and was always tightly focused on what my body sensations were telling me about my state of mind.  I found myself in a situation where I was very excited, and realized that the physical sensations I was experiencing  were identical to what I experienced as anxiety.  This was a tremendous turning point for me as I realized that I could re-interpret what was I feeling anytime.  Not quite that simple, of course, but a very big step in the right direction nonetheless. What I have also realized, or come to be comfortable with, is just letting a funny tummy be just that, not a harbinger of disaster, or a herald of hope.  Just letting the feelings be, with out interpreting them.  I think that might fall under the "Be Here Now"  mantra!

So, next time you're feeling kinda funky, ask yourself this, Do I need to change my mind, my job, my friends or, change my state of body?  Get up, move around, stretch, get some fresh air, or get a massage!

cheers to new thinking!
Peace
Penny

The Deep End of the Breathing Pool

(from Face Book)
Hey there, I was gone, but now I'm back! I'm going to continue with information about breathing. Here is a list of the benefits of getting your breathing deep (especially combined with mindfulness): Lower blood pressure, improved asthma symptoms, reduced feelings of panic and anxiety, less pain, less chest pain due to angina and better blood sugar control. It also improves heart health by boosting heart rate variability, a sign of a relaxed responsive cardiovascular system. By deep, here I don't mean your taking giant breaths all day long, but rather using your deep muscles that are supposed to do the breathing, rather than taking small sips of air at the top of your lungs. This needs more explanation, so I'll post more at my blog, along with another breathing exercise. See you there...
Peace

I should mention that some of the material I'm reporting today is from an article by the Doctor's Oz and Roizen, and reports news from the Cleveland Clinic. In fact it is so well written that here is an excerpt: "When 300 people test-drove a new Internet-based stress-management program that included meditation with deep breathing, their stress levels fell 25%....When stress fades, you're better able to avoid or control conditions made worse by tension such as asthma, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, digestive woes and accelerated aging...Chances are you use just one third of your lung capacity. That's because you have slouchy posture and spend oddles of time hunched behind the wheel of your car or in front of a digital device....Shallow breathing doesn't use the bottom portion of your lungs, home to hundreds of tiny blood vessels that help translate oxygen from the air you inhale into your bloodstream and then help to remove carbon dioxide with each exhalation. Taking shallow breaths also means you're missing out on the nervous-system calming effects of activating the sheet of muscle between your lungs and lower abdomen (diaphragm). As it moves up and down, helping fill your blood stream with energizing oxygen, it also switches on your body's relaxation response."

When you breath shallowly, not only are you not getting as much oxygen in as you could, but the bottom of your lungs accumulate CO2, and you create a stagnant pool of air in your chest. And nothing good comes of that!  The issue of good posture is one that I reiterate to my clients frequently, part of the "coaching" duties I take on, because we all need to hear information frequently before  it becomes second nature to check ourselves and correct ourselves.  Knowing why  we're doing it helps a lot too.

There's an app for that: (also from the article)  Breath Pacer and Breathe2Relax, are two.  I have no personal experience with them, so if you try them out give us all a report!

Extra breathing exercise:  This is also from the article, but is one I have many clients learn.  Laying down, place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.  Now, inhale, breathing deep into the belly, allowing the lower hand to rise first, and the upper hand not at all.  To feel a fully deep breath you will be tempted to lift your shoulders and expand your chest.  This feeling should pass as you expand the real  muscles of breathing, and they become more pliable. You can also purse your lips as you exhale, as if trying to blow out a candle. This is especially useful for anti-anxiety breathing.  Practice deep breathing at night in bed, to calm the nervous system and prepare for sleep. Aim for about 5 minutes, if you're light headed, go lighter on the inhalation. I hope you find this useful,
Sweet Dreams

Science Reveals Massage's Healing Powers

More research notes: we all know massage feels good and helps heal sore muscles, but how? In one clinical trial, research subjects performed difficult exercises, and then received Swedish massage on only one leg. Biopsies on each leg found that massage activated genes that decrease inflammation and promote energy generation within cells, resulting in muscles that hurt less and grow quicker. If you want the source go to today's blog entry. So, do what horse trainers know-get a good rub down after exercise!

The study was published in February 2012 in Science Translational Medicine.  I read the story in Body Sense Magazine, Spring Issue, 2012, which you can link to from my website.  This issue also contains one of my favorite articles  "I'm a Massage Convert"  which tells one man's story about why he spends his very few discretionary dollars on regular massage.

Are you a convert?

Peace

What Is and What Is No More, Progress?

Two poems of change,

Buffalo Dusk

The buffalo are gone.

And those who saw the buffaloes are gone.

Those who saw the buffaloes by the thousands and how they

     pawed the prairie sod into dust with their  hoofs,

     their great heads down pawing on in a great pageant

     of dusk,

those who saw the buffaloes are gone,

And the buffaloes are gone. 


-----Carl Sandburg




The Flower-Fed Buffaloes

The flower-fed buffaloes of the spring

In the days of long ago

Ranged where the locomotives sing

And the prairie flowers lie low:

The tossing, blooming, perfumed grass

Is swept away by wheat,

Wheels and wheels and wheels spin by

In the spring that still is sweet.

But the flower-fed buffaloes of the spring

Left us long ago,

They gore no more, they bellow no more:--

With the Blackfeet lying low,

With the Pawnee lying low.

--------Vachel Lindsay



These  two poets, born a year apart, were both members of the Chicago School of Poets.