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Ulla Mäkinen Eligible Member // Teacher
IDOCs » The Psoas Connection - notes from Kerstin Kussmaul's class
A collection of quotes and thoughts from Kerstin Kussmaul's class of psoas and Myoreflex therapy in Stolzenhagen. This is not a document of the full class, but a way I use for making notes of classes sometimes. This one is not explaining the exercises at all, but focusing on the thoughts around/behind them by presenting quotes of the teacher (in " ") and less precise thoughts (clarifications, or own thoughts, not direct quotes) to remind what the class was about.
2012.08.15

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Myoreflex therapy // Kerstin Kussmaul

The psoas connection.

 

“Mostly, where pain is, is not where the problem is.”

E.g, often the knee problems come from somewhere else than the knees, for example an alignment problem in the pelvis.

“Becoming smart with the body and figuring out where the weak points are.”

Instead of focusing to the knee - find out where am I compensating, where is the weak point of the body.

“Often, it is not a muscle problem, but a NERVOUS SYSTEM PROBLEM.”

Nerves not always telling that there is a problem, they might be sending the signal that everything is fine even though the muscle tone is too high. Then the muscle can’t relax because the brain doesn’t know it should..

“Myoreflex therapy is not a relaxation, but a regulation system.”

Finding the right body tone.

 

PSOAS

“Psoas is both a muscle of action and of alignment (usually muscles are either or), so it is a good muscle to go for with the myoreflex therapy approach.”

Importance of differentiation of leg movement and torso movement:

“If I lengthen the leg, the psoas needs to lengthen - otherwise it will shorten the lower back (and the shortening might go all the way to the neck actually).”

O––^    ->     O–– –­–‘

 

“Before you find connections in somatic work, you need to find separation. Once you find that (separation, articulation), the understanding of its connections can follow.”

Focusing to one detail in the body will teach how that functions in relation to other body parts. It won’t work the same if you try to look at the whole picture at once to begin with. And that one detail will then improve the whole body thru its connections..

“Form follows function.”

Our body is being shaped by the way we use it.

Even if now with the myoreflex therapy we work with muscle, it is as well influencing and informing the fascia. The psoas work is changing something for me from the foot all the way to my neck and eyes, so this is realigning my body with the information traveling thru my fascia. I feel the fascia very much involved, but the work itself is focusing on the muscles.

 

“Psoas is connected to FEAR.”

“The only fear we’re born with is the fear of falling”

The fall happens also in the walking, so when we walk, it is a small fall. Gripping the psoas to catch that fall?? The psoas also tightens up from traumas. Curling up to feel safe can also be tightening the psoas.

Becoming aware of the release of the psoas.

 

to read:

Liz Koch: The Psoas Book

(out of print, but a new version is coming/already out there, and also another book worth reading by this author!)


Comments:
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Kerstin Kussmaul Eligible Member // Teacher
2012.11.15
hi Ulla, thank you for these notes...it comes as a surprise what I said ( and I am surprised about the surprise). My assumption is that teaching also alters the state of mind, and some of these things are not as easily accessible otherwise. For my own reflection process these quotes are very helpful.


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Ulla Mäkinen Eligible Member // Teacher
2013.02.08
Thanks Kerstin for your reply! I agree, often the things we say while we teach are not accessible otherwise. It is part of the packet.. the state of the nervous system, physical sensitivity, alertness... Also it has to do how one receives and digests the message - even if I did use your exact words on the quotes, there is still my filtering on how I picked just those words and chose to emphasize them - they might have not been the ones you would have emphasized? This would be worth some research...
Nice to hear that the quotes were helpful!


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Gesine Daniels // Teacher
2013.09.12
dear Ulla, love your way of applying "Strichmännchen" (the small figure you drew to show the lenghtening of the leg) to the limitations of the keyboard! do you have mor of these "keyboard drawings"?
I took the class and didn't make notes. your document brought some forgotten aspects of the experience back to my memory. thank you.
And the book - I want to read it


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Ulla Mäkinen Eligible Member // Teacher
2013.09.18
dear Gesine, thanks for your message! That is all the Strichmännchen created this far... could be a fun research to find more! I just made those for this doc since I found it hard to explain only verbally.
Hugs!


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Anne Garrigues Eligible Member // Teacher
2014.10.31
Hello Ulla, Kerstin and Gesine,
I discover this idoc on the psoas today as I was searching video help in the webside... As the theme of the psoas is my entrance in my dance class this year, I was very happy to read it and appreciate the clarety of the words, reflexions, and sources.
Merci infinement
Anne


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Ulla Mäkinen Eligible Member // Teacher
2015.02.17
Nice to hear Anne!


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