Anatomy of Alignment:

Sources of Sensory Feedback.

Part of building the connection between body and mind is becoming more aware of the sensory feedback your body provides.

The first step is to find your Base-Line, the central reference needed to increase awareness of your sense of position, motion and balance - your sense of proprioception, and to feel your state of alignment.

Base-Line breathing technique

conscious proprioception

Increased awareness of your midline allows you to feel the relative positioning of the rest of your body - to feel your posture. Being able feel your posture - the position of all of your body - comes with time and focus. Many parts of the body will provide sensory information to help you feel your midline. 

good posture

Nostrils.

Feel the air flow as you breath in and up through your nostrils.

• Where are your nostrils in relation to your Base-Line?
• Can you feel a balanced air flow in both nostrils?

Placing a finger over one nostril and breathing through the other is a great way to increase bodiliy awareness and feeling alignment of the upper body relative to

Mouth.

Breathe out through your mouth and feel the air flow through your lips.

• Feel the shape of your mouth.
• Where is your mouth in relation to your nostrils and your midline?
• Move your jaw, feel your mouth shape change.

The jaw bone is attached to the skull by muscles, a lot of movement is possible when there are no restrictions in the surrounding tissues.

Sensory information from lips, contacting teeth etc etc.

Tongue.

Many disiplines mention tongue position. From placing the tip of your tongue behind your central incisors (front teeth), to rolling your tongue up and backwards so the under-surface contacts the hard palette (roof of mouth).

Use your tongue and hard palette to provide sensory feedback about the relative positions of your skull and jaw.

Experiment, see what helps to feel the position in relation to your Base-Line.

Eyes.

Lots of muscles associated with the eyes can be used to provide sensory feedback.

• Shut your eyes tight and feel the ring of muscles around the eyes. Do they seem level?
• Muscles that move the eyeball. Look left, right, up, down. Circle/roll your eyes in both directions. Feel for the relative positioning and degree of movement in your eyes.
• Raise your eyebrows, feel your eyes open upwards.
• Visual imputs can be deceiving when body has adjusted (kinked, twisted etc.) in order to keep the eyes level after 'stored trauma'. 

5 midline markers for alignment