5 Unnatural Body Postures

Let's look at five basic unnatural body postures. So that you can really experience the way body posture affects breathing, mood, perspective, and emotion. As you read, remember that I have made them exaggerated and cartoon-like, we usually express them in far more subtle ways. Human beings are complex creatures. As you read, you may identify with more than one of these unnatural postures. I hope you enjoy the humor of the process. I'm not making fun of anyone here.

1. The Posture of Depression
Some call them breath anorexics, because they live a life with no deep breath and not enjoying the best of free joys, “The Air In the Lungs”. These people look lethargic and sleepy with their head and shoulders bent over, eyes looking down and they don't want to talk or get involved with any activities. The posture of depression is fueled by chronic feelings of loss and deprivation. After reaching out for love , or acceptance in normal ways and being rejected over and over, these folks fall into a permanent state of resignation, Their posture becomes their badge of inferiority and victimization.

Try this now?
Take short breaths then try this posture for 5 minutes. How do you feel? Don't you feel down? Don't you feel smaller and less important?

Nature did not design body like this. This posture is one's reaction to early disappointment, oppression, and defeat. The depression posture not only reflects a melancholy state , it helps maintain the climate of depression. Learning how to breath, Combined with acupuncture and Tuina and probably practice some simple ChiGong movements will help open the chest area and free up natural movements, You feel energized and can literally see what options you have. I am not saying that it is easy , the most important ingredient in this process is THE WILL , a strong WILL. Then you can beat depression.


2. The posture of Emotional Self-Indulgence “ me First”
This posture is characterized by The chest is out, tummy is tucked in, the pelvis is sticking out, the person looks like some one drinking too much coffee, or looks like a helium balloon Some say People with this posture live life on a long inhalation, as if they never fully exhale. The way they crave for oxygen and air, they are thirsty for attention, for fame, fortune, and the good life. They would seduce any one to go on top, They are adorable , cunning and will do any thing to get what they want. However in real life, they can get themselves in big troubles with maxed-up credit cards, crowded social calendars, or too many lovers and finally chronic exhaustion. Last year I had a woman with this problem. She was working as a receptionist (good loking and very polite) for her plastic surgeon husband. In order to show to her husband and everyone else (friends, family, children ) that "she is also important in that office and their income is not only the hsband's expertise but hers as well", she would work and talk 5 times more than what she was supposed to . She was a wreack and burnt out when she came to my office. A course of acupuncture and herbs brought her back on track but the epiphay of what I said about her mental status plus her strong will made her a more relaxed and happy person with more real energy for work.

Try This Now?
For 5 minutes Take deep breaths but small exhales , throw your chest out and your pelvis out. Move your eyes around and walk around . how do you feel? You most probably feel no legs, just chest and arms, wanting arms , you want to move forward.
This habitual posture is an early emotionally/ mental reaction to frustrated desire and to the fear of disapproval . These people are those who have trouble with relaxing. They feel as if they can't get off the merry go -round of life.


3. The Posture of aggression
People with this posture say “I'm the boss, don't mess with me”, they are Alpha dogs. Like the emotionally self-indulgent types, these people live life on an inhalation, but with a different pattern of muscle tension. They use the muscles of the face, chest, back, and spine like a shield of armor that allows them to breathe in a way that reveals nothing about themselves. They subscribe to a survival-of-the- fittest philosophy and are incessantly ready to save the day or get their way. You see John Wayne in this posture, in the movies, walking into a bar filled with bad guys, or Clint Eastwood saying to his enemy: “Make My Day” as a gesture of absolute self confidence. These people will do anything to get what they want, it can be a girl, a guy, a bad guy, the power. Aggression types are always in guard, and completely in control_ mentally, emotionally and physically. They know how to dominate anyone. In the movies alpha dogs usually win the war and get the girl (Good Guys of course). In real life , on the other hand, most Alpha Dogs destined to remain emotionally unavailable and locked up in their bodies, leaving little capacity for empathy and joy, which usually means failing miserably at intimate relationships. This posture fuels anger and isolation. Alpha Dogs live hard. They tends to alienate their love ones with out-of-control rage and accusation. Making them feel unloved and locked out because they have such a hard time expressing emotion and feeling sensation. People with aggression posture have a chronic need to feel powerful and in control. These folks learned early on that the way to feel powerful was to be feared and intimidating, unemotional, and cunning, most often raised by alpha dogs parents. Their posture becomes the badge of courage.

Try This Now:
Stand with your feet a bit wider than your shoulders, take a long deep breath, tighten your buttocks muscles , your face front, your eyes horizontal line, when you want to see something you have to turn the whole body, as if your neck is glued to your chest , your chest is glued to your waist, your waist is glued to your pelvis. Tell yourself, No pain. No pleasure. No remorse. No joint mobility, just lots of power. I'm a hero (or a bully!). Walk around and notice how you feel.

