From Core to Floor - 3 - Open Rings, Close Rings, and Breathe
Ishtar, called the Queen of Heaven by the people of ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), was the most important female deity in their pantheon. Here, in her aegis as Goddess of War, she’s got her ring muscles going. Notice the slightly clenched fists, her pursed smile, wide open eyes, lifted chest and long back. Even her claw feet are engaged. This is the look of activated, coordinated ring muscles. This Love Goddess, who also reigns over war, is ON.
From Core to Floor - 3 - Open Rings, Close Rings, And Breathe
Coordinating the Ring Muscles with the Breath to Develop the Pelvic Floor
Based on “Front and Back of the Pelvic Floor” as taught by Deborah Bowes, GCFT
Tune into tone of the front and back sphincters: the urethra and anus. These two ring muscles, when wisely used, activate pelvic floor system, improve continence, elongate posture; countless benefits flow therefrom.
“We look at illness as a problem of a misfunctioning part. rather than a failure of coordination and proper action of the body as a whole, and we seek to cure illness by treating the affected part of the body, rather than seeking to restore health by bringing the body’s essential function back into harmony and activating the body’s natural healing processes.
In a healthy body, all of the ring muscles contract and relax simultaneously. If they don not work together, something goes wrong in the body. Many of us are so unaware of the functioning of this basic system that we cannot even sense it - but it is there, nevertheless. If we work at getting in touch with our bodies, we can strengthen and learn to control these muscles and, through this, improve our physical and mental health.”
Paula Garbourg, author of “The Secret of the Ring Muscles: Healing Yourself Through Sphincter Exercise” and creator of the Paula Method, thought deeply on the ring muscles. Ms. Garbourg was a classical singer and ballerina before she was incapacitated and wheelchair bound at age 35. She leaned into her dance training and appreciation of the ring muscles to heal herself and others with the “Paula Method” of sphincter gymnastics.
The Ring Muscle system includes the muscles around the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, the anus and urethra, and the genitals. When the system is coordinated, the respiratory, lymphatic, gastrointestinal, circulatory, musculoskeletal and urogential systems respond in kind.
Ms. Garbourg postulates that misfiring ring muscles can lead to a host of ailments, including: Bed-Wetting, Childbirth, Nursing and Menstruation, Depression, Development Disabilities, Flat Feet, Hemorrhoids, Prolapse of the Uterus, Smoking, Tremors, Varicose Veins and other difficulties.
Better functioning front (urethra) and back (anus) sphincters pay off big:
A properly functioning front sphincter (urethra) enables forward bending, rotation, hand. and foot extension, and sideways looking.
A properly functioning rear sphincter (anus) enables the spine to arch backwards, the hands and feet to clench and eyes to look sideways.
When the both sphincters engage simultaneously, the spine straightens, the feet hands and feet do what we want, the head turns easily, our eyes, lips and nostrils open and close. Front and back sphincters even affect vocal quality.
Female pelvic floor source: goop.com
This lesson gently, gradually engages and strengthens the urethra and anus through the coordinated movement of the breath and pubic bone. Lying supine, we get into the groove of inhale/exhale; arch the back and open the chest/round the back, engage the abs, and roll the pubic bone towards the spine. This sets up the pattern over which to layer contracting - and releasing - the anus and urethra individually and together. The result - feel Ishtar in her power in you.
Science Nerd Candy: If you want a review of the pelvic floor system musculature - enjoy:
Ilio-psoas Muscle (a short build up of the pelvis-knee connection)
The female pelvic organs: the muscles of the pelvic floor, the inner walls of the pelvic cavity (a 7 minute exploration of all the bones, muscles and organs that layer up to create the pelvic floor system)
How to Switch on the Ring Muscles - Not Paula, but an intro to aspects of her work
Pelvic floor front to back balance is critical to balance in general. Now is the perfect time to start improving your balance. Your future self is thanking you.
Thanks to collegues Mi Kim and Jenna Rose Blaustein for the introduction to this work.
Set Up:
Lying supine on a mat
OR sitting on a firm-bottom chair with knees and thighs level.
How you might feel after this lesson: Tuned into your root chakra/pelvic floor; Open to the relationship between breath, pelvis and ring muscles; Clear on how the front and back sphincters activate - and relax - the pelvic floor; Aware of the subtle ring muscle coordination of the eyes, nostrils, lips, palms and soles of feet; Locked in and ready to ride using the anus to stabilize the lower back; Alert to when and why the abs kick in on the exhale; Taller and more stable.
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