Protective Postures and Chronic Freeze States
How is your body and energy? I have felt so much weight this week, building up and collapsing my shoulders forward. Chronic freeze states can send us into protective postures. As we close our May theme, Thawing Freeze States, I’m reminded that realigning my posture has been much more than a physical journey.
As we close our May theme, thawing freeze states, I have been reflecting on the state of my body in early 2021, when I was coming out of a deep prolonged freeze. As I started to feel again, I realized I had so much bunched up tension and pain— my left hip, lower back, shoulders, heel— all of my body was screaming for care.
While journey of realigning posture was definitely rooted in physical practice of pilates, it has also been much more:
Posture is physical— we often build up tension in our fascia (layer of tissue over the muscles), and in joints; in addition we have muscle memory & get used to certain muscles being overused/ overstretched
Posture is relational— it is a way that we communicate with others and open (or close) space for connection
Posture is emotional— posture can both reflect and shape how we feel; often we hunch forward to protect our hearts, and simple stretching out our arms and looking around can give us a sense of expansion
Posture is energetic— posture impacts flow of energy in the body, whether we are able to stay connected with our changing energy and effectively clear/ discharge. When we are aligned, excess energy naturally flows through our root into the earth as we go about life
Posture is a form of power— a body that is aligned and relaxed is also able to activate muscles appropriately and build strength more quickly with less risk of injury; a body that is aligned and relaxed allows intuition and embodied wisdom to flow
So often our wellness spaces emphasize rigid routines and formulas for success. Nervous system care is often offered as set tools that you do over and over again to “reprogram” the body. I say—yes that’s true, AND set tools can only get you so far. Creating enduring connection to our bodies is about turning inward with curiosity again and again. Our bodies are not machines and your needs will keep changing.
Consistency can be especially powerful when it creates familiarity for the body. In early 2021 I had found a great virtual pilates class that always started with the same simple breath sequence. The familiarity created such a needed sense of stability that it allowed me to turn towards my body and work with my physical and emotional energy at once. Practicing at home allowed me to make sounds, scream, shake out my body or whatever I needed to move energy.
Of course, now that I am the one offering spaces— let’s bring all of that wildness in intentionally! I am officially over the idea of single-modality offerings, if you want that there are plenty of vanilla pilates classes, I’m all about the in between spaces. This summer we’ll explore our theme VOICE OF FIRE:
Longer journeys to transform stuck energy and open space for new patterns; June theme— REALIGN, voice and pilates
Collective Power Building—free virtual journey for activists, third Thursdays 7-9pm, next is Summer Solstice! June 20th
QTPOC Full Moon Journey—in downtown Brooklyn, full moon Fridays 7-9pm, next is June 21st, sliding scale $10-40 (email me for a free spot), masks required except when at our mats and 6 ft apart
Fire-tending— weekly pilates & voice to realign, flow and expand, sliding scale $10-22 (email me for a free spot), starting June 28
In person downtown Brooklyn— Fridays 5:30-6:30pm
Virtual— Saturdays 11am-noon
If you want to support financially accessible offerings, donations are welcome: venmo/ cashapp @treasurevictory, memo: community
Oppressive systems intentionally send our nervous systems into sustained protection states, to undermine our connection to our bodies and INTUITION. That felt sense of knowing, open presence without hypervigilence, and ability to act with our full awareness. May we reclaim our full power and channel our fire in service of liberation.