Core posture | A coordinated pose of the core muscles, head to pelvis, where the core muscles architecturally move into a structured position, and that inner positioning is felt. For example, the core posture of anger has a different core posture than a smile. All emotions have core postures. ⦁ Core posture movement often benefits the core muscles. For example, the core posture of joy exercises the core muscles in a way that is pleasurable-- the core muscles move and feel an inner, warming, invigorating, stretch and cleanse of the core muscles, which can be a relief from tension and strain. ⦁ The needs of the core muscles often drive core posture formation and drive the intensity of the movement.
"Ah" | A core posture of "yes." A moving stretching pleasure pose of the core musculature that includes lifted soft palate, lowered larynx, expanded ribs, and back, expanded abdominals, expanded pelvic floor, and can also include pleasurable inner sensation (i.e. in the heart, and pelvis). The core posture of "yes" or "ah" is the pose of orgasm, the pose of being in awe of nature, the pose of intellectual epiphany (the ah-ha moment). The inner core posture of "ah" is a pose of an inhalation of breath, with pleasured stretch and increased circulation. A pose of yes. Yes is a pose of "ah." Before we gave yes a word, or assigned it a symbol, we felt it as a core posture of "ah."
Subposturing | The activity of exercising core postures subtly. Whereas a robust exercise of core posture movement includes spoken words, vocalized emotions, singing; subposturing is a subtle exercise of core posture movement with a smaller percentage of the core muscles contracting, however maintaining the general structure of core posture (say 10% muscle contraction to subposture anger--which is not as easily seen, rather than 100% core muscle engagement, which would be very obviously seen).
Muscle Sense | An inner sense. Muscles gather information about their state of being from moment to moment by feeling. They feel sensations of pain, pleasure, stretch, fatigue, warmth, cold, relaxation, contraction and movement. They are also able to gather information about the outside world from inside the body. For example, if you press on a muscle through the skin, the muscle gathers sensory information by feeling the change of pressure. In addition to changes of physical pressure pressed upon the muscles from outside the body, muscles can also feel changes in temperature and air pressure occurring outside the body.
Core Reflex | A body mechanism where a sensory event triggers a reflex response of inner core muscle contraction. It is a coordinated contraction in several locations from head to pelvis. The core reflex intensity is proportional to the degree of intensity of the sensory event and creates an inner sensory experience that is felt. For example, an intensely bright light experienced by the eyes triggers an equally intense core reflex. Therefore, core reflex is a mechanism that makes outer sensory experience also an inner personal experience.
*This is a diagram to illustrate breath inhalation. An animated video can be watched here:
*This diagram is a general depiction of the system of body sensation, with muscle fiber activity and brain activity as part of a sensory dialogue between brain and muscle sense.
Inter-core Reflex | A core muscle mechanism in which the contraction of one core muscle causes another core muscle to contract. For example, a cough is initiated in the throat and upon contraction, the throat muscles trigger a reflex contraction throughout the core, head to pelvis, creating the core posture process of a cough. Inter-core reflexes contribute to how core postures take shape within the core.
Mind | A process of self-generating sensory experience. ⦁ The process of mind exercises many of the same mechanisms that the senses exercise when they gather information from the environment. For example, when the eyes are exposed to a bright light, it causes a core reflex. When the eyes self-generate a visual experience like a bright light, it could also trigger a core reflex. Often the mind experience is a much subtler exercise than the exercise of gathering actual sensory experience (as it should be). ⦁ A purpose of mind is to self generate sensory experience to plan for the body. ⦁ Another purpose of mind is to exercise the senses to maintain their health when there is no healthy sensory environment available.
Consciousness | A process of exercising mind and acknowledging one's own experience with the core posture of yes.
Consciousness of Self | A process of exercising yes and acknowledging it with another yes, creating an "ah-ha" epiphany of core awareness--a felt awareness of self.
Sensa | A process in which the senses exercise and trigger core reflexes in such a pleasurable way that the core muscles respond by moving into the core posture of yes, or 'ah.'