Feel Young as You Get Older with the Cobra Pose

by SharonHartnett | Dec 15, 2013 | grounding, healing, Healthy Body, Massage, meditation, mind body & spirit, Spiritual Healing

Cobra Pose for those Shortened Soft Tissues-

As we get older, often we lose the natural curvature of our spine. Gravity pulls us downward and often we end up out of alignment anteriorly and posteriorly as well. Our doctors often recommend exercise which is a great beginning. Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and other forms of Bodywork can be very helpful too. But there is something you can do to feel young that is easy to do right at home in just about 5-10 minutes a day that will help you quite a bit.

How about spending a little time with the Cobra Pose to self-correct your posture and open up your energy flow!

Begin Cobra by lying down on your stomach with the legs extended. Place your hands fairly close to your body parallel and slowly lift your body off the ground. Continue to lift higher, but only in comfort with a light stretch.Hold the stretch as long as you feel release for up to 30 seconds. If anything feels like it is too much, move back to the ground and relax and try again when you feel rested.

Stretching

Many of my clients come in with painful necks and lower backs.Those two areas especially seem to shorten in many people and end up being the weakest link in posture. Part of that can due to a shortened psoas muscle but usually include anterior fascia being too short from the feet to the top of the head.

If you take the time to do the Cobra Pose routinely, you will begin to see great change in how you stand and feel each day. This is accomplished by lengthening the front of your body with the stretch and relaxing all the above back muscles. This pose is counter to many of the activities we do each day which jet us forward. The Cobra Pose allows us to move into a backward curved space which restores better balance.

In Yoga, often the class leads us into pushing the stretch. I’d like to invite people who are in discomfort not to go all the way, but to simply go into the stretch gently, listen to your body to what feels good and stay there. I have found that when the body is not overtaxed, the defense mechanisms relax and more tissue will relax and spread throughout the whole body.

As with all physical activity, it is helpful to check with your physician what is good for you to do, especially while dealing with spinal issues.

As we age, we don’t have to limit our movements. We have a choice to move freely but we need to take advantage of our Cobra range of motion. Want to feel young? Then live young!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Neck Surgery and Recovery through Positional Release

by SharonHartnett | Dec 11, 2013 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

It’s been almost a year now since my neck surgery. I had a bone spur pressing into my spine and was in excruciating pain. There were not many options, so I made the best decision I could and went in for my first surgery ever to replace my disc.

After the first week or two, I felt very weak in the neck, but the pain was minimal. I said goodbye to my pain medications and hoped to feel back to normal quickly. Well, that did not happen. The doctors say it may be 6 months or so, but it can take longer. And I am here to tell you that if you want to feel better, it is up to you to take responsibility for your own self care. Once the surgery is done, only you can find the best healing plan for you.

Recovering after Spine Surgery

What worked for me

My body had gone out of alignment from a combination of factors. I was a little overweight, I didn’t pay the best attention to my posture while I was working on the table with clients, and my body type wasn’t balanced. So even with the surgery, I needed to form a plan to feel better longterm. I have focused a little on each one of these, but I do make my own personal plan where to spend most of my energy to accomplish a more holistic sense of health and wellbeing.

What I found that worked:

Positional Release
Physical Therapy
Healthier Diet
Exercise
Basic Stretching
Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and Structural Integration
Yamuna Balls and Rolling
Finding a gentle traction machine to use at home.
Find a chiropractor with a good reputation.

Most of these, you may have a good idea how to follow and do. But I want to talk a bit about Positional Release because rarely do you hear about this form of therapy and it helps wonders. It is so easy and comfortable that you might be surprised at how great the results are and how you feel afterwards.

With Positional Release, all one has to do is put the body into a comfortable position to release pain and dysfunction. If you go see a Massage Therapist, he/she will listen to your body to locate a position that will activate nerve reflexes to relieve pain. As the musculature and joints are stimulated, the body frees up and more range of motion and easier movement become quickly apparent. At the beginning, it is very helpful to see a massage therapist who can hold the positions and teach you how to do this yourself. However, as you start to get a sense of how this works, it becomes something that can become part of your daily practice, like a mini yoga routine without the work.

My favorite way to do Positional Release to support my neck and body is to lay in bed every morning for about 30 minutes and practice what I preach. I will go into spine rotations and prop myself with pillows so that I feel into my discomfort and a minimal threshold. If you use a scale of 1-10, you might want to start with about a 2-3 noticing a little resistance however you place your neck. It is important to listen to your body and make sure you are not resting in anything more painful than that. Movement into a position should be slow and mindful. Once a position is established, just rest there for about a minute or so, while sensing the discomfort either arising or diminishing. If it is too much, move away from it until you do feel comfortable. In my experience, I often lay on my belly and prop the pillow and turn my head at different angles and just rest until I find more ease in my neck.

