Face up or face down

Someone reacently asked why we sometimes have you go back face down after being faceup on the table, and I figured more people might have this currisioty.

Face down care is typically Discover care where you are able to connect to and release stored stresses in your body. Its goal is to add stability to your body/ Nervous System. (Early transform care is also done facedown). If you come in with lots of stored stress/ tension, we will typically work in Discover or discover integrate to increase the ease and flexibility (decrease tension/stress) in your body/Nervous System before potentially going on to work in Transform or Awaken. Discover care helps you process stress to have more fuel for transform and awaken care.

When we have you lay faceup, we are working with either late Transform or Awaken care. The goal of these seasons is radically different than in discover care. These seasons are about growth and making effective change. They add a temporary reorgazational instability to your body/Nervous System. This combined with the new energy your system has from processing stress allows your system to reorganize to a higher level of function. As a practical example of processing stress, think about the energy that goes into holding a muscle spasm being redirected in a more useful way as your body relaxes during an entrainment.

The reason we might have you go back face down, is so we can recheck your spine, muscles and how everything is moving to make sure you are in better shape than when you came in, especially if you experienced a lot of instability or had really big changes in your body that day (ie: came in with a lot of stress in your body.)

As a reminder – instability with a new energy source or more energy = upgrade the system. Instability without a new energy source or more energy= downgrade the system or dis-ease.

If your spine is has large amounts of instability after going back facedown, we will usually do 1 -2 quick discover contacts to help your system organize to a higher level of stability.

Stability and instability

Network Spinal is a reorganizational healing modality. Its goal is to help you go from one level of stability in your spinal health/ area of life to a higher level of stability in your spinal health/ area of life. There must be a level or period of instability in-between levels of stability. It’s very much like having a messy garage or closet that you know where most things are (lower-level stability). You pull everything out, throw away the trash and figure out how to put it all back better(instability). When you finish reorganizing, the closet or garage is at a higher level of stability.

Why is it good to reorganize?

Simply releasing the buildup of tension and not changing anything, allows it to build back up. Said differently, if we keep making the same choices and doing the same things, we will keep getting the same results.

Growth in areas of life comes throughs stacking levels of stability and instability.

Stability means resisting change. You get the same output no matter the external stimulus or demands. Or I always do things this way. Examples include doing the same workout or stretching routine no matter how our body feels or always sleeping in the same position or way. Another example is getting pain in an area of your body over and over and either ignoring it or doing the same treatment for it over and over ie medication. Think if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Instability means open to change in a way the adds energy. Think maybe I can do this instead. Continuing the examples above- adding new workouts and stretches or trying a class or new gym. You could try sleeping in a different position or using a new pillow. You could even try sleeping on the floor. As for the recurring pain, you can try and notice what brings the pain on and change your activities or the way you stand or sit at work. You could also try new ways to deal with the pain such as foam rolling, stretching or getting adjusted. These might help the pain move to a new location which would be a positive change.

The goal is to get to a higher level of stability or way of doing things. This simply means it works better for you than the way you used to do things.

From our previous examples- You could sign up for workout classes, change your workouts based off of a schedule or how you feel. You could find a healthier way to sleep- maybe transitioning to your side from your stomach or to your back from your side. You could also get a pillow that fits your current body better. You could commit to regular chiropractic and self-care to alleviate and prevent pain. You could get a standing desk or fix your ergonomics in another way.

Cultural Field

Donny Epstein, the creator of Network Spinal, often talks about the cultural field (cf) or the average energy of a population. The specific quote he repeatedly says is, “the cultural field is a weak field”. This is a good thing because the cf can influence your energy and your mood, especially if you are energy neutral or below.

In todays world, the cf is being affected by things like covid and the elections. This has not done wonders for it by any means. All of the collective fear and aggression lowers the overall energy and gears the cf for fear and anger. You might notice this as an uneasy feeling in the air. Or you might notice yourself more prone to getting caught up in anger over the elections or fear with covid. These emotions can then leach into other parts of your life.

If you notice yourself caught up in anger or fear, do your best to make it on the table extra this week.

Other great ways to help yourself include AAA and to connect with your why or your reasons for being energy rich or above.

Movement post Network Entrainment

People often need to move or stretch post Network entrainment to more fully feel the effects. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out the “right’ movement. Luckily you don’t need to if you let your newly calibrated auto pilot do the work.

