This blog, however, already has postings that I am happy with… and exist nowhere else. So if PRI interests you, don’t miss the older stuff (blog comments, exercises, principles, articles) on this site as well.

Cheers, John   (more…)

Here is a new form of depiction of the archetypal relationship of the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Though it appears artistically abstract, it contains information that is best shown in this manner. There is order in this universe… and in human posture, personality, and interaction.

And this is my upright tetrapod (human) version of the ideal and the variations (types) of that “ideal.” The types are not “bad,” per se, but can be when we are frozen within them and have no natural flexibility of tone, posture, and personality. Even being frozen in an effort to look like (rather than imaginarily “be”) like the first (ideal) illustration to the left here… is “bad” or unhealthy.

(Perhaps the “likeness” to human postures and personalities are a little easier to see when the caricatures are horizontally squeezed.)

For more on this line of imagery… including a “chart” with additional characteristics of each type, see http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=151125841605863 and http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30997&id=151964398167194 .

Hope you stick with it and appreciate the outcome.

John

In the exercise presented below, I hope that you experience a bit of the four postural variations and their STRENGTHS. In addition, you hopefully will experience how it is valuable to have some postural versatility in order to gracefully move as indicated.

This is an image exercise and the only action that will be required of you will be to stand while imagining it. The figures are only partially human in appearance. I want to show here the general tonus that your body should tend to move towards as you follow the following directions. The arms are missing in order to make the general dorsal/ventral wave pattern of each type more obvious. Though we do no longer have tails there is still a clear effect from imagining variation in an imaginary tail. Now for the exercise:

Start this exercise by choosing one of the four types. Do not endeavor to be that type with overt muscular effort and do not even try to imagine that you are that type.  The following imagings, though, should “send” you slowly in that direction. The basic direction is to imagine that you are slowly walking up or down the stairs, either forwards or backward, depending on the directions the particular figure indicates. (If imagining stairs to climb cause you to be nervous of tripping or falling –which can be a fear, even in imagery – then imagine that you have only a gentle slope to either climb or descend.) Take one step and then another. It may take a while to get a sense of doing so. Then try to imagine it in a more continuous pattern, as though the staircase or hill was very long. Allow you body to shift a bit about at the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, neck, or wherever. Experiment with that first variety for at least 30 seconds, let’s say, if not longer. The first changes that come to you posture are not necessarily the last ones that would take place from this imagery. Positive changes in ourselves come slowly… grace arrives in it own sweet time. Now proceed to the next variation in a clockwise pattern. Go all around the chart, experimenting with each direction.

You should have notice that your body wants to configure itself differently for each of the four tasks. This is good, the imagery brings about the appropriate configuration preparatory to healthy action. Later, you can try the experiment with switching from one form to its opposite, which is illustrated in the diagonally opposite direction. In time, you should find that one or more of these four variations of imaginary movement is more pleasurable and good for you… jiggling you out of your habits… and the opposite one is decidely not. That will help you when playing with any of the type-specific imagery in blog entries or on the type-specific page or on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Posture-Release-Imagery/151964398167194 . And you will learn to appreciate, in many ways, postural variation and the postural types, for what they do especially well as well as where they fail. 

That’s it. Good luck. I’d love for you to report back.

Excitement or liveliness can be an enjoyable part of our lives… and so can relaxed calm. Depending on their personalities and postural sets, people tend to express and experience one more than the other. That is fine… vive la différence. But being habitually stuck in one of the extremes is problematic. Just like we need sunlight and dark, we need to experience some of each of these qualities to have a fulfilling life and emotional health. Agreed?

I tend toward excitability. I don’t always contain my excitement well. As for calm, I can be calm… but not easily when I am also excited. So I have needed to work on containing my excitement, not by clamping down on it so much as expanding in some way in order to more easily contain it. The thought that you are expanding all over when you feel excited can allow it to be contained, painlessly. My wife, on the other hand, has a sentence that she uses not infrequently to describe what she wants. She says, “I want to bust out.” For her, excitement does not need to be contained so much as let out.

So, here is how I think imagery about our body surface can help us with whatever combination of containment or release that our “vessel” could use in order to be capable of a well-rounded to life’s events. The four types of body surfaces shown here ”experience” sensations felt that match my other type-specific imagery (which  use the blue, read, green, and yellow color coding). You will have to spend time “being” all of the types to understand. Look at the illustrations here and then read the exercise instructions below.

