Whole woman posture

Submitted by chickaboom on July 2, 2015 - 6:17am
Body: 

From the wholewoman newsletter, for those who don't receive it. Such an important reminder. Thank you Christine.

"Whole Woman Posture

Perhaps it is just following the line of least resistance, but I find consistently that women tend to focus on the exercises I teach in the various Whole Woman products. Maybe it’s just a cultural thing, because we tend to be so exercise obsessed in the west.

But the real work of prolapse, incontinence, and chronic hip pain management comes from mastering and living in the Whole Woman Posture.

Exercise takes effort, but it is an effort that is quantifiable and limited. You do so many reps of this, so many seconds or minutes of that, then you’re done. You can get on with your day.

The posture requires a different kind of effort.

It requires dividing your attention so that part of your mind is focused on your work or domestic activities, social interaction or what have you. The other part of your mind is aware of your posture, and reminds you if you are not properly pulled up.

It requires being more fully present in everything you do than we are used to in our daily activities. But this is what makes the Whole Woman Posture, a deeply embedded habit, become effortless over time.

The good news is that when you stay in the posture, a number of health challenges improve. But it takes considerable effort, particularly for the first few months.

And unlike normal, physical exercise, it isn’t about so many reps, taking a shower and then you’re done. It is about being present every waking minute that you are on your feet or sitting, be it sitting at your desk at work or relaxing in the evening.

This is when you will come to appreciate the need for and value of the exercises. Sitting without back support is hard until you build up strength in your musculature. And it takes constant mental effort to remember to remember to stay pulled up.

There is no quick fix for these conditions, surgical or otherwise. Investing a few months of effort until the posture becomes effortless is the cost of admission to successfully managing your prolapse, incontinence, and/or chronic hip pain for a lifetime.

What is interesting is how the posture impacts our psyches.

When we are in our natural female shape, we feel more in our own skin. Not a very scientific description, I realize, but the feeling is difficult to describe.

Showing up in life in the full expression of our natural shape also impacts our self-confidence as strong, capable women. Again, difficult to explain, but women report this over and over again.

So just a gentle reminder.

If your memory of the posture is fuzzy, dig out your DVDs or log into your Destination: Prolapse-Free course for a quick refresher.

As I have said from the beginning, “Change the Posture, Change the Prolapse.”

Remember, your conditions are not diseases, they are symptoms. Pay attention to your body. Your symptoms are your body’s way of communicating to you what it needs. Listen carefully."

Forum:

Surviving60

July 2, 2015 - 6:52am

Thanks Chicka for helping to emphasize this point. How often we find ourselves repeating this on the forum - WW is not primarily an exercise program. In fact, I would take this reminder one step farther and say that if you do not understand and follow WW posture, you might not even be doing Christine's exercises correctly! It is ALL about the posture and we will keep shouting this forever. - Surviving

Snapcracklepop

July 2, 2015 - 12:21pm

So glad it's the case Surviving60 and thanks for highlighting this Chickaboom!

I visit the forums every day that I can, sometimes more than once because Christine's work is so alive here. I need to be reminded over and over and over again.

Lately I've been noticing more hunching, how often I'm forcing a lumbar curve instead of relaxing my belly and pulling up. Instead of getting down about it I'm celebrating the noticing.

Everyday living the posture is reconditioning years of muscle memory and helping me focus on gratitude and not on what I've lost because truly I've gained much more.

Wishing everyone a Happy Fourth of July,

Snapcracklepop

chickaboom

July 2, 2015 - 9:48pm

Thank YOU surviving for all that you do. God bless.

ActiveandLapsed

July 3, 2015 - 12:45am

I have not read the newsletter yet so thanks for posting that. The newsletters are always worded so well and I get so much out of them. I love this month's post for the new members and a reminder for us all of course.

Standing Foreve...

