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The Butterfly Story

One day a man saw a butterfly shuddering on the sidewalk.

It was locked in a seemingly hopeless struggle to free itself form its now useless cocoon.

Feeling pity, the man took a pocket knife and carefully cut away the cocoon and set the butterfly free.

To his dismay, the butterfly lay on the sidewalk, convulsed weakly for awhile, then it died.

A biologist later told the man, “That was the worst thing you could have done!

A butterfly needs that struggle to develop the muscles to live and fly away.

By robbing him of the struggle you rendered him too weak to live.”

Author Unknown

The Healing Process Belongs to the Horse

The Healing Process Belongs to the Horse

This is what my mentor and fellow Rolfer, Michael Reams, told me when he was sharing his knowledge of working on horses with me. It makes sense. Horses are living creatures. As one healer put it, horses are just people with fur.

While that might be taking it a bit far, our equine companions do have their full ranges of emotion and feeling just as a human baby does. Babies may not be fully able to vocalize their deep inner emotions, but that doesn’t prevent them from feeling fear, anger, panic, and stress. And let’s face it, if a baby needs to cry it out, there’s little you can do to change his mind.

Often times, we project our goals and wishes on our animals – horses, dogs, cats, birds – just like we project onto other people. A talented dressage horse who becomes injured and is given every cutting edge therapy available may stubbornly refuse to go sound, while a backyard mustang may walk through barbed wire, get inexpertly stitched up, and be completely healed in weeks. I see high- level riders frantically throwing money at their horse through first standard veterinary care, then complimentary therapies, and finally through every drug, device, and supplement known to man trying to get their horse healthy faster so they can get back to the “program.” This is understandable; horses are expensive and people buy them to ride. Just because it’s understandable doesn’t make it right, though.

Just as humans take varying amounts of time to heal, so do our animals. Sometimes a broken leg in a person is just that, a broken leg. There’s a cast, some crutches, time on the couch, and then it’s back to work as usual. For another person, a broken leg may be the start of a long healing process that leads them through some of their darkest fears. For some individuals, true healing involves the end of a life, such as coming to terms with old age or terminal illness. In any case, the healing process belongs to the client. You cannot become attached to the results that someone else has in their life.

What are you attached to that you might need to let go of in your life? If you’re holding out to be happy until someone else changes and heals – whether it’s losing a bunch of weight, overcoming cancer, resolving panic attacks, or healing depression – you’re putting a stopper in the flow of your own life. Be present to those around you – people and pets. Be available and supportive. But let go of your attachment to results.

What About the Pain?

I was on the plane in my favorite seat, row 6, right behind the bulkhead, in the window seat. I love row 6 because you get to board the plane with first class, so you can stash your luggage and get all settled while everyone else jostles for position in the aisle.

As the plane entered its decent, I was absently flipping through a book and staring out the window at the misty green landscape below. We were landing in Seattle and would be on the ground shortly. The man and woman in the seats next to me struck up a conversation about the beautiful Emerald City, and I jumped in here and there. Soon, the conversation turned to work.

“What do you do?” asked the woman in the aisle seat.

“I help people struggling with pain to reverse the effects of aging on their bodies,” I told her. I dislike this what-do-you-do question, but have come to terms with the fact that it’s part of life.

“Oh,” she replied, “That’s interesting. But what is it that you actually do?”

I knew where this was going. “I’m a Rolfer.”

The words had barely tumbled off my lips when she shot back, “But, that hurts!”

“So does yoga,” I pointed out. This is one of the challenges of my profession, and it’s one that I struggle with on almost a daily basis. I’ve never asked, but often wondered if personal trainers hear their clients say, “But exercise makes my muscles burn!” or if deep tissue massage therapists work to overcome objections from clients while kneading out painful knots in their backs.

