Shoulder Health

Antoinette Giambrocco - CYT

Shoulder pain is a common ailment for most people in this day and age.  It is mostly due to desk work and computers.  Another part of shoulder pain is the constant overloading with computer bags, diaper bags purses and anything else we try to pack on our shoulders and arms.  Tension in the shoulders also plays into shoulder pain issues.  Many people do not take the time to unwind and relax after a busy day.  Yoga can help in both the stretching and strengthening, and also in relaxing these muscles.

A few exercises we can do to help warm up the shoulders before exercise, and bring awareness to these stressed muscles. 

Shoulder Shrugs - Wring out one of our biggest stress receptacles, the upper trapezius (upper “traps”). Repeat three times.

1.  Stand upright in mountain pose (tadasana), arms relaxed alongside of body; inhaled and shrug the shoulders up by the ears
2. Hold breath while pushing shoulders back
3. Exhale, squeeze shoulder blades together, opening chest
4. Release the squeeze
5. Inhale, target the area 3-4 inches below the upper traps, between shoulder blades (lattismus dorsi); squeeze with and exhale
6. Release the squeeze
7. Inhale, target muscles below shoulder blades (serratus anterior) and squeeze with exhale

Eagle Arms - Brings freedom and awareness to the area underneath the shoulder blades, the rotator cuff muscles. Repeat three times on each side.

1.  Stand upright, bring right arm up in front of chest, bend elbow so forearm (radius and ulna) is vertical and arm (humerus) is horizontal
2. Bring left arm under right, hook elbows and place hands as close as you can get to a prayer position
3. Inhale into upper back, slide shoulder blades down back
4.  Exhale, easing elbows away from body, bringing elbows up in line with nose

Archer Arms - Stretches tricep muscles, opens shoulder blades. Repeat three times on each side.

1.  Inhale, raise right arm straight above head, then bend elbow so forearm comes vertically down back (use a belt if hand does
   not come half way down the back)
2.  Exhale, rotate left arm so palm is out, then sweep it around and up middle of back
3.  Clasp hands, or grab belt if hands do not reach each other
4.  Inhale, right arm up and over to midline
5.  Exhale, left arm down and over to midline

From an article:

Understanding Your Shoulders - By BJ Sadtler, RYT - Drawings by Ceci Morales

Winding Down to Catch Quality Zzzz

Emily Marquis – Certified Life & Wellness Coach

Do you ever have dreams where you are typing away on a work spreadsheet or sorting out a life problem? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and remember the thing that you forgot to buy at the grocery store? If you are like many of us, you might be juggling too much in your head which prevents a good night sleep. Without a good night sleep we have less of many things including brain power, energy and ability to cope with stress.

Here are some tips to distress before you go to bed so you can enjoy your much needed rest of at least 7-8 hours per night.

No Technology Curfew. About an hour before you and other members of your household go to bed, set a ground rule that all technology must go off– computers, TVs, video games, phones, etc. Take this time to read a light magazine or a lighthearted book. Especially avoid watching the news or murderous type TV shows right before bed. Who can get a good night sleep after you fill your brain with horrible negative things?

Journal.Still brewing about something that happened during that day? Hash it out in your journal and get thoughts down on paper so you won’t be dreaming about them later. Have a great day? Be sure to write about this as well.

Best Thing about Your Day. At dinner or before bed, ask everyone in your household what the best part of their day was. If you are alone– keep a journal to write this down in. It can be as simple as the sunrise or as complex as a big accomplishment. This will remind you of the positives of the day even though there may have been things that discourage you.

Exercise. Exercising 30 minutes a day even if means a brisk walk with the dogs, will help with a good night’s sleep.

Meditation & Deep Breathing. If you only have 5 minutes, listen to music without words with headphones and take big deep breaths– focus on your breathing.

Avoid Sugar & Caffeine. Avoid these stimulants at least a couple hours before your head hits the pillow.

Nightmares or Stressmares? Tell someone about your dream. This will get it off your chest and help you realize what is really bothering you and what further steps you might need to take to deal with this.

