• I help people fully inhabit their bodies and guide teachers to do the same • Get access to exclusive videos, articles and teachings from Domini Anne
Grateful Head
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6-8 minute read
"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are." ~ Anaïs Nin A small child clutches a pillow to their face, giggling behind their makeshift shield. In their world, a perfect logic prevails: because you have disappeared from their sight, they assume they have also disappeared from yours. This charming misconception reveals a profound truth about perception—we believe our experience of the world matches how the world experiences us. This illusion stays with us even as we mature. We can only ever see ourselves from the inside, creating a fundamental blind spot in our self-perception. The outside eye catches what we miss—precisely why even advanced athletes work with coaches to provide the external reference point needed to recalibrate their internal map. The same principle applies to our thinking. We view the world through the lens of our experience, which narrows our perspective. Only when we encounter different viewpoints do we expand our awareness and transform how we approach the world around us. The real mystery is this: the tools we use to navigate—our eyes, inner ears, and vestibular system—all reside in the one place we cannot directly see. Our Head. It's like following GPS directions without seeing the blue dot that represents your car on the map—you know where you're going but can never directly observe your own position. We move through the world guided by a command center whose position we must infer rather than directly observe. The Evolutionary Plot Twist This perceptual blind spot has evolutionary origins. When humans shifted from four legs to two, our head's relationship to the spine fundamentally changed. What once served as a horizontal bridge became a balanced tower. In four-legged animals, the neck vertebrae form a natural suspension system. When we stood upright, this arrangement flipped vertically. Our neck suddenly needed to balance the head directly above the thoracic spine—an architectural revolution without planning. Remember last week's "hinge, rotate" pattern in our leg joints? This same alternating design appears in our neck. The joint where skull meets first vertebra primarily hinges, while the joint between first and second vertebrae primarily rotates—creating an integrated system of controlled movement through our torso. Modern life compromises this natural design. Forward head posture from screen use causes us to move our entire upper body when we should be articulating individual vertebrae. Distracted by the desire for action, we've lost the subtle awareness of our body positioning. This Week's Video: Grateful Head This week, we'll address this perceptual challenge with simple, playful exercises that improve head-position awareness and restore natural movement patterns. You'll need a ball—nothing fancy, just a semi-soft sports ball or body rolling ball with some firmness (not an inflatable Pilates mini ball). We'll use this to explore the relationship between our head (that other ball balanced atop our spine) and our body, creating feedback loops that bypass our usual blind spots. These exercises help clarify the difference between where you think your head is positioned and its actual orientation in space. This awareness improves movement quality throughout your entire body, preventing the mistake of thinking "our body is moving in one direction because we put our head in it." Beyond the Exercise: Daily BenefitsImproved head-spine awareness creates practical benefits:
Try this mini-practice: place a small ball (or even your fist) between your head and the wall while standing. Press gently backward as you breathe into your upper back. Feel how this small adjustment flows through your entire spine, opening your chest and rebalancing your posture effortlessly. Remember, we "move in multiple directions because that's what we should be doing with our bodies and our minds." This practice isn't just about physical alignment—it's about refining your relationship with perception. From Awareness to Understanding The "Grateful Head" practice offers a gateway into a deeper relationship with your body's design. As you explore these movements, you may find yourself wondering: How does the architecture of your spine facilitate this delicate balance? What evolutionary shifts created both our remarkable capabilities and persistent challenges? These questions lead us to the foundation of all meaningful movement work: Applied Anatomy—not dry memorization, but the living understanding of our body's design story. Bringing Anatomy to Life If these stories about human evolution light up your imagination, you're going to LOVE my Anatomy series starting this week. We'll journey through the human body, uncovering not just the "what and where" of anatomy, but the fascinating "how and why" behind our structure. You'll discover:
Practical Anatomy for Movement Instructors | March 17-April 14Five 75-minute lectures transforming complex anatomy into clear, accessible understanding. Perfect for:
Each session interweaves mobility exercises that unlock both movement and awareness in the areas covered, creating an embodied understanding that theoretical knowledge alone cannot provide. Applied Anatomy for Gyrotonic Instructors | March 20-April 17A companion course of five 90-minute Gyrotonic classes where anatomical concepts come alive through movement. Experience how theoretical understanding transforms into embodied knowledge as anatomical information and movement principles blend seamlessly within the Gyrotonic workout. These sessions bridge the gap between knowing and feeling, allowing you to:
Special offer: Register for both courses and save $150!
In Conclusion These simple practices invite us to reimagine our relationship with our own bodies. When we pay attention to how mind meets movement, we find the extraordinary within the ordinary—the miracle of standing upright, the wisdom in our design, and the freedom of fully inhabiting our physical selves. Have a beautiful week, Domini Anne P.S. When you try the floor massage portion at the end of the video, prepare to make involuntary happy noises. You're Welcome 😉 |
Domini Anne
• I help people fully inhabit their bodies and guide teachers to do the same • Get access to exclusive videos, articles and teachings from Domini Anne
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