Unfortunately for me, a fantastic and highly beneficial therapy, Rolfing, started out in a bad era. During the 1970s, everything was pretty extreme. People were indulging in primal scream therapy, Esalen was on the rise, and cathartic release was the hot topic. Rolfing was no exception. At that time, in order to become a Rolfer, you had to be a man and of a certain height and weight. The theory was that you were changing the body; you had to be strong because you were going in, grabbing onto structures, and physically moving them.

It hurt. Rolfing got a bad rap. Somehow, it stuck.

Fast forward 35 years. Medical science has advanced to levels that would have been beyond comprehension in the 1970s. Scientists are making incredible discoveries about our bodies, the role of our minds in health and wellness, and the ever broadening boundaries of our physical capabilities. We know a lot more now, and even more important, we know that there’s a lot we don’t understand about the role of consciousness in our somatic development.

Rolfing has evolved beyond the biomechanical basics of the 1970s. Now, Rolfers are not trained so much in technique as they are in principle. One of my instructors (who, by the way, is probably 90 pounds soaking wet and a woman to boot) put it nicely when she said, “Rolfing isn’t a bunch of techniques. There is no such thing as a Rolfing technique, actually. Rolfing is a set of principles; it’s ideals about proper function of the human structure for optimal health.” In concur and have found that in my work, I draw from not only myofascial release, but also craniosacral therapy, energy work, shamanism, my background in weight lifting and horseback riding, and also psychosomatic therapies that deal with emotions and beliefs to achieve total body balance.

“This is great,” you say, but you’re still asking, “Does it hurt?” The true answer is that it depends. The more aberration there is in the tissue – meaning the greater the misalignment of your body – the greater the intensity of the sensation. That means that if you tore a rotator cuff, popped a rib out of place, or fell off a horse onto your hip, that area is probably going to be sore to the touch. So, yes, Rolfing can hurt. Is it brutal pain, like being punched in the face? No. Never on my table.

You see, there are two kinds of pain. The first is inflicted pain. This is what you feel when you put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it, crush your finger in a drawer, or burn your hand with boiling water. This is pain coming from the outside telling you to stop what you’re doing, immediately! The second kind of pain is the kind that is already present in our bodies, and we may or may not be consciously aware of it. This is what we address in Rolfing.

Inner pain is there to protect us, just like outer pain sends us a message. For example, if you torque your hip, the muscles around the joint will spasm to protect you from moving too much. If the hip isn’t realigned, the spasms continue and become bracing. Eventually, you won’t bend your hip much because it hurts. You stop bending your hip, and voila! The pain is gone.

Not so fast…this is where a Rolfer comes in. A client comes to us and says, “My back hurts. I don’t know why. I haven’t done anything to hurt it lately. I mean, two years ago, I fell off a patio and dislocated my hip, but that’s all healed now.” Upon evaluation, the Rolfer will most likely find spasms and bracing around the hip joint causing asymmetrical movement that torques the back a little each day, resulting in low grade chronic back pain over time. And that hip is going to be sore.

So, as you can see, Rolfers walk a fine line. We’re working with pain – physical and emotional. Is there going to be some uncomfortable stuff? Yes. But then, when have you ever grown, changed, and evolved without a little pressure? The goal is to keep it within the client’s level of tolerance, and that level is different for everyone.

If you haven’t tried integrative bodywork because your’e scared of the pain, here are some tips to make sure you have the most healing experience possible with the least amount of stress:

1. Get references for three bodyworkers in your area. If you don’t have anyone you can ask for a reference, you can search for structural integration on the web to find local therapists.
2. Call each person on your list and ask them for either a phone or in-person consultation.
3. Ask the therapist about their work.

o Where did they train?
o Are they certified? For structural integration, the primary education schools are The Rolf Institute, The Guild for Structural Integration, and Hellerwork. There are others, but be sure the practitioner has attended a legitimate school.
o Have they done continuing education?
o What’s their background like (athlete, engineer, artist, etc.)?
o What led them to bodywork and the healing arts?
o You can ask about other things that may be important to you personally as well.

