AimingUp
"So when we say think about your neck being free, it isn't a matter of trying to feel whether it's free and then trying from there to free it. You don't have to try to free it. Trying to free it implies making some sort of effort to free it, and freedom is not going to be brought about by effort; stiffening is brought about by effort. If your neck is stiff, it's because you are stiffening it. If you stop stiffening it, then it will be free. So it isn't a matter of trying."
- Walter Carrington, Thinking Aloud
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Past Articles:
The Spine as a Compression Spring
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Starting at the Top
Think about your head. It is a heavier object than you might think, weighing anywhere from 8 to 15 pounds. Now remind yourself what a 10-pound bag of potatoes feels like, and imagine that weight, in the shape of your head, balancing on top of your spine. That is a substantial amount of weight to carry around all day. To make matters even more complicated, your skull is front heavy because of the weight of your jaw, which meets the skull around the front opening of your ears. When you watch someone doze off in a chair, notice that the direction gravity naturally pulls their head is forward, towards their chest.
Now touch the spot where you think your head meets your spine.
If you pointed to anywhere along your neck you are
off by a bit.
The point where your skull meets your spine, and from where
you ideally move your head, is approximately between your ears and behind
the bridge of your nose.
You cannot make contact with it anywhere along your neck.
Often when I ask students where their head meets their spine they
point to their 7th cervical vertebrae, the "lump" on
the back of their neck just above the shoulder blades.
This is not a joint and therefore not a place to turn your head
from.
If you think of it as being a joint then chances are you will move from it,
and as a result you will overwork your neck.
When you catch yourself looking up or down by jutting your chin, chances are you are moving from somewhere along your spine, not the point where your head balances on top of the spine, and as a result you are probably causing some excess tension in your neck. It is entirely possible to move your head side to side without your shoulders following. Think of softening your WHOLE neck (front, back and sides), releasing your jaw, and moving from that point inside your skull and between your ears. Catch yourself throughout your day moving from the neck or chin, remind yourself where the joint actually is – behind the nose, between the ears – and allow yourself to move from there. You'll find you use a lot less tension in your neck to support and balance your head's weight.
Summer is a time for all kinds of outdoor fun. We cook out, run, bike, swim, surf, golf, play tennis or baseball, throw the frisbee or just lie on our backs at the beach or in the park looking up at the stars. Whatever activity you are involved in, I encourage you to explore the potential of your released neck and its effect on your overall freedom through your whole system. Have fun and have a great summer!
"So you can see that the neck must be free to bring about the balance of the head. If the neck is pulled forward, the head will be pulled back. Freedom of the neck is the keynote because it's only when you've got that freedom can the energy flow occur that is necessary for uprightness or counteraction of gravity. Without the freedom, the postural balance is no longer finely tuned."
- Walter Carrington, The Act of Living