The Monthly Movement

By: Tanya Mouland

FEATHER PAINTING

By: Tanya Mouland

Shoulder rolls, head tilts and shoulder shrugs are good ways to release shoulder and neck muscle tension. Here is a fun variation to shoulder rolls that also integrates visual and auditory skills.

How to do Feather Painting

1. Stand, weight equally distributed, on both feet, knees soft. 2. Arms relaxed at the sides. 3. Look over one shoulder. Imagine a long paintbrush extending out from that shoulder to the wall beside you.

4. “Paint” your surroundings with long flowing brush strokes by lifting and rotating your shoulder. 5. Repeat with the other shoulder.

Variations

1. Can also be done sitting, with both feet on the floor. 2. Can be done in other areas with tension. i.e. extend paintbrush from the hip.

Benefits 1. Relaxes neck and shoulders 2. Stimulates peripheral vision 3. Enhances flexibility between near-point focus and distance vision 4. Releases over-focused posture

Licensed instructor and consultant in Brain Gym®, Blomberg Rhythmic Movement and Movement Exploration 1 Vision Gym are the exercises from Visioncircles, a course in the Brain Gym® program. Brain Gym® is a registered trademark of Brain Gym® International dba Breakthroughs International. Dennison, Gail. and Paul E. Dennison. Vision Circles Handbook. Ventura, CA: Edu-Kinesthetics, Inc, Ventura, CA. 1993.