February 17, 2016 - 11:36am

Morning ! I'm just a new member, and with a Prolapse bladder. I'm so glad my doctor sugessted this site to me. Rather than rush into surgery, although he gave me a prescription for Vagifem10 a low dose. Pill, for the dryness. Which I took for 4 days then quit. Don't what he think after I tell him I'm using honey., which is made near us locally.just to check , for organic or raw, I figure it is better the the store. All you ladies are just what I needed, as I was panicking. Due to finances, I could only order the book and the Prolapse and Vulva health DVDs, so hopefully that will give me good start . I'm 63 just noticed the prolapse maybe a couple of months,I'm guessing it the lifting and housekeeping Iwas doing. I'm reading as much as possible for weeks till my order comes but would like to know if I am doing things right, when I sit I sit in a fairly straight chair, I don't last to long in the lazyboy unless I something behind my back,arms are sitti g on chair arms shoulders down I think, and feet down, which is hard for me as I like a small stool, back straight and not curvingout my spine, and with my head up and chin slightly down, or do you put your neck back a bit then chin down? I try and watch myself to breathe in through my nose and to make sure my stomach goes and exhale through nose which brings stomach t back.now if this is right how do you pull your Chest up with out lifti g your shoulders? I try and stand this way, and not try and look like a robot. Lol, so when I need to bend to pick up something, I try and bend on exhale and at the hips and have one leg straight back out.it seems to feel ok, is that good? Do you bend at the hips when at the sink , getting out of a chair,or sitting at the table and not bend down your neck, but keep fairly straight? Sorry I sound like an idiot, thanks for listening.

Aging gracefully

February 17, 2016 - 1:21pm

Hello Standing Foreve.. and welcome,
You will find many of your answers once you start reading your book, but you may also want to invest in the First Aid For Prolapse DVD at some point, because it also has many demonstrations and information on daily living that are very helpful in understanding how to move about your day in whole woman posture.
Good thing you stopped using that cream. Nothing good can come of that, while the honey is like this little gem that nobody knew about. So glad Christine has brought that to our attention for sure!

Just remember not to force your posture as you are learning it; it will all come with time as you practice the principles daily. Relaxed belly, chest lifted with shoulders down, pull up from the crown of your head with chin slightly tucked. It becomes a mantra after time that just sticks with you as your body shapes into it.

Dancin

August 15, 2016 - 12:45pm

I am 69 years old and joined this site about eight years ago. Things were going well until many back problems occurred. Now I have several bulging discs and some spinal stenosis. There is no curve in my lower back. Last week doctor said my prolapse is now at stage 4, with prolapse of uterus. She immediately recommended a urogynecologist. After telling me how impressive my prolapse is, and saying that she would no longer need a speculum to do a pap smear on me, I came home very down and depressed. But not for long!! I remembered you ladies here and Christine's wisdom so I dug out the book and video to start again. Is it possible to regain the curve in the spine? I have no stomach muscles any more due to three hernia surgeries. Hopefully everything won't fall out before I can re-learn what to do. Thanks for your help.

Lissy01

August 15, 2016 - 3:12pm

Hello everyone,
Iam new here 50 year old not diagnosed yet but know for sure I have a cystocele. Waiting to see a Gyn for confirmation. I already bought the latest videos on posture and toileting as I am having stress incontinence and anything I drink goes right through me meaning I have to make several trips to the bathroom soon after I drink. I am working hard on my posture and really appreciate all the stories of success I've read. I am still in "mourning" feeling as if I am broken but nothing gets accomplished by feeling that way, I know.
Just a question, having a vaginal ultrasound or pap test make a pop worse? Thanks ladies and Christine for your amazing research and work.
ro

Aging gracefully

August 17, 2016 - 2:37pm

Hi Lissy01 and welcome,
I recently had a pap test after many years, and found that it wasn't any different afterwards than any I had in the past, so rest assured that shouldn't be a problem.
As far as the incontinence is concerned, have you seen Christine's incontinence program? It is a great video series and has excellent exercises specific for incontinence.

Surviving60

August 18, 2016 - 7:51pm

Hi Dancin - given your back and hernia issues, I think you want to be very careful and work slowly. If something doesn't cause you pain, then it's probably OK. But I think I'd recommend a consult with Christine (as I think was suggested to you on another thread). - Surviving