When the muscles of the front of body are immobilized, anger and sexual desire are about the only feeling that register. If you are wearing this posture and you are sick and tired of its side effects you need to start relaxing your muscles. With ChiGong (exercise combined with breathing techniques ),Tuina (therapeutic Massage), acupuncture Hypnotherapy, and again a strong WILL you will manage to treat yourself before it is very late for you and your love ones. People with this posture suffer more from High blood pressure with systolic number being very high, migraine headaches, low back pain, constipation and more. When women suffer from this attitude , it affect their menstruation, with more sever PMS and breast tenderness most probably due to fibrocystic breast disorder.


4. The Posture of Over Achiever
People with this posture don' breathe properly. They breathe in just enough, lock their diaphragm and then go, go, go. They are Type A personality. They have obsessive need to win. From childhood , overachievers play the game of exchanging victory for love they were raised by this motto “You get an A your parents love you, you get a B you don't exist”. These folks are in permanent state of doing, their posture becomes their badge of excellence.

Try This Now:
Stare at something in the distance, don't let it out of your sight, you've got to have it, you've got to get there, no matter what. You go toward the desired object , you will crush whatever and whoever gets in your way, you must be the winner, nothing else matter, not even your health. They say this is the posture of Silicon Valley, where the hard drive reigns_where success rules. Walk around and notice how you feel.

Side effect of this posture is very similar to the posture of aggression. However people with this posture suffer more from exhaustion . These people have no respect for the natural limitations bodily life. Getting the job done requires complete attention to work. Relaxation feels threatening to them that why they suffer mostly from insomnia, or too much dreaming or sleep talking. Overachievers push their bodies to the max and believe resting is for the wimps. They are tough on themselves and tougher on people around them (spouse, children, employees...).

Nature did not design the body to work like this. To prevent permanent damage and collapse , people with this posture should learn to relax without having guilty feeling about it. They need help, Herbal medicine , Tuina (therapeutic Massage) plus acupuncture that encourage relaxation usually are very effective. Sometimes in life you have to force yourself to stop and enjoy the view. Train yourself to take a break and watch the sunset.


5. The Posture of Compliance
People who suffer from lack of ambitions develop this posture. These people live life in the place of easy breath. They breathe just enough, relax to the point of sloppiness. This posture is fueled by an obsessive need to not make waves and to avoid conflicts. From childhood, compliants played the game of exchanging agreeable behavior for love. I you stay cool, if you didn't need anything you were valuable. These folks might claim they are at peace, but actually they are in a perpetual state of waiting. Their posture is their cover. Let's try their posture.

Try This Now
Your eyes are unfocused, your attention diffuse, the word hurry does not exist in their vocabulary, don't focus on anything, your head rest on top of your torso that slouches lazily, you are breathing lazy, you are laid back and don't care about fashion, you are an expert at waiting, you must feel comfortable no matter what. In this posture you are like those surfer dudes, time is irrelevant, peace and love win over success and power, right now is all there is and going with the flow is the only option. Now walk around and notice how you feel.

Unlike what we think this is not a healthy posture and attitude as well, these people are prone to become alcoholic or substance abuser, usually they are wasted talents. These folks have no respect for intelligence of the mind and knowledge. This posture deadens the mind and the heart. Brain is all about “use it or lose it”. Because they don't challenge their brain enough,they will loose many mental and physical abilities in early age. There is a saying “Idle Mind is the Devil Playground”, everybody needs a little challenging goals and dreams in life. People without them , life is so bland and senseless that some people fall into alcoholism and substance abuse and some others develop depression or other mental disorders which end up with prescription drugs addiction. These folks think too much , just like everyone else they get angry, frustrated but they have learned not to confront , not to argue. As a result they will feel helpless, defeated, inferior, sometimes guilty and above of all alone ( even if they live with a group of people or a large family , it doesn't matter , still they feel alone). Depression and the sense of being left alone eventually will cause anxiety, and anxiety leads to anger but they have trained not to show negative emotions that's why they look calm and cool, they accept easily, they agree with almost anything but from inside they are burning from the wicked cycle of depression-anxiety-anger. That's why they would like to scape into alcoholism or other forms of drug abuse. As calm as it sounds to say Don't worry-be happy, the nature did not designed the body to look like this either. This posture is reaction formation to being overlooked in childhood, learning early on it doesn't pay to work hard. Those who have this posture and suffer from forgetfulness, and other brain function reduction earlier than we expect, need to revive their body and mind with exercise( more movement of the joints) and they really need to change their habits. Taking classes ,learning new things (these people resist learning new things) which need certain amount of discipline are strongly recommended . Chinese philosophers say no body is in absolute balance except the fairies and angels, and only mystical creatures are considered as perfect. After some humble years of practicing Western and Chinese medicine , I always say: Lucky people know the root of their problems and pains and luckier ones are those who can fix their problems and pains with simple treatments.


Take care of yourself before taking care of anybody else. And believe me when you are healthy mentally and physically , you are more pleasant to be with...
Sources:
The Web That Has No Weaver
The Art and Practice of Living In Your Body

Dr. Shohreh Younessian Pedouim
Acupuncturist, Master Herbalist
Tel. (310) 205-9114
Email: doctorherbs@yahoo.com
Websites: www.acuherbsdoctor.vpweb.com & www.ahca.vpweb.com