Cat Stretch

The cat stretch is a series of exercises intended to be done everyday to help "reset" the nervous system in order to encourage healthy muscular habits. These are best done first thing in the morning before any other activity. The reason for this is that during sleep, especially REM sleep, our motor control system is taken "off line". When we establish healthy motor habits (i.e. with somatic exercises) before the body has a chance to fall back into habituated patterns, we can begin to re-train the brain to muscle communication.

These exercises can take as little as 5 minutes or as much as 20. Very little time needs to be spent to gain the full benefits of these basic somatic exercises.

Begin on your back, legs straight on the floor and arms down by your sides with the palms up. Take note of the feeling of your body on the floor, the weight of your feet, pelvis, shoulders, and head. Notice the differences between each side- does one side of your pelvis feel heavier than the other? Do your shoulders touch the floor, or are they slightly raised? Sense the space between the floor and your lower back. Breathe deeply, and just make note of your body patterns and sensations.

Once you have fully relaxed your weight into the floor, you are ready to begin with the arch & flatten.

(please stay tuned for exercises, or contact a practitioner for detailed instruction)

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