1. Schedule your session with the person that you feel understands you and your particular issues the best. Keep an open dialogue during your session. If something is too much, please say so! Sometimes it’s hart to speak up, but your therapist needs the feedback so he or she can best facilitate your session.
2. If the therapist you initially chose is noncommunicative or does not respect your boundaries and back off when you say it’s too much, don’t go back. Move on and find a therapist who honors your process.

©2009 Functional Balance, Inc.

Being Precedes Doing

“He won’t let anyone work on him,” the woman said, haltering her sorrel Canadian Thoroughbred and bringing him out of the stall. “He’s very fussy and passive aggressive.” This gelding, while not dangerous, had a reputation for being a bit of a problem child. He had a habit of standing on people’s feet or trapping them against a wall. An animal communicator had suggested his owner do any bodywork he needed herself, since she seemed to be the only one he’d allow to work on him.

Focused on my job of watching the horse move, making my usual assessments in my head, I just nodded distractedly. When she brought the horse back to me, I discussed what I had seen and let her know where I wanted to start. Then, I did. Started, that is. The horse was very accepting of the work, yawning, licking and chewing, and not exhibiting any poor behavior at all, besides a few perplexed looks my way.

The owner was astonished. “Acupuncturists, chiropractors, no one has been able to work on him!” It didn’t surprise me. About three out of every ten horses I see has a similar story, and I’ve only met one or two horses ever that didn’t settle down when the work began. So, what was I doing differently than these other holistic practitioners to get a calm, relaxed horse? Was it just different techniques, a different approach? I strongly doubt that. I have seen many holistic practitioners get phenomenal results with horses (and people) no matter the modality while others can’t seem to make any change whatsoever. Instead, I believe it’s something much more simple than “technique” – it’s being-ness.

You see, it really doesn’t matter what you do for your client if you’re not coming from a centered place. This is why the path of the healer always holds periods of self discovery, growth, and expansion. You cannot lead anyone further than you have gone yourself.

I’m sure you’ve seen this phenomenon in action at your own home, workplace, or stable. There is always someone who, whenever he or she is around, creates a feeling of anxiety, stress, and tension. With horses (or dogs and cats), you’ll notice that they physically tense and are more jumpy and alert. Next time you’re around someone with this kind of energy, notice what happens in your own body. Scan your jaw, abdomen, low back, and thighs, paying attention to how much tension you’re holding. This is exactly what happens when you approach a client – horse, human, wild cat, wolf, species does not matter – to do bodywork or perform any other healing modality.

If you’re thinking about your stressful finances, worrying about a leak in your roof, or frustrated with your significant other, the client knows it right away and can’t relax fully into the session or let down their guard. The good news is that while having a repertoire of techniques and modalities as well as an understanding of physical and energetic anatomy is extremely beneficial, you can actually have a profound effect on your horse just by being present and holding space, no studying necessary!

Here’s how you can begin to learn how to hold space:

1. Take your horse to a quiet area with no one to disturb you. It’s best if you don’t even have a close friend around, at least when you’re first learning. Everyone’s energy plays into the “container” you’re creating, and if you’re not used to holding space, you don’t want to have to balance the energy of three beings all at once. Having other horses around is generally fine as they tend to have less interference energetically. If there is a disturbing or disturbed horse that makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s best not to be near him or her, though. Note: If you do not have access to a horse, you can do this exercise with any living creature, even people. The benefit of working with another person is that you’ll get verbal feedback; the downside is that you’ll have to sort through your filters and world views, whereas equine, canine, and feline feedback is pretty pure.

2. Take several deep breaths and let your mind clear. Let go of anything that’s bothering you, no matter what it is. Just put it into an imaginary box and set it aside for now. You won’t lose it, and you can pick it right back up when you’re done. If thoughts come into your head, don’t worry about it. Just let them float away like clouds, watching them drift by but not attaching to them.

3. If you can let your horse loose safely, such as in a paddock or enclosed arena, do so. Tying the horse won’t work because the horse can’t “leave” if he wants to, but you can hold the end of a long rope if that’s your only option.

