If you have pets, you will have witnessed pandiculation many times. Cats, dogs, in fact, all vertebrate animals pandiculate, they may look like they are ‘stretching’ - but once you understand what they are really doing you will watch you pets with more interest next time!
When they do these pandiculating movements they are ‘waking up and resetting' their nervous system, they do this by contracting their muscles and then slowly relaxing out of the contraction many times a day, especially after periods of rest.
Our human pandiculation is our full body ‘yawn’, next time you do this notice that you are not stretching at all, you are actually contracting all your muscles and then slowly releasing them to complete relaxation. Feels great, right?! Its natures ‘re-boot!’
Our muscles are controlled by our brains via the nervous system, they can only contract and relax again. This is why we have to address muscular tension at the level of the brain or nothing will change for the long term. Instead of pulling and forcing our muscles to a become a desired length by stretching - pandiculation allows our brain to release the muscles naturally, it also helps to create better organisation of our muscular system as a whole.
Muscles move beautifully together - there are no solos parts! Areas of the body like the shoulders, hips, knees and feet do not just ‘go wrong’ on their own, there is ALWAYS a full body pattern that has contributed to the area that is having problems, by addressing the full body patterns with pandiculation it is possible to achieve lasting relief from pain and tension and stop the problem from re-occurring.
When you learn to pandiculate with ease it will be a skill you will have for life. If you feel tension creeping in from any of your daily activities like gardening, using technology or driving you will be able to pandiculate to release the tension on the spot rather than suffer for days on end.
Keep pain and tension at bay, stay feeling young and keep moving well your whole life by pandiculating!
If you would like to learn more about Somatics and how it may be able to help you please do get in touch.
Sarah 07907 22 60 60
exploremovementcouk@gmail.com