Off Topic - Day 1 Anatomy Structure and Movement

I don't know yet how this relates to the business of this blog, to be discovered. My focus for the next 40 days is Anatomy Structure and Movement supporting my Dancemeditation study and I will share some of the explorations here. My primary reference sources are Mary Bond's book The New Rules of Posture and Anatomy and Asana by Susi Hately Aldous.

Day 1 (yesterday) - large joints. Our largest joints are the shoulders and hips, they are designed to do most of the work while the smaller joints (knees, ankles, wrists, elbows...) are designed for smaller tasks. The right side of my body is often unhappy that I sit at a desk working on a computer most of the day. Carpal tunnel and tendinitis in my right wrist and elbow remind me to take breaks, adjust my workspace and learn about body mechanics. Workspace adjustments seem to perpetually evolve, balancing comfort with getting the job done. When I misuse the smaller joints (repetitive movement with the wrist and elbow out of alignment) instead of letting the larger joints work properly I am reminded to notice my posture, breathe and readjust. Physical therapy has released tension in the forearm, however the tightness originates from a tight neck and right shoulder still settling from a broken collar bone years ago. My massage therapist has been helpful in getting things flowing from the origin so the other work will be effective. In the kitchen last night I noticed myself again using the right wrist and elbow to stir and with pain switched hands and also tried to use the shoulder more. A subtle adjustment, the awareness seemed to help though I'm still not sure I've found it. I rolled around on my foam roller for a while later in the evening, releasing along the thoracic spine and into the neck while enjoying the fiery beauty of my sunflower calendar. I wonder how the sunflower's "neck" keeps from tiring while holding the heavy flower tilted forward? In the hips, when I walk pressing out from my toes I notice that my hips swivel and move more freely letting the rest of the body flow in the movement. How can I find this in the shoulders and neck?

Since my last training intensive in November I have been more aware of my breath. Various insights have come from this practice, the primary one is my habitual pattern of bracing. When I watch my breath it usually flows gently massaging and opening me to space and opportunities in each moment. In standard operating mode my jaw is held and the area in front of my heart is static, the muscles in my legs and along my back are tight and guarded. The entire system is ready for the next bad thing, hyper vigilant of the environment in anticipation. In my past this was probably an appropriate response, today it just unproductive chronic tension. When my jaw is tight I tend to hold the hips tight as well which means the legs have little opportunity for movement, the spine is restricted and my shoulders tense. You can imagine how it affects the rest of the joints. Breathe... it's good all around.