A little late for this thread, but reading through everyone's interesting experiences on the connection between mind and body, I thought I'd also add a few thoughts.
Laura said:
I don't think it is exactly treating the symptoms and not the cause... I was thinking a little more deeply, you know like "fake it 'til you make it" sort of thing.
I personally think so, having experienced it myself. I grew with many problems of self esteem and my posture reflected it noticeably. As I look at old photos I observe the particular way the shoulders curve, the concave chest, the overall vulnerable yet protective posture which tells immensely about myself at that stage. As I began to train intensively as a dancer, my posture progressively and dramatically changed. My attitude changed as well. It wasn't something that happened in a blink of an eye, it took a few years. I can clearly remember though, the new sense of feeling stronger and more assertive as my spine began to straighten out.
The body is highly reflective of one's attitude, as we start working deeply within it we'll notice slow, gradual changes. I can testify for that myself.
I can also observe such alterations in my Pilates classes. I still get fascinated by those subtle yet consistent changes. I can remember one psychiatrist who, in order to feel he could better reach his patients, adopted a slumped, introspective and protective posture. Unconsciously, he felt that by doing so he would be less intimidating. As he started training, his posture slowly and gradually changed. Now I think that for consistent results, a technique that works deeply within one's body should not be invasive, but rather slow, progressive and consistent, and highly concentrated on the person's response. Changing one's centre of gravity for example (which more often then not is out of place) has a strong impact on one's overall being. It did for this psychiatrist for example who suddenly, out of the blue, began to open up and become cheerier in his sessions. Nearly all of his patients noticed it. And there are a few of such interesting stories.
However, working on some sort of physical re-alignment will only have real impact in one's attitude if done consistently and for long enough.
I believe that an integrative approach to body, mind and spirit is the best solution. Often to achieve something we need to try here and there and gather as many developmental tools as possible. In that line of thought, changing one's posture, far from being the only, can be simply one of the tools to begin the process of changing attitude
For significant physical changes that lead to a transformation in the mental sphere to become real and ingrained, conscious effort from the mind is also needed. That is in order to work diligently to become conscious of, and sustain the transformation on a mental and emotional level. I believe that to work also the other way around, as you consistently build a different attitude, your body posture will reflect it.
Slowone said:
I know in Yoga teaching that a deep physical practice with slow holds, lots of forward bends etc, leaves you feeling entirely different energetically than say a very energetic round of Sun Salutations. That change in energy and mood is palpable even after the physical practice is over.
The fact that you need really to practice daily suggests that it needs to be constantly applied but you can actually feel the change in energy in a class just by changing the postures taught.
That has also been my experience with physical activities that work deeply into the core and on an energetic level. And thank you for your quotes Slowone! Another book for my list.
There are a few techniques looking into the connection between one's body and mind. Slowone's quotes reminded of a book on this subject that I have mentioned in another thread. "Sensing, Feeling and Action" by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. She dedicated her life to movement analysis, which resulted in her technique; Body Mind Centering. Through the study of movement patterns from the new born up to adulthood and old age, the technique aimed to understand at a very instinctive level a person's first impulses and where do they stem from. She focused mainly on the physical aspect but would often make the connection to the mental and emotional ones. The technique studied how these impulses will manifest in movement, and on other hand, what each movement implies, what can be the mental and emotional underlying impulse.