4. Standing next to the horse, place your hands on his or her barrel or shoulder. Send 100% of your energy through your hands and keep that flow going for a full minute. You don’t have to be an expert at energy work to do this; you don’t even need to ever have worked with energy before. Just imagine a garden hose flowing through your hands at full blast. Note what happens, how your horse responds, and what you feel.

5. Repeat the above step, this time sending 0% of your energy into your horse. Just stand there, hands on the horse, but keep your garden hose turned off. Again, note the results and what you feel.

6. Now, try sending 50% of your energy into your horse, and hold that for a full minute. Note your sensations and the horse’s response.

If you do this exercise with another human, you can discuss what you felt after each interval. If you work with an animal, it’s helpful to have a journal to write your experience.

Which flow felt best? Did one feel like you were working too hard, too little, and how did the horse respond? There is no “right” answer to this. Continue to play with this energy flow with your own pets, family, and even plants. Discover what feels most comfortable for you, where you feel easy, relaxed, and the other party is also calm and centered. Once you find this groove, you can go there any time you need to hold space.

**Hint** This is a powerful place, this centered, balanced space of being. Whenever anything troubling comes up, you can literally go to this place and it will calm everyone down around you. It’s my most powerful tool, and I find this space when I’m feeling insecure in a crowd of people, in the midst of arguments and disagreements, and also when I’m working with clients. When you are centered, you automatically center others who come in contact with you – what a gift for you and the world! ©2009 Functional Balance, Inc.

Do Animals Have Souls?

Amazing article spanning the breadth of human and animal spirituality, communication, and interspecies emotion:

Article: Do Animals Have Souls?

What is Your Horse Trying to Tell You?

What is My Horse Trying to Tell Me?

Yesterday was a blustery, chilly day here in the mountains of Malibu.  I was feeling a bit stressed and looking forward to a peaceful trail ride with Belle…my wish was not to be.

I arrived at the barn after a leisurely drive up to Pacific Coast Highway, watching the white caps break on the shimmering, green waves of the ocean.  Belle greeted me and we spent time warming up in the round pen before we hit the trail.

Never a fan of walking down hills, Belle balked at the prospect of leaving the ranch, which requires a steep decent down the driveway.  That’s not unusual, so I encouraged her onward.

When we hit the gate and the trail just beyond, Belle balked again, this time tucking her head and threatening to buck!  She then played her back-up-game, where when I ask her to go forward, she flies backward (this is Belle in her mare-ish, princess mode).  Let me tell you, flying backwards on an ornery mare and a narrow trail with a steep drop off is NOT FUN!  Nor is it particularly safe.

Ordinarily, when Belle pulls her princess tricks, I patiently urge her forward, gently circle her, or put her to work until she’s distracted enough to just move in the direction I’m asking.  I far prefer this to confrontation, since when it comes to an all out battle between a thousand-pound, stubborn horse and me – strong as I am – she’s the winner every time.  I learned long ago that the best way to win with Belle is to make her think she’s getting her way when she’s really doing what I’m asking.

This time, though, no dice.  Belle was being particularly stubborn and opinionated.  Maybe it was the wind, but I suspect she was in heat.  I hit the end of my rope.  Belle was refusing to walk up a hill, backing crazily towards a precipice.  I spun her around, got us on flat ground, jumped off and walked rapidly towards her.  We’ve had many a personal space lesson (Belle likes to walk in your pocket) so she flew backwards, eyes wide at the firm set of my jaw.

When I was sure I had her attention, I set off rapidly up the hill.  Stubborn and princess-like as she is, Belle is well trained.  She knows she’s supposed to follow me, especially on the ground.  She came along behind me, but I could tell she understood that she’d crossed a line somewhere, and she kept a good three feet between her and me.

I was angry.  Belle’s refusal to walk up the hill had triggered something in me.  For her, it was just a matter of preference.  She would simply rather stay behind at the stable, snug in her paddock, eating the second half of her lunch and flirting with the gelding next door.

