Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Perfect posture for you?


We've all seen diagrams like this before. We read articles on good posture and we've been assessed by various health care providers. Some other approaches in chiropractic even have very specific postural goals, which also serve the chiropractor as a reference point for progress made in that model of care.

Here's an idea that might seem a little radical:

YOUR POSTURE IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT RIGHT NOW.

The way I look at it is that through your entire life, your body is constantly adapting to and dealing with all the forces that you encounter, including all those overloads stored by your body. These stored forces come from all the activities (and overload they may bring) of everyday life: sports & exercise, work station set-up, diet & hydration, physical injuries & illness, mental or emotional stress, position during sleep + quality & quantity of it, meaningful social connections, heavy physical work at home & work, and so on...

So, if you've been reading this blog for awhile, you are well aware that your inner brilliance is constantly at work, doing everything possible for you to express your highest wisdom and fullest health potential. In the case of your posture, your inner brilliance is also expressing beautifully. Your current posture is the perfect one for you right now, given the sum total of all that your body/being is dealing with. The goal for me is never to make your posture change.

Postural changes come easily, naturally, and organically when you shift the sum total of what your system is dealing with. By working with a chiropractor or other practitioner who supports you to process and integrate those stored forces, the big picture in your system changes and (quite often) your posture shifts too. As your system gets healthier, you may notice that you are naturally sitting in a more erect position. You may also be guided by the connection with your own inner guidance to stretch or exercise in certain ways that allow your postural changes to unfold. Or, perhaps you modify the set-up of your work station in some way that just feels better to you. These are just a few examples of how, as your expression of inner brilliance increases, your postural shift can start to snowball in many positive ways.

If you have some postural concerns, consider how you might start to shift all that your body has to deal with, including the stored forces it may be carrying. Your inner brilliance is your source for perfect posture, and you've got that right now.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Spring Break!

It's so nice to take a break from things every once in awhile. It really can refresh our outlook and allow us to gain more perspective on both the little details and the big picture of our lives. I spent 10 days in Alberta at the end of May. As you can see, the Balsam Root flowers were in all their (albeit late) spring glory! The trip was a great opportunity to rest, recharge, be with beloved family members, and explore the beauty of nature in the Canadian Rockies & prairies. And, decidedly, all of this helped me to get more strongly connected with my own inner brilliance.

Whether it's a trip out of town, a change from your usual routine, stepping back from some of your responsibilities, or simply taking a moment to pause... consider how you provide yourself with the opportunity to reconnect. That amazing wisdom is present inside of you in every moment, it's always right there at your center.

Give yourself a break that serves you in shining your inner brilliance more brightly! Shine on.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.