Liberated Body Interview: Posture, Perception and Presence

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Liberated Body Interview: Posture, Perception and Presence

It is my great good fortune for this to be my second interview with Mary Bond (the first can be found here) Mary has an MA in Dance from UCLA, and studied with, and was certified by, Dr. Ida Rolf, the originator of Rolfing Structural Integration. Mary is currently Chair of the Movement Faculty of The Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration in Boulder, CO. She also teaches workshops online and in person tailored to the movement needs and interests of various groups such as runners, dancers, Pilates and yoga instructors, and massage therapists. Mary is also a prolific writer whose articles have appeared in numerous magazines and she has written several books. You may know her best for her book The New Rules of Posture, and in today’s conversation we’re talking about her forthcoming book: Your Body Mandala: Posture, Perception, and Presence. And her mission, which, much to my delight, is to contribute to humanity’s deeper embodiment.  —Brooke Thomas, Liberated Body

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Office Chairs and Sitting

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Office Chairs and Sitting

When you sit with your thighs slanting downhill, your pelvis automatically finds an orientation that supports a neutral lumbar spine.  When a chair is too low, your pelvis rolls posterior so your weight rests too far back—on your tailbone—and your spine above becomes compressed.

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Mastectomy, Spatial Perception and Movement

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Mastectomy, Spatial Perception and Movement

After explaining these phenomena to my client, I suggested she notice any sense of diminished movement on the affected side. To become more aware of the space around her body she could imagine a sphere—something like a snow globe—and standing within it, notice differences her sense of the qualities of the space on each side.

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Morning Posture; Morning Attitude

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Morning Posture; Morning Attitude

I also know that moving stiffly--ambulating with the bare minimum of joints engaged--becomes a habit that can’t entirely be blamed on my bodily tissues. Habits take place in the brain. The more often I move stiffly, the more familiar and less optional that way of moving becomes. I can choose how I move.

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Posture & Perception: Naked Skin Moments

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Posture & Perception: Naked Skin Moments

Contemporary living undervalues body awareness and overrides it most of the time. But could it be that listening to our interior body signals has an evolutionary advantage? If so, we undervalue this capacity to our detriment. We need to practice activating it. 

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Eyes on Posture

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Eyes on Posture

Looking at computer screens creates a habit of narrowed vision. This use of the eyes draws the neck forward, stiffening it, and interfering with overall body balance. Mary Bond, author of “The New Rules of Posture,” suggests this exploration to heighten body awareness and improve alignment.  Cultivate Two Way Vision: Stand comfortably.  Now focus your eyes tightly on an object in front you…

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Posture, Perception and People (Japanese translation)

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Posture, Perception and People (Japanese translation)

あなたの姿勢を癒すために、私はいつも姿勢よりも知覚を練習するよう求めています。私はあなたの肩の姿勢や、首の位置についてアドバイスをしません。むしろ、あなたに内側のバランスの感覚や大文字の P と共にいる感覚（過去や将来の不安なしに今ここにいる状態）を発見するよう手伝おうとします。

あなたが３次元の空間でオリエンテーションを維持している間に、真に地面が下からあなたの身体を支えるのを許しているとき、いつでもこのバランスと今ここにいる経験を受け取ります。（空間というのは人々にとって省略された言葉です、ものごとやイベントが生じるところです）。もしこのことが不可解なら、私はいい本とDVDをお勧めできます！

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Posture, Perception and People

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Posture, Perception and People

To “heal your posture” I always invite you to practice perceptions rather than positions. I don’t advise you about the set of your shoulders or the placement of your head, but rather try to help you discover an internal sense of balance, and presence with a capital P…

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Posture Tips for the New Year

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Posture Tips for the New Year

(Posture Tips for 2013) Magazine writers often ask me about quick fixes for poor posture. While this isn’t my real mission (see mission statement at the bottom of this page), I try to translate my teaching into tips. I like how a recent interview turned out, so I’m sharing the whole thing below.  Looking forward with eyes and heart:  1. Can you offer a few tips for improving your walking stance and posture?  When walking, look forward to your destination with both your eyes and your heart.  It’s fine to glance down to be sure of your footing, but avoid fixing your gaze on the ground…

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