(To begin with, in the illustration above, the two figures separated off to the left are templates for the remaining four figures. To the far left is a figure that, with a white line running through it, shows the distinction between the “director” segment and the rest of the body. The second figure to the left shows them separated, since distinguishing between the two parts is necessary for this image exercise. Forgive me for not creating these characters in female form, as tall short, or racially different is many ways. It is the differences between their body surfaces that is of significance and this is just the easiest way to show that.)

Now, notice that the four types shown have either body surfaces that are solid (impermeable) or full of holes running through them (permeable). You will be imagining that parts of your body are either sealed shut (impermeable) and that NOTHING can get out or that your body surface is full of holes so that EVERYTHING can getting out (permeable). (In this exercise, we imagine that things can get IN, whether the surface is solid or full of holes. It is the ability for things to get OUT that is at issue here.) By “things,” I mean anything you might imagine - air, energy, water, whatever -anything that gives you the sensation of being filled up.

Experiment with the four variations above, blue - totally impermeable, red - impermeable on top, permeable below, green - impermeable everywhere, and yellow - permeable on top and impermeable below. Spend time with each variation until you have a sense of the distinct “posture personalities” that are produced by each imagining. The last one, the yellow one, for instance, produces a very ”laid-back,” perhaps even lazy individual. The second one, the red one, in contrast, produces an “alert,” possibly over-alert upright individual. With diligence, you will come to experience them all and find one you enjoy the most, probably your tonal “opposite.” Complete this and then go to the next part below. 

———————

In the drawing below, permeability and impermeablity are indicated again (using a “bear rug” schema). I use this method of describing the characteristic on the body, permeable or impermeable, because it is more subtle than the version above. Imagine that you are looking down at your “back side,” your dorsal side, here. The core of the body of the four variations are largely similar to the ones above (by color) but have variations on one side or the other. In other words, for example, the blue version is not totally impermeable like that pictured above but has some ”leaks” (permeability) on the left of the upper part of the body and the right of the lower part of the body. Bodies, and the body types I describe here, are not identical on the left and right sides. We all have some habitual bilateral tonal assymetry that this imagery can expose. 

(The small creature in the middle with fewer “holes” represents a neutral type, somewhat permeable or open, somewhat impermeable or closed).

This has been a long and perhaps complicated explanation of an image exercise. Like other image exercises, however, it has the definite potential of opening up to you new ways of seeing yourself… and being yourself.

Questions? Need clarification of something?

The Alexander Technique and Posture Release Imagery both are good ways to release tension. But, as I have said before, much of the tension “released” is really the appropriate “moving” of inappropriate contractions to elsewhere… where unhealthy flaccidity is reigning. This movement of interfering tension is most frequently (but not entirely) toward the ventral surface of our body from the dorsal surface and toward the “edges” or dorsal-ventral seam of the body.

Release implies “freedom,” which in measured doses can be all well and good. But we all need to be formed in “responsible” ways as well. A body that has generally a released dorsal surface and a gently contracted ventral surface is being “responsible.” The freedom it is experiencing is within responsible limits. This sort of equation, where the promotion of “freedom” must be accompanied by the “formation” of responsible relationships, can be extended to apply to families, communities, cultures, the world. (Of course, a body of any sort can “bend over backwards” for periods of time, but even then there are elements of dorsal extension and ventral flexion that allow it to recover easily from the seemingly strained position - see acrobats.)

The term, formation, has been applied to things like religious education. Perhaps it should also be used in reverence to general improvement of our mind/body use. Visit an earlier blog entry, ”Maturing of the lamb, ” http://posturereleaseimagery.org/archives/288 , for a description and exercise concerning the most important ”formation” the healthy body requires.

Best wishes.

Of those who follow me, there would probably be close to agreement that the most important principle I propose is the “calm up, tense down” one. This means that we should seek (imagine) the sensation that our dorsal surface is expanding and light and fluffy, while or ventral surface feels condensed, lightly contracted, dark and rubbery.