Start by doing anything simple that is at least minimally physical. This can be as simple as making a cup of tea or getting a glass of water. You could also go for a short walk or go stand outside.

As soon as you stop thinking about your pain or discomfort and start focusing on your simple task, your auto pilot can kick in easier. You might find your self stretching or holding a position. The key is to notice what you are automatically doing/ what feels good, and then consciously do more of it.

Being Stuck

I saw a cool quote online this morning. This is what is said: I told my friend I was emotionally hitting a wall and she said, “Sometimes walls are there so we can lean on them and rest”

What if being stuck was not always a bad thing? What if being stuck in life was the universe saying that we need to stop and reevaluate the direction we are trying to go. That the direction we are trying to go is ultimately not the right direction for us. A repeated forced pause is a great opportunity to discover other options or directions.

Stage 3 in Donny Epistein’s Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI) is all about being Stuck in a Perspective. The classic stage 3 experience is: I am stuck or blocked in my body (shoulder or back for example) or in my life. I keep looping or coming back to this same stuckness in my body or life. This occurs in middle to late discover care, and this is where we start to take personal responsibility for the way things are. We begin to see how we are contributing or causing our troubles and stuckness. Some times, the stuckness is simply us trying to force something that is not right for us.

The stuck in stage 3 is what allows energy to build up for a breakthrough (often this breakthrough is the stage 4 experience we talked about last week).

The goal with this stage is a peaceful waiting while the energy needed to breakthrough builds over time. I am not saying stage 3 feels good or is a fun experience in any way. However, being stuck is a part of healing and life, so we might as well get the most out of it. A good way to do this is to pause and AAA your stuckness. As a reminder, AAA stands for being Aware, Acknowledging and Accepting the way things are. Doing this and knowing that being stuck can ultimately be part of your path, can help us be more comfortable in the uncomfortable place of being stuck.

Network Spinal care can also help you move through the 12 Stages of Healing /SRI stages.

Let us know if you feel stuck and would like to do stage 3 breathing at your next visit- 14200 Midway Suite 110 Dallas, Tx 75244.

Is more energy always better?

Having more energy is usually better than having less energy. However, more energy is not always better. More energy is only better when it can be efficiently and coherently used.

Here are some simple examples of more energy NOT being better:

Too much energy at bedtime and not being able to sleep.

Cooking Dinner at 1000 degrees instead of 350.

Drinking too much coffee

Having too much energy manifesting as anxiety

Lighting a birthday candle with a welding torch

Network Spinal care helps you have more energy AND more energy efficiency/ coherence.

Most of the time people feel relaxed immediately post entrainment and then find themselves with more energy shortly after. Sometimes, a different response is needed from your body and you will find yourself tired or with seemingly less energy. During these times, it is likely you were operating very inefficiently with too much energy, and your body needs to recover/ balance. We recommend listening to your body during these times and taking the rest you need. Doing so, can help you avoid breakdown and sickness. Come see us at Next Level Chiropractic in Dallas Tx for Network Spinal care! We can work together to help increase your energy and energy efficiency.

Epienergetic Seasons, AAA and The Gap

Whatever Epienergetic season/s you are in, it’s important to remember AAA for a more efficient energetic life experience. As a reminder AAA stands for being Aware, Acknowledging and Accepting where you are or how things are. The key to accepting is to do so without judgement or wishing things were different. Acceptance of things we do not like is how they can change. After the season overview, we will offer a way to accept yourself as is AND to desire change at the same time.

Discover- In discover, energy states range from energy poor to energy neutral. Some perspectives in this season are, this sucks, this is overwhelming or this is a threat to me since I can’t get everything done that I SHOULD get done, There is no preceived gift or benefit to the situation. Non healthy coping strategies for stress causing extra stress. Examples include drinking or sulking.

Transform- Energy levels in this season range from energy neutral to energy rich. Perspectives in this season revolve around making change happen. This change happens initially with force and evolves to more of a big picture/optimization viewpoint as you progress. There is a gift but you have to make it/earn it. Examples include adapting and taking on new projects or figuring out ways to get what you need done despite or even because of the weather.

Awaken- Energy rich to super rich. In this season, things simply are as they are. The gift is already there and being experienced. Awaken by itself is pure energy and is not sustainable for very long. Moments of gratitude, love and appreciation are great examples of this energy. Awaken is almost always a great addition to either Discover or Transfrom mentioned above. Integrating awaken brings the gifts of awaken to the seasons of Discover and Transform.

