What does it take to change?
What does it take for someone to change their habits in order to live in Balance? In my experience, it’s a changed circumstance, usually pain. But pain isn’t always the reason someone finds their way into Balance. Recently I heard from a man who is recovering from cochlear implant surgery. He wrote: “Saw your blog […]
A Different Kind of Pain
This is another kind of story about pain. It didn’t hurt me physically but mentally it sent me over the moon. As you recall last week I recounted the time I fell in Paris and shattered my left humerus. When I finally returned to the USA and got to the surgeon, surgery was scheduled for […]
No More Plopping
No More Plopping! Last Tuesday I went to the health center for a vaccination. When I arrived for my 10:30 appointment, I was shown to a double chair that had a soft cushion. A moment or two later a gentleman was directed to sit next to me. He sat with such a plop that my […]
My Trip to Being Aware
In the last two months, I spent a lot of time in San Francisco, repeatedly parking on a street that looks something like this: I began to notice that when I got in the car I felt an irritation on the inside of my left leg close to my pelvis. But I had other, more […]
Learn to See and Imitate Safe Bending
Here are two men doing similar tasks while power cleaning an artificial pond. They both bend forward to work. But that’s where the similarity ends. One of these men is practicing safe bending, and the other isn’t. One of them will tire sooner than the other, and he’s much more likely to feel back […]
Turn chair pose into child’s play
Chair Pose — Utkatasana “Easy” isn’t a word that most of us associate with chair pose. But take a look at this photo a student sent of her nephew at play. As he prepares to jump, he demonstrates how easy Chair Pose can be. All yoga poses are supposed to be easy. Asana means […]
Protect Your Back from “Going Out”
The most popular class recording. It’s so shocking. When I look at the class recordings that have been sold from the Balance Center website I am surprised. The three biggest sellers have to do with strengthening the buttocks. I thought for sure that the most popular recordings would address pain relief. I assumed people […]
Merrily we roll along – All things suitcase
Remember Travel Before Luggage with Wheels? We take so many conveniences in our lives for granted. Think electricity, running water, and cars. But what about pausing for a moment to be grateful for luggage with wheels? The most dreadful memory I have of travel is of lugging a heavy suitcase for ten weeks during a […]
In and Out of Chairs Easily – Pain-Free
Ouch! Have you ever tried to stand up out of a chair and suddenly felt like the woman in the photo below? If you have, you’ll remember the stabbing pain, the stiffness and the surprise of not being able to stand fully upright. Instead, caught in some odd shape – stooped over, or off to […]