However, when that general principle has been practiced to the point that these conditions can be brought to exist (at least momentarily) all over the body, then I propose the following (here and elsewhere): Send tension and intention out toward the dorsal-ventral seam. (If you don’t understand what that means, see http://posturereleaseimagery.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/life_on_the_edge_-_of_the_dorsal_ventral_seam1.pdf . The article describes in more detail the importance of the dorsal-ventral seam.)

If you have a good idea of where the dorsal and ventral surfaces in general meet (a border or as “seam”), you can proceed to imagine that all of the tension, intention, vigourousness, joie de vivre that you feel is moving outward to those locations. It takes some practice to involve the intention of this image at the entire dorsal-ventral border or seam that exists on the body. But in the process you will feel, more alert, sturdy, and prepared. At the same time, your core will be more relaxed, dorsally full, and at ease with change. Brittleness will disappear.

Sending “intention” and “tension” toward the seams will not mean that these edges will, in fact, be tense, as we normally understand the word. Use the drawings below in order to discover or reaquaint yourself with your seam, the source of the bodie greatest amount of input and output, most of the senses and the limbs.

Start by spending a moment on the illustration above, allowing your dorsal surface (shown on far left) to expand up and out and allowing your ventral surface (shown in middle) to feel as though it is contracting inward. After you have a sense that the image exercise, so far, is working all over the body (at least almost all of the body… perfection is what we are looking for here). Finally, looking at the image to the right, imagine that all of your sensations… tention, intentions, vitality… are moving towards the only thing you see there, the dorsal/ventral seam. (I suggest “towards” the edges, not exactly to the very edges and “out” of the body. That may feel peacful for a moment but would tend to bring a loss of alertness and a return of tension to the core.) You should feel ready for action… alert yet released and relaxed in the core, grounded, supple, and light. I studied tai chi some in the past, and though I’m no expert, I always find myself falling into a tai chi form when I play with this image… happy and ready for life, its troubles and beauty.

See if you agree.

Cheers, John

P.S. To refresh you awareness of where the seam is on a human, see here and here. Don’t forget your “tail.”

Up until now, this exercise has focused on experiencing the release of frozen forms of dorsal-ventral wave “personalities” within  us. The four phases of a repeating wave are shown best on the small four-legged creatures here. They are, however, also shown in the human-like caricatures with the longs noses and tails… except it may be more difficult to see the waves effect on the body itself. Study the illustrated chart below closely and you should be able to see how the various color-coded human forms match the four-legged creatures of their color.

Why are the four groups of three mostly-human figures clustered like they are? The answer is that they are together so that we can imagine/mirror all three of them to some degree, one after another, closely in time . We all have tendencies toward one of these types. However, our habit structures are obviously more complicated than simply that of a dorsal-ventral wave. Our left and right sides do not operate the same and have habits of their own. In fact, to one degree or another, the left and right sides of each of us tend toward opposite frozen dorsal-ventral wave structures. This means that though we have a dominant tonal pattern… here shown as red, blue, green, or yellow… we also have opposite tendencies on each side. And these tendencies vary for each basic type just as shown here. Combining images to provide an experience of the various dorsal-ventral tonal patterns creates a more difficult exercise. However, when successful, it is more rewarding in bringing change and new educational experiences.The way to carry out this imagery experiment is as follows: Choose the mostly-human character (in the front as they face, in each group) that you found the most rewardingly different from your own postural habits when imagined. Next, place yourself imaginarily on the “X” that is behind that figure and between all three figures of each group. From this imaginary position you are in position to be influenced by the three dorsal-ventral wave forms around you in much the same way, I suggest, that a flock of birds that can stay so gracefully attuned to each other when flying… they continually mirror each other around them. (Women and people… most of us… who do not match this general model of a human figure I have used in size, age, stature, etc. may have to make imaginary adjustments. I am not trying to suggest the sex, race, age or general size in the model. I’m sorry, but I cannot provide all the possible archetypal human models for people to use when imagining.)

Start by imagining an affinity for and the characteristics of the figure (imaginarily) in front of you, depending primarily on imagining the big “growths,” nose and tail to get the body changes going. When you have the sense that some changes have occured, imagine that the character either to your left or right (and rear) is having an effect on that particular side of you, making you more like them. Then imagine the remaining character. You can do this exercise sitting up or standing. You will have to go through this image several times to provide the brain enough cues to change habit… but it will come. Lightly wiggling your hips, shoulders, or head occcasionally (but not constantly) can help jostle you into a new, lighter, probably strange “you.” You may feel a bit crooked at times but then, with luck, enough elements will come together for you to feel “divinely” aligned, meaning up and centered in a new non-doing way.