Ideally we live our lives through all lenses in the Seasons of Wellbeing, Problems arise when we become stuck or fixated in 1 or 2 seasons. When this happens, we are missing out on at least 1 season. If you are missing Discover, you can not find the problem. If you are missing transform, you can not fix the problem. If you are missing awaken, you can not find the gift. Network Spinal care helps you move and flow through the seasons efficently so that you are not missing any seasons/ perspectives.

The Gap

Donny Epstein talks about something called The Gap. This gap is the energetic space between where you are currently and where you are called to be. The key to filling this gap and moving toward the latter is AAA.

We must AAA where we are currently with NO JUDGEMENT!

We must also AAA where we are called to be/ the higher version of us that we need to be to fulfill our purpose.

Alternate focusing and AAA’ing one and then the other. go back and forth until you can focus and accept them both at the same time. This will allow free energy from the universe to fill the gap.

Energy poor and energy neutral- what to do

I taught a Network Seminar this weekend in Dallas, TX (March 2021), and it made me realize where I can be more efficient in the office. Look for faster and more effective care this week:)

Do you ever have periods of energy neutrality or energy poorness? We all have them and they are a normal part of life.

During energy poor periods, there is an opportunity to discover and grow.

Neutral periods are appropriate when you are resting or in-between energy rich periods.

Essentialy, we have to go through periods of energy poorness as a part of life and growth. Since there is no choice about it, it is better to AAA (be Aware, Acknowledge, and Accept without judgement) than to resist. The acceptance of what is, in the now, will allow your nervous system to get areal picture of what is going on and adapt and adjust accordingly.

AAA is crucial, AND there are times when you want to consciously raise your energy state. Here are a few ways:

To go from poor to neutral: Physical activity is great here. Jumping up and down and laughing or hooting and hollering can take you to high neutral.

Focusing on Gratitude or Love will bring super rich energy into whatever you are doing. This would bring poor to neutral or neutral rich.

Using your correct Triad of Change will help you consistently go from neutral to rich. This is a formula Donny Epstein came up with that focuses on the relationships between energy, perceptions, structures, and behaviors. Like all things Donny creates, it is very simple on the surface and incredibly complex once you dive in. I will do my best give an overview of this soon.

How big is your system

How big we see any system, affects our energetic relationship with that system. The bigger the system, the larger amount of energy is required and vise versa.

Like most fortune cookies and cool quotes from Donny Epstein, the creator of Network Spinal, this sounds cool but is not always easily applied in today’s busy world.

Let’s look at a few examples.

What do you see when you look at your partner, child or friend?

In space, do you see just their physical body? What happens if you also take notice of the space around their body? Research has shown time and time again that the heart field extends multiple feet off the body, What if you focused here for a moment before interacting with them? Notice what happens as you expand your view of the system/person to include the super energy rich heart field? What happens if you also expand your awareness to your heart field and the space in-between the 2 fields?

Where do you see your partner, child or friend in time?

Do you only see the present moment, or do you take into account the past (what have they been though) and the future (a higher vision of them)? Multiple perspectives allows for more energy and a greater range of response.

There has been a lot of AAA for me over the last week. My family system has changed and grown from just myself, Sarah, Max and Atlas to also include my paternal family. Somewhere over time, I had consciously or not, moved my parents from my system. Expanding my view to include them, increases my bandwidth for love and heart connection. I had to AAA that my heart had only been growing in 1 direction in time which was forward (with Sarah and my boys). This ongoing experience has allowed my heart to grow backwards in time as well (Its hard to grow where you are not open and its hard to be open if you are not aware you are closed)

This post was originally sent out as a newsletter to our practice in Dallas, Tx in March 2021.

Nervous system health and emotions

One of the unseen benefits of having your Nervous System in growth mode (instead of stress mode) is a greater ability to trust and have faith.

If you stop to think about it, trust and faith are not usually the first emotions felt if you are running or fighting for your life. Fear or anger are more appropriate emotions to keep you alive in the face of immediate danger.

This is one of the biggest changes that happens over and over again in Network Spinal Care. Subconscious or automatic patterns of fear and anger are transformed and/or awakened to patterns of trust and faith. This allows for an expansion or deepening of your own personal belief system, and trust in both the macro and micro parts of life. Come experience Network Spinal Care for yourself at Next Level Chiropractic -14200 Midway rd suite 110 Dallas, TX 75244.