Tag: Neck Pain
Thoracic Expression
The upper back is an area that can be a big source of tension and even pain. We also have a fair amount of cultural baggage around the appropriate way to hold our upper back. Even in the Yoga world, we tend to favor a stiff and straight upper back above other shapes. But the…
How to Stretch Your Neck
For this practice I’ve combined somatics, stretches some resistance and of course, breathing to facilitate a bit of short term relief. But I’ve also provided some education to help you understand how these strategies can help you over come this discomfort or pain in the long term.
Yin & Meditation for Acceptance
This practice is about moving forward with compassion, rather than squashing our feelings or disappointment or grief. We will explore poses that focus on the shoulders, chest and upper back as we progress through a gentle meditation. Our meditation is loosely based on the Tonglen or Lions’ Roar practice from the Tibetan Buddhism.
Yin & Somatics: Soothe Upper Back and Neck Tension
To be an adult is to sometimes struggle with upper back and neck tension and even pain. This is my professional opinion. Though this pain/tightness can really disrupt your life, it’s important not to get too tied up about it. This practice is to give you some go to tools for managing this suffering.
Sitting in a Chair
This is a lesson from the Feldenkrais Method®. Sitting is a challenge for many of us, especially those with back or neck pain. Somatic Education techniques are refreshing because they don’t preach about the right way to do something. Rather the body’s innate capacity to self organize is respected.
Sitting Meditation on Sitting
For anyone who has suffered from back or neck pain, the innocent state of sitting can be a special kind of hell. Even for our pain free friends, sitting is so frought with controversy. It seems that no matter what, we can’t seem to do it right. This meditation is a gentle period of somatic…
Mobility Drill: Upper Thoracic Differentiation
If you suffer from a tight neck, aching shoulders and upper back, this is a go to mobility drill. Often we get locked up and stuck in the upper back. This mobility drill is designed to restore the supple freedom we need in the thoracic spine to move well and feel good.
Expand Your Breathing Options
Many of us tend to breathe in a habitual way. While there is nothing wrong with that, expanding and exploring your breathing options can be very therapeutic if you are managing pain or stress and anxiety. This is one of my favorite pranayamas and I hope you learn tons about your breathing anatomy.
Dhyana Meditation
Pain Science tells us that when you have been in pain for awhile, you can have trouble feeling non-pain sensations in the body. This meditation is a gateway into a fuller spectrum of body feelings. developing interoception and accuracy in detecting sensations is an important step toward healing.
Humming Practice for Neck, Face and Shoulder Pain
This is a slightly unusual practice but it is very effective. If you suffer from face, neck or shoulder pain, you likely spend a great deal of time readjusting your posture and position to reduce pain. You have likely found that it doesn’t really work. This practice is designed to enhance awareness and provide compelling…