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January 2012 Newsletter

This is my first newsletter/ post for 2012. My wish for everyone is comfort, health, prosperity and joy. I’m sure you received those, or similar, wishes from others. But do your other well wishers give you ideas and help to achieve those goals? If you have been receiving Ortho-Bionomy® work, or attending classes, you have been on the receiving end of each of these ideas/ wishes.

Let me illustrate. For myself, when I’m comfortable it is easier to observe my health choices, whether they are choices for dinner, or how to maintain a balanced stance. When I make better choices, my health improves. When I’m healthy, I have less need to spend funds GETTING better and that helps me look at the world in a more joyful way. So there you are: Comfort, Health, Prosperity, Joy - all within reach this year.

Ortho-Bionomy isn’t just a body work modality you can receive in a session, or learn to use in a class. It’s much more. It’s a way of observing yourself and your surroundings. An opportunity to watch without judgement. A deeper way to communicate with yourself. By paying attention to those little movements, twinges and tugs your body sends out everyday, you can respond, adjust and allow corrections to happen without stress or strain. When stress and strain is removed, you become more comfortable.

Think about a recent family dinner during the holidays. You may have had someone who was loud and pushy. Did you spend a lot of time with them or did you try to avoid them if possible? Interactions with this type of person can be uncomfortable. Breathing may become more shallow, you may find your shoulders hunched up or curled forward to protect you from their presence. You may even have clenched your jaw or felt your stomach tighten. Now think about the favorite relative. Everyone seems to flock to them and it’s fun to be with or around them. When you were around them, you may have found yourself breathing easier, had less muscle tension and had a lighter or happier outlook. So what, besides their personality, makes such a difference in your reaction to each person? Did your attitude, your expectation, your comfort level figure into it at all? What do you think would have happened if you just observed each relative? No judgement on their clothes, hair, choice of beverage, political, religious or other beliefs, and observed rather than judged their overbearing attitudes and conversations. Would observing their comments, rather than reacting to them, create a difference in your own comfort level?

Ortho-Bionomy teaches us we cannot change others - only ourselves. Whether that is your attitude, your posture, or how you respond to the environment around you. By changing ourselves, we change how we interact with our environment. When we change our interactions, our environment also changes.

If you are having difficulty observing without judgement, imagine you are watching a movie. As an audience member, you cannot change what happens on the screen. Just as you cannot really change how another person is going to act or respond. You can however, change your own reaction to what you are watching. By changing your response, you change what you are watching.

Try it and let me know what happens!

This post can also be found at orthobionomy.wordpress.com
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Classes in January
Three hours of fun, instruction and self care for knees and ankles will be held January 25 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. That’s a Wednesday night at the Georgetown Public Library. Registration is accepted through January 17. Cost is $45 per person and you can sign up on line through tracygilliam.com or Ortho-BionomyWithTracy.com

Tip/ Technique
Not an Ortho-Bionomy move, but it can help you feel better! To boost your immune system - rub the acupuncture point located three fingers width below your belly button. Rub in a clockwise direction, about 100 circles a day. More tips can be found at tracygilliam.com or ortho-bionomywithtracy.com

Humor
Every Saturday morning Grandpa Walt found himself babysitting his three grandchildren...all boys. The kids always wanted to play ''war,'' and Grandpa somehow always got coaxed into the game. His daughter came to pick up the kids early one Saturday and witnessed Grandpa take a fake shot as Jason pointed a toy gun and yelled, "Bang!'' Grandpa slumped to the floor and stayed there motionless. The daughter rushed over to see if he was all right. Grandpa opened one eye and whispered, ''Sh-h-h, I always do this. It's the only chance I get to rest.''

Office Closures
No anticipated closures for January.

January Special
Purchase a gift certificate for an hour (or longer) and receive an extra ten minutes on your next session. Gift certificates (and the extra ten minutes) are valid for 6 months from the date of purchase.

January Trivia. Did you know...
January 4th is designated as National Short People Day AND National Spaghetti Day
January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day
January 23rd is National Pie Day
The entire month of January is National Soup Month
January is named after Janus, the god of doors and gates. He was chosen because symbolically, when you start something new, you pass through a door (or gate). Janus had two faces, one looking forward and the other backward.

Heat Packs
During the holidays I made some hand warmers. If you would like (or need) some extra warmth during your session, let me know when you arrive so I can have them ready at the start of the session. (They need to be heated for 2 minutes in the microwave.)