This is obvious when you think about it, but I’m going to state it anyway —
Breathing is fundamental to your health, physically and mentally!
Inspiration (n.)
-the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation
-an inspiring or animating action or influence
-a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul
When people come in to see me, their ribs are often on lock down. If I were to press carelessly into the sides of them they would likely flinch because of the soreness. They are also often overwhelmed with stress. Many are holding their breath or are breathing shallowly. They tend to hunch so their shoulders roll forward, their heads are forward, their ribs fold down into their organs. Even if they consciously try to take a deep breath with this posture, their diaphragm cannot expand fully to fill the lungs and bring much needed air to their bodies.
When you don’t breathe well, your tissues and organs don’t get what they need to do their job of repairing and cleansing properly. Your body gets stiff and sore. You get grumpy when you can’t take a full breath. You may feel anxious and panicky. You may have difficulty concentrating. Your brain knows you need to breathe!
How Zero Balancing Can Help
Breathing is the one function of the body which is directly responsive to both our voluntary and autonomic nervous systems, and it is a key bridge between the conscious and the unconscious. — Fritz Smith, MD, Founder of Zero Balancing
One area we focus on during a Zero Balancing session is the ribs, releasing tension and restoring freedom of movement. Opening this area allows the lungs to expand more fully, for you breathe more easily and move better.
During your bodywork session, I work with the palpable movement and vibrations in your living body and I feel the places along your ribs and spine where the moving energy is stuck, where it needs help to reorganize and balance out. Those are the spots that are also likely feel sore to you, and that feel so good when I press into them carefully and hold the space your body needs to re-balance.
When I hold these areas with conscious intent and a skilled touch, clients begin to release held energy and tension. As this occurs, they will often take a sudden, deep breathe, after which their breathing will become more even. I pay careful attention when this happens, because that is how I know something has changed within the client such that they have begun their own healing process.
When my clients get off my table at the end of their session, they aren’t hunching over anymore. Instead, they stand up straight and tall. They inhabit their bodies more fully. They feel lighter. They breathe more fully and easier. They often feel empowered and inspired.
Can you see how closely structure and energy are intertwined? The physical body, the breath, and the mind? Free the ribs, free the breath, free the soul.