In my pre-stressed state, however, I reacted from my gut.  At the top of the hill under shade of some trees, I plopped onto a rock, breathing heavily.  After ascertaining that I wasn’t going to make her back up or march up a hill again, Belle began to make steps back toward the stable.  I held onto the ends of the reins, and she tugged, as though to say, “You’ve made your point, I walked up the hill.  I want to go home now.”

It hit me.  I know that I’m supposed to become my horse’s “nurturing leader,” her security.  I’ve spent hours hanging out with her, hand grazing, spending time in a pasture eating cookies and carrots, walking in sync, playing games, riding, grooming, cuddling, sitting quietly in the sunshine.  I’ve made a concerted effort to develop a deep rapport, and I do know my horse loves and appreciates me (when she had a scary episode with colic two weeks ago, she was so relieved to see me at the barn!).

But with all the work I’ve put into building a relationship, Belle still prefers her horsie friends.  Now, maybe her being in heat had something to do with it, but in that moment, I was angry!

“Oh, so what, I’m not enough? Everything I do for you, all the time I’ve spent, it’s not enough?!”  The realization hit me like a flood.  This is a constant theme in my life.  I’m very hard on myself.  Nothing I do is ever good enough to live up to my personal expectations for myself, so Belle’s rejection hit me at a core level, and the feeling of being less-than was what incited the anger within me.

Immediately, my anger toward Belle cooled and shifted to introspection.  I jumped into the saddle and pointed toward the barn.

Walking back to the stable, I pondered my epiphany.  Horses have always been my greatest teachers; I find that whenever I lose patience, experience fear, anger, or panic, there is a much deeper issue.  Usually the situation with my horse has nothing to do with my anger, it only serves to bring my attention to an already present issue.

In healing horses, we heal ourselves.  That goes for training as well.  All work with horses requires relationship, so whatever relationships tend to bring forth in you, you will find between yourself and your horse.  Instead of shoving the challenges you’re facing downward, stop and take a look at what your horse is teaching you about yourself, life, and how you relate to the world.

I had a professor in college who said, “Nada surge de la nada,” meaning, “Nothing is created in a vacuum.”  It is only through relationships with self, others, and environment that we are able to discover our true inner selves.

©2009 Functional Balance, Inc.

Paleo in a Nutshell

Why Is My Horse Short Striding?

by Susanna Baxter

A common complaint amongst my clients’ owners, riders, and trainers is short striding behind or inability to engage the hindquarters. There are numerous reasons that this might occur. Horses with hip asymmetry (one hip higher than the other), sore backs, or lower leg injuries can exhibit signs of short striding, but usually an owner is aware of these conditions.

Often, when a horse short strides with no apparent cause, the horse has suffered a groin or adductor tear. Adductors are the large muscles on the inside of the hind leg. They tear easily, but tears or strains are rarely detected. Horses can injure their adductors performing athletic feats, like jumping large jumps or performing complicated dressage maneuvers, or from a slip in a muddy paddock. If a hind leg slides laterally (out to the side), it will strain the adductors the same way that you would tear your inner thigh muscles if you suddenly dropped into the splits.

When tears and strains heal, strength isn’t affected, but range of motion often is. Scar tissue – made up of collagen fibers, which have the tensile strength of cast iron – is fibrous and thick. It’s like having an ace bandage over the area that was injured. To begin to restore mobility to restricted adductor muscles, warm your horse up for ten or fifteen minutes. Walking or jogging is just fine. Stretch the hind legs gently out behind, going only as far as your horse is comfortable (different horses and different breeds have varying levels of flexibility; don’t try to over-stretch). To protect your own body, rest your elbow on your knee as you support the horse’s leg. Under saddle, ask your horse to move laterally, crossing his hind legs to both directions. This will encourage the fascia to lengthen and regenerate lost neurological function (nerves, like muscles, are use it or lose it – if you don’t move in a direction, the connection between the nerve and muscle becomes more and more distant).

