You move because you are born to do so.
Movement plays a role in your ability to adapt physically to your environments, to relieve stress and anxiety, to move your emotions and to connect deeper to yourself and to a relationship with something beyond you.
Generally speaking, you are born with a well functioning operating system, yet you are not given a manual on how to properly use your physical body, which is why “50.2 million (20.5%) U.S. adults experience chronic pain.” Source: Brigham and Women’s Hospital; “One in Five Adults Experience Chronic Pain.”
Pain plays an imperative role as a teacher for you to change your approach on how you are living your life. This journey begins with an initial stressor (for example; falling onto your wrists), the stressor is correlated with a trauma (tissue, ligament and joint damage) and if unresolved it can become chronic pain (the nervous system goes into fight or flight and sends nerve signals to the brain stem and spine and then the sensation of pain is registered at the wrists). There is an opportunity to interrupt chronic pain and potential anxiety brought on by these stressors and to boost your health by moving and feeling more optimal overall, by understanding the foundations of how the body moves, where we hold tension, and how to release it. This is where movement practices like functional strength training, active recovery and embodiment practices like Wrken come into play.
FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH
ACTIVE RECOVERY
Active Recovery is the practice of healing the body through different movement modalities that allow the physical body (internally—i.e. physiology and externally—i.e. muscular, skeletal, and fascial systems) to unwind, allowing for the tissue to hydrate and the nervous system to regulate, as well as allowing the mind to calm and quiet.
When we engage in active recovery practices like Wrken, foam rolling, Qi gong, tapping, etc., spaciousness is created and an opportunity for healing occurs by way of the following benefits:
reduces lactic acid buildup in the muscles
increases blood flow to muscle tissue
removes metabolic waste from the muscles
reduces muscle tears and pain
Source: Faculty of Sports Science at the University of Poitiers, of Poitiers, France.
EMBODIMENT
“Embodiment is the way an individual relates and shows up in the world, through expression, behaviors, character and posture.” (The Presence and Leadership Institute.)
Through embodiment practice, we become deeply present with our physical bodies and where we hold rigidity and tension that often leads to pain. With this awareness, we can apply necessary active recovery through subtle movement practices to bring back ease and life force energy to these parts of ourselves.
Without embodiment there is no active recovery, because the signaling of the body into the awareness of the need for movement is necessary to take action towards relieving pain and stress in the body.
WRKEN MOVEMENT
Relief is where the power of Wrken comes in. Wrken in the simplest terms is a movement meditation and embodiment practice that lays out the blueprint for a deeper awareness of our bodies, resulting in pain relief and more peace and ease in our bodies, minds and lives.
In Wrken, this is done by exploring the three “Chapters” of movement, as well as all the main mobile joints. We as humans have three, and only three planes of motion in which we can move through, in terms of the science of biomechanics and kinesiology:
Forward and Backward motion or Sagittal plane (which we call “Folds” in Wrken)
Lateral/Side to Side motion or Frontal plane (which we call ”Bends” in Wrken)
Rotational/Twisting motion or Transverse plane **(which we call “Turns” in Wrken).
The problem is we spend more than 90% of time in the linear plane especially in a forward and flexed position; sitting in our cars, rounded in front of our computers and screens, or even in our traditional styles of exercise and movement (squatting, lunging, chest pressing at the gym). This causes excess rigidity and imbalance in the body, which if left unaddressed can lead to muscular imbalances, chronic pain and the potential of thousands of dollars of medical expenses.
While exploring Wrken and other mindful practices, feeling into the slowness of movement allows for the subtle energies of what is present in the body to be noticed, helping you to center yourself amongst chaos and feel more freedom in your body, your expression, your choices.
BENEFITS OF FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, ACTIVE RECOVERY & EMBODIMENT PRACTICES
- PHYSICALLY. Awareness of pain or stress caused by tight joints and muscles. When moving slowly, space is created to bring hydration to the fascia (soft tissue) by way of increasing synovial fluids in the joints, which allows for more ease and less inflammation in the joints and associated muscles, resulting in pain relief.
- EMOTIONALLY. Allows for release of emotions. When you are calm, you can allow yourself to move through unpleasant emotions with a regulated nervous system. Riding these waves with intentional breath and movement allows you to discover greater emotional clarity by being with what is present for you, so you can come to centered and balanced state.
- SPIRITUALLY. A deeper connection with your metaphysical being or Spirit, if you will. This is where the meditative element of Wrken comes in; the nervous system relaxes, pain and disharmony are released, and an overall state of inner peace, ease and connectedness to energies beyond yourself is attained.
If you find yourself looking to better understand and relate to your body, feel more deeply, and connect with something greater than yourself through intentional movement — join a Wrken Ceremony or invest in a 1:1 Coaching Package with me to discover the balance between functional strength training, active recovery and embodiment.
METHODS FOR ENGAGING IN FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, ACTIVE RECOVERY & EMBODIMENT PRACTICES
- Yoga Tune Up Ball — these massage balls are used for the release of knots and tights adhesions in the soft tissue allowing for a more mobile and flexible body.
- Wrken Movement Playlist — this playlist is designed to inspire you to move in any way you choose to express.
- Wrken Ceremony — In our Wrken Ceremonies, we explore connection in this deeply felt experience, as well as movement and breath for optimal health and vitality. Join a Movement Meditation Class or a Wrken Men’s Circle.