This is all that I expect to do with this nose-to-tail imagery… except to add clarification or make changes that you, perhaps, will assist me in making. I am trying to communicate features and potential in our use and structure. If I am failing, help me to succeed.

Have fun with my friends,

John 

Below is the first illustration from that posting. The second illustration, below that, is the same characters except after the nose and tail additions have had their effect on the bodies. (I have also, from suggestion, made all the figures uniformly white and dark gray). Some of the effects are shown in the extreme. Some can be seen in our everyday world. Whether in the extreme or more subtly, we all experience one of these structures as our habit… and would experience the opposite structure as our pleasurable habit-melting opposite. Study it closely and compare and notice the opposite tonal inclinations of the characters in opposite corners. It may help you experience the original image exercise more fully.

Forgive the fact that I don’t yet have female examples, which are essentially the same. This is hard enough as it is for a non-artist like myself. I’ll be back later with one more addition to this image.Cheers 

This latest exercise promotes the freeing up of postural habit in what might seem a silly way. Yet it demonstrates something unrecognized and very important, the controlling importance of the extreme ends of the body, the face and the “tail.”

I argue that our bodies are directed neurologically most effectively by our “ends” and “edges,”  not by our “middle.” I also argue that thinking “beyond ourselves” frees up frozen wave patterns within us in a gentle and disarming way. It makes us more graceful.

Take a few seconds (or minutes?) to get over and get used to the funny looking human figures shown below. (The white version in the middle is the “neutral” model that the other versions vary from.) 

The human-like figures have facial and tail features inspired by my repeating dorsal-ventral wave animal-like characters (shown above or below each variation).

Next, while sitting up, standing, or even walking around, imagine that you have the facial and tail growths shown on the four types. Spend 30 seconds or a minute imagining each version to be as obvious (and silly) as they appear on each caricature. With time… or quickly… you will notice changes take place in the rest of your body. Spend most of your time on those variations that are most pleasant, habit breaking, and educational.

This is sufficient information to carry out the basic image. And, with time, you can, in your mind’s eye, reduce the size of the new “appendages” until they are small enough to imagine they are really “yours.” You can keep the sensation and let the extremeness of the images shrink or fade away.  You will have learned of habit structures and tension in two places you previously may have thought you had none, your “ends.”

You can also go the other direction and embellish your “new parts” a little to see what more valuable change is experienced. First, look at the creatures below.

The drawings illustrate that the double waves that exist in tonal (neurological and muscular) patterns, can be envisioned to repeat beyond the body… in both directions. (I know things are getting rather strange… envisioning imaginary extensions on an already imaginary creature!)

Take this idea and put into action in the image below, which is nothing more than a “logical” extension of the original “mouth, nose, and tail” image above. See where it takes you… and report back if you are pleased.

Cheers,

John

There can be a problem, however, in the execution of what I am terming here as “status” imagery. A person experimenting with Posture Release Imagery may remain too frozen while imagining the unique, unusual, and sometimes difficult imagery, (though some people, conversely, can be too mobile, swaying too much, seemingly in “search” of change).

Here, I suggest a couple of perspectives or tricks to help… if the body is frozen as the mind attempts the image exercises. First, whether you are sitting or standing while imagining, allow your body a movement range that does not involve overt muscle activity. A tree can sway and yet has no muscle activity. So as you are attempting an exercise, also imagine that wind, perhaps, is lightly blowing about and moving you slightly. My previous blog image exercise, The floating monkey, has contained within it this suggestion of minor movement from without (only involving gentle waves of water).

Another way to shake a little “life” into an image, if it seems not to be working on you, is to imagine that your eyelids, fingers, toes, nostrils, lips, or tail, as examples, are moving just a very little. Perhaps your eyelids are imagined to be fluttering or opening or closing a very little bit. Or fingers are moving less than can be seen. Etc. It is the imagining of a small movement, not the actuality, that is valuable here. A small movement (or was it?) on some part of the body may be the key to allowing a larger whole-body image, which you are having difficulty with, to come into full blossom.

Best of luck