If the restriction is still limiting your horse’s performance and causing pain, bodywork is essential to release tissue that has become short, tight, and fibrous. You should also consult with a holistic veterinarian to find nutritional support for your horse’s soft tissue. Certain herbs and minerals are known to help regenerate bodily tissues; your vet will be able to advise you on the ones most appropriate to your horse’s situation.

©2009 Functional Balance, Inc.

Why Does My Shoulder "Clunk?"

by Susanna Baxter

Many of my clients have shoulder trouble, although not all of them experience the signature “clunk” that indicates trouble in the upper scapular region.  Whether or not you are experiencing this annoying and uncomfortable issue, this article will help you free your shoulders and prevent future problems.

Place your right hand on your left shoulder, covering the clavicle and scapula.  Roll the shoulder.  Do you feel or hear a clicking sound under your scapula?

This is a common complaint in western society for many reasons.  First and foremost, we don’t use our arms the way they were designed.  In the past, manual labor strengthened the larger muscles of the back and lower scapula, supporting the shoulder girdle which has no bony attachment to the body save at the clavicle.

Now, we spend multiple hours in front of a computer, in cars, watching television, and utilizing fine motor skills to operate machinery designed to facilitate our lives.  The larger, strength-based muscles of our back and rib cage have become weak, and we rely on the smaller, less efficient muscles of the neck and upper shoulder.  Even athletes and active people have dysfunctional movement patterns, especially if the bulk of their training takes place in a passively supported environment (i.e. with weight machines).  This kind of training actually furthers bad habits because it allows you to engage muscles that weren’t designed to move a heavy load.

Try this for illustration: Go to a wall and stand arm’s length away.  Put your hands flat on the wall with your elbows straight and press just hard enough to feel your shoulder muscles engage.  Where do you feel the contraction?  Most people feel it in the trapezius, neck, deltoid, and upper shoulder.

This is where the “clunking” problem begins.  The upper shoulder muscles are designed to move your shoulder, to fixate the upper scapula, and act like a suspension bridge from your neck to hold your arms to your body.  They’re small, and they are not attached to stable structures; if these muscles become hypertonic (too tight) they’ll pull your neck and skull out of alignment, creating tension that leads to pain.  Increased tension in your soft tissue also leads to inflammation in the nerves.  When nerves are strained, they become enlarged and rigid, some even feeling like copper wires under your skin.

These smaller muscles also attach to the ribs of the upper thorax.  When they are tight and short, they pull the ribs out of alignment (ribs are flexible and move with your breath; it’s quite easy to dislocate a rib).  So, the clunking you are feeling is tendons and ligaments sliding over inflamed nerves and ribs that are slightly dislocated.

How do you fix this?

The first line of defense is skilled bodywork to release the tight muscles that are causing dysfunctional shoulder anatomy.  A Rolfer can also help the client reeducate their body to move more efficiently and reprogram damaging neurological patterns.

Self care is also important.  There are two components to healing yourself: strength training and neuromuscular reeducation.  Strength can only be accomplished through whole-body exercise that teaches you to connect your arms into your core – machines will only further dysfunctional patterns.

In terms of neuromuscular reeducation, it’s fairly simple to accomplish.  That’s really just a matter of training your body to fire a different muscle group.  Try this exercise: Standing at a wall with your arms straight and palms flat against the wall as you did earlier, pull your scapula (shoulder blade) down your back towards the floor.  Imagine you’re going to slide it into your back pocket.  Now, with your shoulder pulled down, initiate a push against the wall.  You should feel the contraction in your shoulder much lower, just behind your armpit.  If you have well-ingrained patterns, it might take some time for you to feel a complete shift, but the more you practice, the easier it will get.

Do this drill before you exercise or several times throughout the day if you have a job requiring repetitive use of the arms and hands to train your body to fire the larger, more efficient muscles in your back.

©2009 Functional Balance, Inc.