As a very active person in my mid-60s, the Gokhale Method Foundations Course has offered me ways to stay active and protect my body and spine for years to come. The lessons are taught in a logical sequence to make the method easy to learn, with one skill building on another. Doreen has been so effective in teaching me! She calmly explained and demonstrated each step, and gently cued me into the proper alignment. She shared how she integrates these strategies into her own active life, and welcomed my questions and comments on how the Gokhale Method relates to other movement trainings I have had.
Here are some of the benefits that I’m appreciating from our 6 lessons:
Sleep: I used to sleep in positions with a high degree of muscular tension, waking up with a clenched jaw and sore, tight neck and back muscles. Now with stretch-lying on my back and side, I sleep much more comfortably, lengthening and relaxing my spine, breathing more deeply, and generally waking up more relaxed, pain-free and ready to move into my morning.
Sitting: While driving or using the computer, I can sit more comfortably for a longer time with stretch-sitting and stack-sitting techniques.
Standing and Walking: My posture now has much less hyperextension of my lower back and neck, so standing and walking are a lot more comfortable and natural. I look taller and move in a more youthful manner!
Activities: In yoga, biking, dancing and other challenging activities, I am activating my core muscles by using the Inner Corset technique, protecting my back and staying much more comfortable. The steps for engaging these muscles are simple to understand and are gradually becoming second nature to me.
I find it fascinating that as a culture, we used to move, stand and sit in ways that were good for our bodies during our entire life span! 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back has vivid pictures and clear explanations of how cultural expectations and stylish curved furniture changed our posture and our comfort for the worse. Thanks to the Gokhale Method, I am relearning how to move like I did as a small child and I’m loving it!
I highly recommend taking the Foundations Course from Doreen. She offers strategies and an integrated system for improved strength, comfort and joint and spine health for years to come!