Before the breath can move well, the body needs space for it.
Many of the ways we hold ourselves come from unconscious somatic postures that developed in response to stress. These patterns influence both our alignment and how we breathe.
In this class, I introduce three common protective postures the body adopts when responding to perceived danger.
The first is the posture of running toward danger. The chest lifts and moves forward, the ribs flare, and the body prepares to act.
The second is the posture of running away from danger. The head and shoulders move forward, the chest collapses, and the breath becomes shallow and restricted.
The third is the posture of retreating or protecting. The body curls inward, the ribs compress, and the breath becomes small and guarded.
Over time these patterns can become our default posture, even when we are no longer under threat. The rib cage becomes stiff, the diaphragm loses space to move, and breathing becomes limited.
In this class we begin releasing these patterns.
Using a pillow, we gently open areas of the body that commonly hold tension, including the back ribs, side ribs, and chest. As these areas soften and expand, the rib cage becomes more mobile and the breath can begin moving more freely through the body.
This class helps unwind protective tension patterns and restore the space needed for fuller, more supported breathing.