The habitual symmetry of shoulders
Posted in Uncategorized on 08/13/2010 12:14 am by karenOwl brought up an interesting point re: shoulders. Primary series teaches us a lot about working the hips in different directions, but generally speaking, the shoulders are worked in tandem/symmetrically. As I’m trying to sort out dwi pada, independent movement of the shoulders looks like something worth developing.
During practice this morning I paid attention to my shoulders. Indeed, there is lots of symmetrical movement throughout primary. But there are also opportunities to explore independent movement — particularly in the marichyasanas (A & B especially, it seems).
I think my shoulders are where I do my mind/body split. When I am thinking, I like the way it feels to have all of the energy in my head (like a brain in a jar!), and when I am doing physical things, I like to keep the energy more around my center of gravity/hips. Shoulders are where I make the split. They’ve been left out for a long time. Ought to be interesting trying to integrate them back in. Both for thinking and for doing.
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08/13/2010 at 10:05 am
Your shoulders are pretty interesting. Most of us don’t begin ashtanga with the development/strength/use you had in all components of the rotator cuff.
Maybe your previous stiffness there, and any awareness-residue from old injury, will make it an interesting location to get really specific and mindful. So as to make clearer choices.
Inspired by a teacher in Detroit, I’ve been doing something like that in primary, too.
08/14/2010 at 4:02 am
Like a brain in a jar, you’re hilarious
I look forward to reading more about this shoulder stuff. Mine seem kind of unbalanced, like two completely independent beings each doing its own thing… I feel like I’d like to work towards more symmetry and synergy.
08/14/2010 at 6:06 am
Goodness, I need a teaching metaphor for the shoulders! I know people laugh about “wings of the kidneys” and “cave of the sacrum,” but those things really help me understand.
The big image I have in my shoulders is about looking back over my shoulder and far, far down to the ground as I held on to terrifyingly slippery sandstone on this climb: http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/classicclimbs/mace/
All of the death stuff is supposed to be in the lower chakras, right? Yeah, well, I keep mine in my shoulders, I think.
08/14/2010 at 6:08 am
Oh, and Susan, I found a chair at work with a bar across the back.
I am incredibly envious of your ability to put your elbows and wrists together behind your head. My elbows splay out like mad.
08/14/2010 at 8:15 am
Nice one!!
Yeah, the elbows together, or working them towards each other, is what makes it. I also like to stand with fingers interlaced behind my head and let my head drop back and neck relax completely, and work the same action, bringing elbows into line with shoulders instead of splayed. I teach that a lot too when we do shoulder warmups (people REALLY need these). Work your chair, it’ll bring your elbows closer in kapo…