The posture

Body: 

I have been trying to get the posture right and, like everybody else, have been wondering if I 'have it'. (I think it would help if we had a picture showing what we are doing wrong in our typical western postures to compare with the posture we are trying to achieve. Yes, I know it's much to ask - it's just a wish.) In the meantime, here are my thoughts both to see where I am and to possibly help others:
1. As children, my brothers used to wiggle their ears. It wasn't until adulthood that I learnt to do this trick. I learnt that it wasn't so much moving the ears in isolation, but more like moving the whole section of skin on the upper skull (forehead, eyebrows etc.) It seems to me that this is what "raising the eyebrows" is - moving the skin at the forehead, hairline and browline and in effect, tensing the whole upper section of the skull(?) The shift in my eyebrows is almost imperceptible when I do this.
2. Am I correct in thinking that the two most important parts of the posture are a) bracing the stomach and b) elongating the neck?
3. I have found that it is useful to place a rolled up shawl or blanket between the back of my chair and the small of my back to assist in keeping my spine straight. Is this okay or correct? I do it at work because the back of my chair is curved in a wide C and in an easy chair at home when my legs get tired from sitting cross-legged.

Hi Girl,

All of the points you raise are correct. I cannot raise my ears without raising the outer edges of my eyebrows and it's so interesting to hear about all the individual variations on this theme.

I'll get to the posture page revision asap. I mentioned a food/video project that I was going to send out as is, but when I looked it over I just had to make a few revisions (which has meant a film and editing crew among other "details".) It's a busy time.

Thank you so much for all your valuable input and willingness to do the work.

Christine

Christine, you continue to impress and amaze me. Thanks for the reply/encouragement.
Girl