Marin Center for Somatic Education

10/07/2026

TRY MOVING IN A NEW WAY - Connect the whole with the part!

What could be even more beneficial when you're working with a particular discomfort in your body is to find ways to focus on that point or area specifically while moving other areas of your body very gently and slowly.

The brain and cells understand specificity very deeply and respond in kind. For examples of several movements that can lead you there and expand upon ideas of how to do this, consider looking at Volumes 5 or 9 of the Somatic Intelligence series. https://lnkd.in/gcE9xkWY

09/17/2026

DON'T OVERLOOK THE FOUNDATION

Feet are so easy to overlook as a source of balance for the rest of the system, but they make a huge difference in our posture, gait, and being able to transmit forces up the leg in the way they're supposed to - through the bones.

If the alignment is off in the feet or ankles, the forces will travel unevenly up through the soft tissue and other joints in the leg, possibly even creating imbalances in your hips and pelvis, diaphragm and shoulders.

This can be taken care of with gentle conscious movement classes, a skilled bodyworker, and mindful self-regulation before and after a workout.

09/14/2026

It pains me a bit to see those of you who are having surgeries for your joints - there but for the Grace of God go I, but there is something you can do to help slow down if not turn around this process of wear and tear (unless you're playing football 😊)

Well, I tore my medial meniscus and posterior horn of the right knee four and a half years ago. I became suspicious when my hamstring wouldn't stop spasming and the anterior tibialis - the muscle between the tibia and fibula in the lower leg became painful.

An MRI revealed what happened. I felt like I caught it right at the beginning. Oddly, it tore during some rotations while I was doing chi kung, but surely the stage was set from the years of playing tennis, racquetball, and pickleball.

I found a sports medicine doctor who did PRP shots in every place that was tender all around the knee. I had an earlier one that included dextrose and ozone (prolozone shot), but that one didn't help much. The second one made a bigger difference, and I had conversations with my knee before, during and after.

I'd read somewhere that dense tissue like cartilage, tendons, and membranes can take up to two years to fully heal. I decided to give mine three because I was in the 'autumn' of my years. 😊

Also, I got a microcurrent machine and used the electrodes with a very small amount of current every day, along with the near and far infrared box I had. In addition, I made a cream with shea butter, mango butter, liquid hyaluronic acid, B12, vitamin C, fir needle and frankincense essential oils, and whole cane organic sugar and rubbed it into the joint daily. All of this daily for three years.

I also have been taking collagen (types 1.2.3.4. and 5) along with hyaluronic acid.

Along the way I did small movements, climbed stairs, did various strengthening exercises, and conscious movement sequences to help the body rebalance and integrate itself.

I showed this image because at the ends of the long bones, there is an area where chondrocytes - or the cells that create cartilage - live.
Whenever any sensitivity came into the joint because I did too much as I began to try dance classes and racquetball again, I would press slowly and gently into the ends of each bone (the tibia and the femur - thigh bone) and let the pressure slowly back out again a few times.

This wakes up the receptors in the joint and lets them assess what's going on and begin remodeling the joint as needed. Then the tenderness goes away. The last x-ray shows distance has come back between the femur and tibia - meaning I think, that the cartilage is growing back and the meniscus is a bit thicker.

I'm still careful, but also increasing the type, amount, duration, and intensity of exercise I do. I know it's a lot, and those titanium knees will last longer than the body will! 😄 I'm not suggesting that you do what I did, or that the same thing will work for every body, but in case you want to avoid surgery, there are options. Sending love 💖🙏
(Image courtesy of pixabay)

08/15/2026

This is fascinating to me and may seem a bit out there to some, but here goes:

Lately my left hip and ribs have been getting right, mainly from sleeping a lot on that side and carrying groceries on that side.

For a while I did movements and manual work with my body to release the pattern, then I tried making light contact with the Corona radiata, internal and external capsule fibers as they make their way to the midbrain.

That worked better than anything else! You have to follow up with movement to reinforce the changes, but way faster and easier to start with.

07/31/2026

There's so much activity on our phones these days! Don't forget to do some near-far exercises for your eyes. 👁️👁️ Just look at a finger right in front of your face, then look outside at the farthest thing in your line of sight.

04/24/2026

This movement is excellent for maintaining balanced hip joints. IF you can get into this position, resist gently with your arms as you press out gently and let the legs gradually give way to being farther apart. Then reverse arm position and place them outside the legs when the legs are at their widest comfortable position. While there, press out gently with your legs/knees as you resist gently with your arms. Release your pressure gradually with your arms to allow the legs to come back towards themselves. DO NOT try this if you have bone-on-bone, or worn down cartilage in your knees, and go very very slowly if you have arthritic hips, spurs, or shallow sockets.

09/15/2025

There's a lot to be said for inner movement. It is critical for all fluids to be able to freely circulate and many situations can restrict them - such as accidents, stress, illness, etc. Learn how to mobilize major fluids to facilitate deep peace, relaxation, and support overall health in yourself and your clients next month. Details and registration for "Cranial and Vascular Basics for Bodyworkers" can be found at www.shibuigardens.com

09/15/2025

Retiring is fantastic in so many ways, but there is a need - a real requirement - for you to keep moving! The same applies to those with a desk job.

Explore why sitting is called the new smoking, the health risks of sedentary lifestyles, and how to protect your well-being through active habits.

08/11/2025

What a remarkable invention! The video is of an actual patient sharing his story after a severe neck injury:

Breakthrough electronic spine restores movement in paralyzed patients using advanced spinal cord stimulation technology.

02/11/2025

FREEING THE MIDLINE CLASS this Spring!
For those hands-on practitioners who'd like to add some very effective osteopathic methods and principles to their current bag of resources to serve their clients, there is an upcoming class you may be interested in called, "Freeing the Midline." We'll work with precise means of relieving forces placed upon the spine and vasculature of the midline from muscles, fascia, and ribs. It's happening the first Saturday in April and May this year, hosted by Bodywise in San Rafael. To register, contact Bodywise at (415) 459-6333, or click on the Bodywise+ link on their website.

The Marin Center for Somatic Education has served the community since 1992 through talks, classes, and private sessions.This page is dedicated to sharing insights about how to regain or retain well-being using the languages of the body and Spirit.