By Beth Dayo

Whether you acknowledge it or not, I know you experience pain in your body—regardless of your age. I know this because our society’s obsession with constant progress prioritizes (or exalts) forward and upward movements. That mental stress creates matching physical patterns that are at odds with gravity and stillness, both of which are essential to the longevity of our body.
 

This adversarial and misunderstood relationship with gravity, with our nature, is the root of many health issues, including our mental health. A body unsettled with the forces acting on it signals the mind to remain on higher alert, and vice versa. This cycle IS the constant low-grade, drag and unease we experience in our lives. 

Then there are the deeper physical problems it creates: pain and premature deterioration in our back, hips, knees, shoulders, and neck. Since gravity informs every action in our body, without a conscious relationship to it, we repetitively use our body in imbalanced ways. This leads to muscular imbalances that pull bones out of alignment interfering with nerve function, and diminishing our ability to feel the damage we’re causing—until it becomes a bigger problem.

By that time, it feels even more out of our control and you distance yourself even further from your body and its connection to gravity. There may be some procedures that help but without taking ownership over your body’s relationship with gravity, it's only a matter of time before that issue returns or a new one arises. Until you develop a proper relationship with gravity, your body and mind won’t function efficiently, and you’ll miss out on the vitality and vigor that bring true quality to life.

Let’s face it, we already know this to some degree, but acknowledging it and taking action can feel daunting. Ease your mind by recognizing that nothing has changed—your body isn’t worse off for acknowledging its dysfunction. You’re now simply empowered to do something about it. As a teacher who has helped hundreds of people overcome these conditions, I can assure you it’s not as scary as you think. The process I guide you through provides immediate clarity that you’re on the right track and produces noticeable improvements within just a few months of regular practice.
Learning the right relationship with gravity is the most basic skill of being alive on this planet. Isn’t it time you find that out for yourself?

Beth Dayo has been guiding movement and meditation in West Seattle for 13 years. Her “Meditation Makes Sense” fall cohort begins Sept 21. Or come get right with gravity at her studio Bend N Move on Delridge. To learn more visit www.bendnmove.com/events and follow @life.in.the.body on instagram.