Sounds like a lot to do in an already busy schedule before bed? Start by trying one of these things once a week than gradually build up. Notice your nights are filled with less stress and more Zzzs! When you realize you can accomplish one small thing and enjoy its rewards, adding more techniques will seem like less of a challenge.

Contact Emily for an initial consultation on what components of your life could use a boost or change. Through small realistic steps and accountability you build, she will coach you through life changes to help you live your life to your best intention.  www.herawellnesscoaching.com

Meditation, Simplified

Darci Meyers – Reiki Master, Meditation Instructor, Buddhist Chaplain

Meditation is easier than you may think. It does not require a quiet place away from all distractions. It doesn’t require a lot of time. It doesn’t even require a lot skill. It is about being simply and clearly present in the face of whatever arises, moment to moment. As long as you are completely aware of what you doing, that is meditation. This kind of attention on the present moment creates a sense of spaciousness, openness and ultimately leads to a sense of deep peace and tranquility.

Recent research shows that meditation brings about dramatic effects in as little as 10 minutes. Several studies have demonstrated that people who meditated for even a short time showed increased alpha waves (the relaxed brain waves) and decreased anxiety and depression.

Here are a few simply guidelines for meditation that anyone can do, anywhere.

1.  Wherever you are, sitting in a chair or on a cushion, or even walking, the main point for posture is to keep your body relaxed and your spine straight and upright. It is often helpful to pull your chin toward your chest slightly, creating length in your neck.
2.  Bring your attention lightly and mindfully to the breath. Simply aware that you are naturally breathing in and breathing out. The breath is always with you and with attention can be your anchor to the present moment.
3.  As thoughts, sensations or feelings arise, do not push them away nor indulge them. Just simply notice the rising while keeping your attention on your breath.
4. If you find that you become distracted, just gently bring your attention back to the breath. Beware not to berate yourself for getting distracted. After all, you have been practicing distraction your whole life! It will take some time to train your mind in meditation. Be gentle with yourself.
5. Maintain an attitude of openness and friendliness toward your experience. Meditation is about making friends with yourself. Whatever arises in your mind, pleasant or unpleasant, the practice is to simply notice, without reaction. Keeping your attention on your breath

Darci Meyers, MA is a meditation instructor and Buddhist Chaplain at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood. She has a private practice in Spiritual Direction in Golden, Colorado. To learn more about meditation or to schedule an appointment visit www.darcimeyers.com.

Healing Through Relationship

Mike Gathers – Marriage Counselor, Psychotherapist

Our relationship with our spouse, our partner, holds the potential to act as a powerful vehicle for healing and transformation.  Intimate relationship allows for levels of vulnerability and expression that we would not allow ourselves in other relationships.  Often, our early relationships with our childhood caregivers lead to patterns that inhibit more authentic intimacy in our adult lives.   These patters tend to well up to the surface in our adult relationships and prevent us from deepening our relationship with our partner.  This can lead to stagnation and routine in our close relationships that leaves us unfilled and unsatisfied.  In a worst-case scenario, we remain in the safety and routine of our partnership while seeking to fulfill unmet needs through addictions or affairs.  These escapes lead to a breakdown of trust and a further deterioration of the intimate connection that has such a potential for healing. 

By engaging in the work of understanding and exploring our unconscious habits of relating and avoiding, we can touch into how to deepen intimate relationship and heal old wounds.   We find new excitement in a relationship that may have gone stale or simply needs an infusion of passion and romance to keep thing fresh and moving.  We can learn to care for each other more closely and help each other to feel safe and secure, allowing for the vulnerability and expression necessary to heal and touch into the aliveness of being.  When approached in this way, marriage becomes a spiritual path and relationship a way of life.

Mike Gathers is a marriage counselor and psychotherapist working in Golden and Downtown Denver.  He offers a free one hour initial consultation, and can be reached at 303.956-7574 or mike.gathers@hotmail.com.