At the beginning after my surgery, I was stretching and doing exercises, but it was too much. This positional release on a daily basis was gentle enough and has finally started to give me the freedom in movement I want again. It also helps me to trust my body’s own healing mechanisms and work in a range of comfort.

Positional release techniques are often used with other healing interventions that focus on soft tissue. It is great for surgerical aftercare, headaches, postural issues, fibromyalgia and general flexibility. It’s so easy to do and it is empowering because it is something anyone can do at home without any problem.

This January, my first year after surgery will be complete. My neck is feeling much better. The muscles are more balanced and looser. These days, I look at my current health by constantly listening to my body. It is always an ongoing process to stay in self care as it easy to get off-course with the busy schedules so many people have. But our health begins with us and it really is important to start from Within.

Anyone who has undergone surgery, my heart is with you. Listen to your own inner wisdom and the freedom rests there!

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

For information, go to my main page.

Self-Discovery through Exploring the Horse and the Human Heart

by SharonHartnett | Nov 14, 2013 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit

Are you interested in Self-Discovery?

How about entering the world of horses with a totally new outlook?

New Beginnings in the Presence of Horses

I am not sure how this whole new divergent thread in my life began, but something inside me said, “wouldn’t it be lovely to find a beautiful farm for my husband and I to retire.” I had a vague notion of reconnecting with horses, but was a bit reluctant to fully tell my husband because of the great responsibility of taking care of these noble friends. But as life has a will of it own, my longing and life in its own wild ways has opened up a whole new doorway for me to discover how to be more human as well as be in reverent service to life. With gratitude to the presence of our horse friends, the old constructs of life are falling away, and my eyes experience Spirit freshly through the Nature of Horse.

Many of us have at some point or another experienced other animals as being inferior to us. As with the way of things, Human Beings during the last few centuries have learned to dominate and shape the earth for the most part according to what supports our lifestyles and decisions. At this point in the spectrum of time however, many educators, therapists, and coaches are delving into the expanding field of “animal” communication. It is very exciting at this point of our evolution to re-examine how we can live more closely in mutuality with other creatures for not only their growth, but for ours as well. It is by re-inserting ourselves back into the web of inter-connection that we can have hope to improve our futures and that of the planet earth. When we find deeper contact with ourselves, our relationships begin to shift as well.

While I have experienced great joy working with dolphins, lions, tigers, and bears with my work, the spark of my heart is now to bring the great teaching that come from living with the horse to people who are interested in a whole new way of “Self-Discovery”. I have created a template of belief and movement on the farm to view horses as our “equal partners” on this planet we call our home. Our retreat here is being planned to open this summer to introduce daily and weekend workshops opening the pathway for learning through “Communicating with the horses.” Entering the Equine world with a certain naiveté will change the life of those who have little experience to those who have been riding all their lives. The more empty the mind of preconceptions, the more possibilities can enter. Yet, even if you are the sort that longs to confront and challenge thought, the horses guidance always finds a way to melt your heart and bring a greater depth of understanding to your life.

Learning about power, intimacy, confidence and independence by playing with horses.

Here on the farm, life shows us a simpler way to live within the balance of life. The horses, when given freedom to experience themselves, offer us new perspectives of life on how to resolve conflicts, to play without inhibition, and to find our own inner authority and leadership skills. In the lack of words, a look… a movement will express exactly what we need to know in the moment.

If you are feeling drawn to a more “nature” based method of self-discovery…consider befriending the world of horses with us here in Johnstown, Ohio. We will be offering 1:1 facilitation and also group and herd experiences. Our retreats will be offered with walking meditation, interface with the horses, touch experiences, and also through developing intuitive understanding of energy dynamics. If you are interested, as part of the equine therapy process, we will offer touch and bodywork upon request and with certain curriculums. This is an evolutionary concept where seeds have been planted, and the fruits of the creative process have taken root. The horses are the teachers and we are the eager students receiving the learning. We are excited to take the journey with you into the world of Horses!

For more information, call:

Call: 740 966-5153

Based on the teachings of Jackie Stevenson at: https://www.spirit-of-leadership.com/jackie-stevenson.php

and what I learned at Tellington TTouch with Linda Tellington.

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Rolfing and Structural Integration in Columbus Ohio

by SharonHartnett | Nov 4, 2013 | better posture, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Lately I have been getting calls asking if Structural Integration (SI) work is the same thing as Rolfing®.

So in order to clarify this, I have decided to write a short post on the subject. I hope this helps.

The Rolf Institute for Structural Integration

The Rolf Institute® blossomed as Dr. Rolf’s students began to branch out her work into the community and eventually throughout world. The original pioneers of this work called themselves, “Rolfers®”. The school and all its teachers did a great thing in expanding her education and healing work outward.

As with most types of bodywork however, the work began to evolve and different practitioners created their own new approaches to her foundational template. The next generation of Structural Integration Therapist. Thus, the spread of this craft based on fascial work sprouted new wings and took off in different directions.

