Cohen states “during meditation, once can feel your ribs as part of the spine and release them outwards.” She states the “sternum is separate and located in front of the body, and one can rotate the xiphoid and can initiate movement either to the right or left.” She demonstrates flexing the xiphoid by pushing her shoulders backwards. If one lifts the sternum and opens their heart, this put pressure on one’s heart leads to closing of circulation of the blood. This is unhelpful and harmful in the long-term process. Bending backwards and opening of the ribs and sternum into surrender pose will open these areas of the body.
This exercise is useful to a dancer if he or she needs to open the chest and engage the sternum and the ribs. It allows the dancer to sense the innate opening from within the body into an outward gesture or pose. The xiphoid can be a place for movement exploration by engaging and moving it taking the movement to another direction and place.
Reference:
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen (2013) Relationship of the Sternum with the Ribs with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg6t4iq1UHg [Accessed 27 April 2015].
This exercise is useful to a dancer if he or she needs to open the chest and engage the sternum and the ribs. It allows the dancer to sense the innate opening from within the body into an outward gesture or pose. The xiphoid can be a place for movement exploration by engaging and moving it taking the movement to another direction and place.
Reference:
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen (2013) Relationship of the Sternum with the Ribs with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg6t4iq1UHg [Accessed 27 April 2015].