Dr. Steve’s Q and A with MB United, Advocacy rooted in community

HI, I’m Dr. Steve and I’ve been in practice in Manhattan Beach treating our community for over twenty-five years. I’ve cultivated a style of practice in that I combine expert soft tissue skills with gentle joint movements,  all the while facilitating a relationship in which we talk about and explore all areas of health and wellbeing.

 When Michael asked me to write something for the MB United newsletter describing my approach towards living a healthy life, it seemed simple enough. After all, talking about health and wellbeing is what I do in conversation with my patients every day.  However, as I sat with this opportunity, I recognized it to be easy in conversation but difficult to write about, especially without sounding preachy and self-congratulatory.  However, as I do genuinely live a contented, mostly peaceful, and deeply grateful life that I’m happy to be able to share with my patients every day, I wrote this:

What is the most important thing that I have learned?

That we can change our minds.

By analogy we all know that a healthy body requires exercise, it is a no-brainer.  It seems, paradoxically, and I’d claim tragically, that we have not invoked that same attention to our minds. While physical fitness is universally accepted as normal there still seems a stigma to tending to our minds. We don’t know if this comes from previous skepticism of psychotherapy, scorn of religious dogma or wariness of new aged goofiness. I have also been told by hundreds of people that they are too distracted in their minds to “be good at” meditation.   Real meditation, not just for relaxation, but with a deep commitment to metal training remains eccentric.  I have learned that it does not need to be this way. Here is my experience: For years now I ‘ve been lucky enough to have created the habit of regular meditation. I’m convinced that real meditation is the skill, the habit we need to train our minds, and as we develop this habit, we can then bring a more mindful approach to the rest of our lives as we interact with each other. By reading widely in philosophy, spirituality, and literature, I’ve discovered this:   That no matter the source, whether ancient or modern philosophy, religious scripture or mysticism, classic and modern literature the lesson to learn is always the same: an open mind invites an open heart which invites a deep compassion for yourself and for others. It also seems that there isn’t a single best technique, teacher, or dogma, we need to simply be still and meet our minds, in whatever state they show up.  From there, with consistency, the process will unfold for you however it will unfold for you. For me this process has been challenging, yet at times seemingly effortless, often restless but eventually calming, occasionally hysterical and sometimes sad, intimate and expansive, self-loving and self-loathing, enlightening but ultimately humbling. Physically, it had been initially painful in my knees and hips but now it is much more comfortable. In fact, sitting in a disciplined posture has been, I’m convinced, the best thing I’ve done for my spine.

As we train our minds towards resting in open awareness, as we become less distracted, we notice that we can place our attention on areas of our life that prove fruitful and bring us fulfillment. Basically, we decide to pay attention to the right things.  Among these right things, an area that I have found most fruitful, is how I move.

What about movement?

Make it play and make it variable.

We are all endowed with a human body capable of an infinite range of potential movements. As we age, we can begin to lose many of these movements, some of which are fundamental. In the spirit of “use it or lose it “(and considering our current state of capacity)

 let us:

Walk often and everywhere, (and if might be too far to walk- ride a bike) let’s walk hills, walk the beach , while walking- rotate our spine , while walking- look up from our phone ,while walking -let’s   bring attention to our posture ,  let’s bring attention to  our breath,   let’ breathe deeply  or softly, let’s breathe fast or slow , let’s cultivate an intimate relationship with our breath , let’s smile, be still , let’s practice a deep squat , let’s  hinge our knees , spin our shoulders, stretch our eye muscles,  open our vision into the periphery , let’s stretch our forearms ,mobilize our wrists , stretch our hands,  let’s get outside,  stretch our legs, stand tall and squeeze our butt,  let’s crawl, let’s bring attention to our spine , let’s do McGill’s big three ,  let’s sit crossed legged or lotus  or whatever isn’t a forced posture  ,let’s  take our shoes off , let’s walk barefoot around our house, around our yard   , let’s walk barefoot on beach,   let’s sit on the beach , lay on the beach ,take a nap on the beach ,  let’s stand up on our tippy toes ,let’s do our chores as if they were exercises,  let’s place our attention on our feet, let’s leave no trace,  let’s care for our mouths , let’s shut our mouths ( less food , less booze, less talking ),   let’s check back  in with our  breath,  let’s sleep well, let’s dance , smile , let’s laugh, lay in shavasana, let’s create a regular routine of stretching / mobility/  and calisthenics that we can do anytime anywhere ,  right now,  let’s pause reading this  and  take three  a deep  breaths….. and smile, let’s be still, let’s make way for others, let’s get regular body work, let’s pursue, prepare for and practice with passion whatever sport or activity we love.

In other words, (in fewer words) let’s create habits in which we pay much more attention to our bodies and how we move.

 

What am I most grateful for?

Outwardly for my family, my community, and my health.

Inwardly for the fact that my work is caring for other people.

  My practice is now to blend the inward with the outward. Because opening our minds and opening our hearts, because by paying attention, and moving well, and all the while being grateful; these are all acts of love. And miracles of all miracles; when we love the world, the world loves us back.

In Health,

Dr. Steve