Currently, there are many schools, some who keep with the original 10 series as Dr. Ida Rolf taught, and others with different formulas. These new practitioners call themselves “Structural Integration” Therapists because they attended the newer schools Also, the “Rolf®” name belongs to the Institute. But- what is similar is that all Structural Integration is originated from the original 10 series. The goal is to create better structural alignment and functioning and ease of movement for the clients.

Ida Rolf’s teaching

She found much success in this Structural Integration work because of the its wonderful ability to re-organize the connective tissues in the body which envelopes and contains all the working muscles, organs and just about everything within. Dr. Rolf established her 10 series “recipe” to be the foundation of this work to address the body from a superficial level to down deep in the core of the body. By focusing on a certain area of the body each session, the body learned how to let go of certain dysfunctional patterns from one week to the other, until they whole body began to relate to itself in a very new way without the habitual stresses from before. This is the whole of integration.

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus Ohio and Johnstown, Sharon Hartnett practices Structural Alignment with the basic 10 series as originally taught by Dr. Ida Rolf. She works with the same idea of moving from superficial to deeper, but now with a lighter touch. Communication is key with an ongoing dialogue to make sure the client is comfortable and able to move through the changes well. Connective Tissue massage (fascial work) is beneficial too and may be requested also in hourly sessions. It’s also helpful for people who want to continue their manual therapy on a regular basis.

There are different schools out there and “fascial” work seems to have taken root and is now being taught in regular massage schools. If you are interested though in the “original” series, make sure you ask to see if the work is the same. There are many Structural Integration Practitioners such as Sharon who have not veered off the original intent and have helped clients discover positive change. Dr. Ida Rolf created her work a certain way based on years of experience with great results. The recipe works!

Wishing you the best of finding the best Structural Integration Therapist for you in your area

* This is based on my opinion after conversations with other Structural Integrations who have studied at a variety of schools. If there are other opinions, please add to my blog.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Structural Integration or Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.

Massage with a Hakomi Approach to Healing

by SharonHartnett | Nov 2, 2013 | Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, thought for the day

Hakomi is a holistic approach to massage and bodywork:

Typically, a person comes into a Massage Establishment looking for a nice soothing and relaxing massage.The muscles are tight… they feel tense and are looking for some type of relief.

A Swedish massage may feel great and may be exactly what you need to relief your daily stresses, but when you find yourself feeling tight again in a day or two, why not decide to try a different method of bodywork: A Deeper and longer lasting Hakomi massage healing may be more helpful with its gentle intention of mindful touch and self-awareness.Hakomi methods may be helpful in helping you to find self-understanding and in letting go of past traumas.

Hakomi Massage

People who receive massage regularly realize that they feel much better after being touched and contacted on a physical level by a professional with caring and experienced hands.More than 34 million people have discussed massage therapy with their doctors according to the AMTA as a means to relief pain and feel healthier.Often Massage and bodywork helps people feel more balanced, relaxed and closer to their health and wellness goals.A good professional partnership between therapist and client can do wonders.

However, consider that massage can also benefit you on much deeper level if you are willing to try some self-reflective techniques to the arisings of your consciousness. It’s interesting to realize that the mind body & spirit connection acts as a whole.Have you ever noticed when you lie on the table that all your thoughts of the day keep your mind active and and how your feelings are attached to the beliefs? Have you wondered about why your thoughts go outward rather than nourishing the “Self”? These different flows of energy are creatively looking for expressing and integration. When a connection through bodywork touch happens, cells begin to respond in a whole new way. Cellular memory sends this new information to the brain and not only is the body processing, but the whole way in which we relate internally and externally begins to shift into a more open way of living. Hidden memories and beliefs may begin to surface. With Hakomi, this is done in a safe and confidential environment. Our intention is to help the client to build a strong foundation and then to observe and feel as all these things move through “the self” in a soft and meaningful session. Hakomi brings the client into a more unitive state of being with its mirroring and compassionate support.

As a Massage Therapist for 15 years, Sharon has mindfully worked with clients to help restore alignment, balance and structural integrity back to her clients. With respect, she meets her clients where they are and with whatever goals they agree upon. If you are looking for a basic massage, that is welcomed. However, if trauma has existed in your life and has not been released. It may be in your interest during your healing journey to receive mindful sensory input to help you move along on your path to wholeness.

*Hakomi in this setting is not replacing psychotherapy, but it is helpful in conjunction with talk therapy and will support you in your healing in any case.

If you have any questions please contact Sharon Hartnett LMT:

Call: 740 966-5153

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Hakomi Therapy is a a system of body centered therapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s an which has evolved through the years through the work of the Hakomi Institute. It uses mindfulness, unity, and organicity to explore awareness and the core material that organizes our belief systems. Hakomi can be very helpful for massage and bodywork clients who have experienced past traumas and have not been able to process through the sensations and feelings with typical therapy alone.

« Older Entries

Next Entries »