When our back is out of whack, we can use the brain and our conscious attention to release held tension to restore comfort.

A simple differentiation of the spine where we pay attention to the feelings or sensations – along with the quality of a simple targeted movement – can set us up to relieve morning stiffness and ready the back for the day.

Plus, it’s a great way to free things up later on if we feel it’s necessary.

The spine is designed to extend and flex so it’s vital to remind the spine of its capacity so the rest of our body can move more easily.

When things are tight, stiff or off kilter in the middle (the spine), then certain muscles get pulled one way or the other — and this lower brain program can hold us in check.

Listen and follow along to this tuning into the spine and simple intentional movement.

Was it easy for you to feel your spine in the manner described?

If we don’t check in every now and then, the brain is very clever and begins to shut down which is why it might have not been easy for some of you to get a clear picture or set of feelings.

That’s ok.  With a few reminders and a little practice, you are waking up the brain’s command center.

If you did feel a little fidget or jerky quality that is very useful in order to regain control.

If you felt a twinge of pain or discomfort, then it’s time for a tuneup so your back can feel good and in control.

We do that using what is called somatics exercises which are generally done in such a lazy, easy and yet focused manner so that brain’s motor cortex is targeted.

When you get it down pat, the upper brain frees up the lower brain program of keeping things held in check so you can feel comfort and natural flexibility restored.

Simple differentiation to wake up both the brain and body

That easy movement (which may not always be easy if the spine isn’t cooperating) is part of a movement pattern to help wake up the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid so that brain bucket gets a little movement hello.

That Sitting Thing

If you’re in the unfortunate position of having to sit all day long, for instance, at work.

No matter if you do regular exercise, that may not be enough to change the known ill counter effects of sitting for too long.

See, certain muscles are getting programmed to be switched off and the brain will go – ok I’ll turn that department off.

Later in the day you might feel that gnawing sensation creeping in.  

We can get so used to those sensations that we can bury them since we gotta do things in life – until they remind us once again.

Standing up is a simple differentiation which can help

Simply standing up every 20 minutes when you sit, will wake up the muscles so they don’t get used to checking out.

If you have a job where you can’t – like being a driver for instance – then you can mindfully do the easy spinal differentiation movement seated to remind the spine that it can extend and flex.

Otherwise, certain back muscles can go to sleep and begin to be trained to be useless and the brain can start to give us the signal of pain

Good news is. 

Just get up and stand or be aware of how you are sitting and adjust your position consciously.

To further vary that – stand on one leg or walk around for a minute or so. Then you can sit back down.

Differentiate Your Way to Comfort & Freedom

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Even as I type a blog post such as this, I too am mindful of how sitting for too long in the same way can have the brain and body go to sleep even while I am sedentarily active in this manner.

This is why I will vary the sitting position or move mindfully to keep things fluid.

If you’re gonna keep sitting, then at least sit differently or be mindful of how you can shift your spine around.

Maintaining Comfort

All that tension we keep taking on in life, can be remedied with simple mindful movements to disperse, renew and refresh both the brain and body.

Yep, it’s really, really that simple to maintain life long comfort.

By refreshing the spine with your awareness, you can reset your muscles throughout the day, especially when they get amped up with too much tension.

At the same time, you improve the function of the brain by taking a full-brainer of a moment where you tune into movement done with awareness.

Simple differentiation movement classes

Life is movement and movement becomes easier when you can do any number of simple conscious differentiations with the central part of yourself, your spine.

And if you can get enough of these on a daily basis, then sleep becomes easier so you wake up feeling refreshed and not wiped out getting back in the grind of life.

We’d love for you to join us to learn as many simple differentiations as you’d like to remain comfortable for life.

Let me know what you thought of the movement and how your body responded