An Energetic Approach to Movement

Movement is more than just muscles contracting to make bones move like we see in the gym machine pictures. Our body is a whole unit in which everything participates to create movement. For this reason, I approach the body from a fascial or connective tissue perspective which informs how various parts of the body work in conjunction to make the body shift and move. As I studied the human body, I observed subtle patterns of how things worked together and I could feel someone's jaw release as I stretched their quads (front thigh muscles). Imagine my excitement when I read Anatomy Trains in which Thomas Myers details all of these connections I was feeling. Even more neat is how these fascial lines also mirror Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture meridians or energetic pathways.

When someone steps into my studio, I immediately begin observing how these fascial lines may be locked too tight or too loose and how that is impacting their movement as well as contributing to pain they could be having. This means that your neck tension, for example, could be coming from a tight IT band. We then stretch and strenghten these other pulleys that could be pulling on a spot where the pain is felt.

This leads to more than just a muscular contraction approach to what is going on in the body both in terms of pain and improving athletic performance. Yoga and martial arts have understood this fluidity in movement approach for centuries. The cool part is you can actually become so connected to your body that you'll be able to feel how your foot tightening on one side is causing your shoulder blade to brace which may be impacting your tennis swing.

Employing the insight of fascial lines/acupuncture meridians and consciously moving through them helps to shift and move energy though the body. For some this may just feel like a muscular release or even a greater mindy body connection. This can also mean that you feel lighter on your feet as you walk and run, or maybe more relaxed and supported by the earth. You may find breathing easier or that you have more power. Some days this means that you can have an emotional release or even feel euphoria as you 'exercise'.

One of the beginnning concepts I teach is that we walk from the front of our low abs/pelvic muscles and that our shoulders balance into our solar plexus. So, it's kind of like we have a triangle from the pelvis to our legs and then if you flip that triangle up-side-down, your shoulders drop into your diaphragm. From an eastern perspective, we're walking from the 2nd chakra or lower dantian which also happens to be our pelvic muscles, the base of our core. Our shoulders nestle onto the shelf of our 3rd chakra or our middle dantian which is also our diaphragm, or the top of our core. Feeling these connections automatically means you're using your core in a fluid sense, instead of overly contracting these muscles, restricting the breath and tightening the hips. Connecting to the core in this way also helps to open these lower energy centers where many of us hold our emotional wounds.

An energetic approach to movement will leave you feeling more relaxed, open and supported which means more energy and less fatigue at the end of the day. Tapping into these connections always takes sports performance to a whole new level--you'll feel lighter as well as more agile. Schedule an appointment to learn how to tap more deeply into your personal power!

Start Loving Your Job Today with Career Zen

While writing my post on the Book of Joy, I was struck by the simplicity of the generosity pillar of joy. If we have a sense of purpose, we want to share that with others, which gives us joy. As we begin a new year, many of us may feel frustrated that we're still doing that job/profession that doesn't make us happy. If this sounds like you or someone you know, I'd like to introduce you to my wonderful friend, Dr. Lynn Chang. She helps people shift their perspective in current job while uncovering their life's passion, so you can spend your time sharing something you love and receive joy!

You help others discover their life's purpose, how did you determine this was yours?

At The University of Texas at Austin I taught a class called "Career Planning," which is ironic because you can't really plan a career. Just like you can't plan how life is going to happen, you can't plan how careers are going to happen. It's a delicate dance between knowing who you are and what you want, with what the world needs and what the universe provides. The correct title of the class should have been "Career Unfolding" because it's in the step-by-step decisions you make along with the twists and turns of life that actually chart out your career path.

The clues to one's Life Purpose are all there in front of us. My job is to teach people how to listen from within, how to address the self-doubts when they arise, and how to use their gifts to lift all of us up. When I finally discovered how this life purpose thing actually works, it was like learning a magician's best-kept secret. I couldn't wait to tell everyone!

What makes your approach to career consulting unique?

I'm grateful for all of my years working as a university career counselor at UT. It taught me the fundamentals of helping people discover their path, as well as notice the nuances that each individual brought to the table. Over time I was able to quickly spot patterns and make predictions with pretty good accuracy, which is probably a product of the 10,000 hours rule. Additionally, I was diving more deeply into my yoga and spiritual studies and learning how everything was interconnected. I could intuitively see where people wanted to be in their careers and what was holding them back. Using yoga philosophy I began teaching people how to transcend barriers and reach their purpose more quickly and effortlessly. Unlike counseling or coaching, most people only need one consultation with me to gain insight into getting unstuck and a healthy dose of inspiration to follow their dreams.

Today my business CAREER ZEN is more about teaching people how to listen from within for the answers. I come from a long line of professors and feel a resonance with educators. I love teaching people how to stay open and curious to the answers that are already within them. This is how we ultimately move confidently towards our destiny. People are often curious what a session looks like. I tell them it's a balance between Eastern and Western approaches. It wouldn't be unusual for me to offer an online career assessment and talk about core motivation models, while also infusing meditations, Buddhist and yoga philosophy, and angel cards into our meeting!

What do you love most about your 'job'?

"Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life," Confucius.

It's true! My colleagues and friends have often asked me what my secret was to being so happy and fulfilled at work. My entire professional life I have practiced what I preach, which is to follow your curiosity. Your internal guidance system is set up to help you navigate your path. Whenever I felt excited and alive with curiosity, I knew that was the right decision for me. I didn't have to have the next 5 years all mapped out, it didn't have to make practical sense-- t just needed to be clear on how I felt. Each step of the way, from my doctoral studies to my university job to opening my business, I felt divinely guided and supported. I have absolutely no regrets and know that my work has made a positive impact on others. Following your curiosity is the best way to use your talents for the world, and also how to live a juicy life!

I am honored to work with my clients and love briefly sharing our journeys together. What I'm essentially doing is helping them open up to a fuller, more authentic version of themselves. I can feel the world becoming brighter with each person I meet. That glorious feeling is how I know I'm on my path.

What's next for Career Zen that you're excited about?

I'm really excited to be writing my first book! The book is entitled "The 10 Day Career Cleanse." I believe that you can begin today to love your job, regardless of where you are. It's about the moment-to-moment choices we have throughout the workday to choose joy, balance, and fulfillment. It walks people through 10 days of different techniques, all based on mind-body-spirit principles that I've personally found helpful along my journey. The book is an invitation to incorporate wellness principles from the personal development realm into the professional development world. The more we place our attention on joy at work, the more joy we will feel at work.

I'll share with your readers one of my favorite techniques based on neuroscience called the Brain Dump. If you've ever taken work home with you or even had dreams about work, then this one is perfect. At the end of your work day, take a minute or two to observe the contents of your day like an outsider. Close your eyes and imagine watching an old silent black and white movie of your day. Beginning from the start of your work day until this very moment. Watch yourself go through the course of events without narration, judgment, or analysis. Just allow your brain to process what happened. Even place a "The End" sign at the end of your movie. This helps to wipe your slate clean from your work day and leave the rest of your day for you to enjoy!

Dr. Lynn Chang is available for individual meetings, donation classes, workshops, presentations, and retreats. Check out career-zen.com for more information.