2011 in review

My year in review....
2011 was a flash compared to other years, yet there was also a lot that changed and was achieved.

Here is the picture of my reading list for the year, achieving slightly more than a book a month.

Feb/ Mar was consumed with a six week Educational Tour of the USA & Canada. I spent 5 weekends out of 6 in the class room soaking up Movement & Neuroscience like a kid in a candy store.

Winter came and went and apart from maintaining the flow of Clinic & Class, managing other business and developing the next phase for Posture Plus & Donna Eddy dot com. Winter passed rather unremarkably.... and unfortunately without a visit to the snow!

Spring came (well at least the dates did, not so much the weather) and my focus turned to my physical training. For the months of Sept to Dec I almost lived at the Dojo. Dec 2nd, 3rd & 4th was my first ever Black Belt Grading and I joyfully came to the end of the year and the start of Summer ~ a Northstar Black Belt


The Summer (again date reference here rather than weather, although our Xmas weekend was hot & happen'n @ Bondi)
My short "festive" break and the Summer is being spent completing a new collaborative project (which for now is top secret) and FINALLY piecing together the content for Posture Plus Online and donnaeddy.com. A lot of filming is going to be happening in Jan!

So Cheers to the New Year! 12 hours till the start of 2012.
What does the year have in stall for you? Do you have plans laid out? Have you particular goals to achieve?
I'm the most excited i've ever been about a new year turning and you will see the results of many many hours of "behind the scenes" work when the Aussie New Year turns in Feb!

Twenty one two.... what will it be for you?

Myths around stretching

Below is an email and my reply just sent to the patient.
My passion is movement and my aim is to inspire informed and enthusiastic converts to DMP (Daily Movement Practice). The premise of DMP is moving with intention; awareness and total understanding of what is being done and why.

In the email just received an replied to, are typical questions regarding movements I set as "homework" namely stretching. Understanding the nuances of movement, the intricacies of your body and the adaptability of the human form, much can be achieved and changed under your own volition and diligent practice.

Below are the emails....


On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 9:43 PM,****************** wrote:
Hi Donna,

Thank you for sending those, it really helped! Just got home from work and did them... I'm sweating! :)
Just a couple of questions, how long should I be aiming to hold the stretches for? Also, is there a reason I'm doing just the left leg for one stretch, and just the right for another?
Sorry, I could have asked this when I saw you.

I woke up with very little pain in my back the day after seeing you! The difference is incredible, thank you soooo much! You're amazing!

See you soon,
Lyndal

Sent from my iPhone

My reply:

Yes the difference in your homework (for now) is to address the difference in your structure (as it stands currently) doing the "lopsided" practice is aimed at squaring you up, when you come in for your follow up next month, we'll be adjusting your practice according to your progress.

Stretches are not held "for time"... they are not held PERIOD!
Read the directions and pay attention to the movement you are aiming for, so with hip stretches it is the sinking of the pelvis. This is not a timed thing nor a set number of breaths, your body will release in its own time, some times its 5 breaths some times its 15 and each side of your body each exercise is going to be different.

This is ALL ABOUT getting you IN to your body and being 100% focused on the movement; sensation and intention of the exercise. That way you are being complete ~ specific and self challenging to create change and lasting results.

Be diligent with your practice EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE "fixed" and feeling good!
Some exercises you will do EVERY DAY from this day forward, others will change as your body changes. Daily Movement Practice is now part of your daily routine.

Enjoy.
will be in touch in approx 2 weeeks.

Cheers
Donna

A true teacher

A true teacher touches your soul ~ lifts your spirit ~ challenges you in ways you never knew you could (let alone need) to be challenged!

A true teacher can reach you beyond their death and stimulate learning ~ love ~ and emotional contemplation, changing your perspective ~ goals ~ attitude ~ and passion.

A true teacher is always with you, because you embody the learning and relive the lessons with every day beyond their teaching.

In memory of a teacher gone too soon. You'll be missed greatly. Geoff Wilson ~ Art of Health, you were my teacher for only a short while but I grew and took in so much in that time. Thank you.

The Seasons turn....

It always amazes and excites me travelling the world. Adventure, the unknown, the world in your hands (or the Golden Gate Bridge, if you position yourself to do so!) As I write, I am still in the Northern Hemisphere (8hrs ahead but a calendar day behind) away from "home".

I left during the hot and humid tail end of Summer, I return to Autumn and the end of Daylight Savings.

My most memobrable travel/ time/ season distortion was arriving home to Sydney and standing on the beach (toes enjoying the water) looking out to sea, feeling the heat from the Sun and marvelling at the fact that only 12hrs prior I was standing in Snow 20 degrees below freezing in Japan!

With fondness I am aware of my fortunate life, being able to explore this world of ours.
The travel bug got me fairly early on in life. At 18 my first international journey was all it took, a safe introduction to the wonders of travel. I was one of 200 high School students on a performing arts tour around the USA.

During this first trip I decided that I would explore the world and made the commitment to myself to travel once EVERY YEAR outside Australia. The initial promise was for the first ten years out of school (1992 was that introductory trip) and I can quite happily say ~ I did it (and then some). Some years i've had more than one trip and more often than not more than one country within each trip.

Since 1992 I have only missed one calendar year 2006 and that was only because a snow trip got bumped from Dec '06 to Feb '07! So how far have I travelled? How many countries have I been to? What was my favourite place? Where was my most memorable moment? Hard to say! I've done it for the experience.... not to keep stats.

I've had the pleasure of travelling alone (USA as a nanny/ summer camp counsellor/ storm chasing. Europe and Canada)~ with Friends (snow trips to NZ & Canada, Bali and Thailand) ~ with fellow students (1992 USA Rock Eisteddfod & 2004 UTS to China) ~ with colleagues (Europe, USA & Canada CST tour) ~ with loved ones (China, USA, Phillipines, Malaysia, Canada and Singapore)

And I am yet to get to India, South America, most of Europe, Africa's, Antarctica & Arctic Circles, Ireland, Iceland and many many more. So as my current travels come to an end ~ 12 hours till I board a friendly and familiar Qantas flight from LA, I reflect on the journey thats been the past 6 weeks...

AND i'm drawn to the excitement of planning the next one!
For now, back to the future, back to the land of Oz ~ home.