Turning the head in the first six months of life begins to activate the tonic neck reflex1 essential to the development of using both brain hemispheres for hearing and language. 2
The Basic Practice - the owl (neck rotations)
The Owl was created by Paul Dennison as a self-help release of the upper trapezius muscle (top of shoulder) thereby relieving tension for students when reading. It also reeducates the proprioception of the neck and shoulder muscles related to auditory skills.3
posture set-up:
begin seated upright in a chair (or can be done standing)
toes pointing forward and hip width apart
sit evenly on both sitz bones, wiggle a bit to feel them
root the tailbone into the chair-seat while at the same time, feel the spine lengthen with natural curves upwards
if standing, root feet into the ground, pelvis is level (neutral); rib cage and shoulders over the pelvis; feel spine lift out of pelvis.
gently relax the shoulders down (wiggle them) allowing sides of neck to release
tuck chin slightly, back of neck lengthens, crown of head lifts up
eyes gaze softly forward and slightly down
allow facial muscles to soften
sense an inner smile with gently closed lips
approach your body with kindness, non-harming
Let Soft, Gentle and Slow be your guide and mantra. Allow your body to open to new movements through gentle repetitions versus forcing.
respect your limits, modify where needed
If feeling dizzy during neck rotations, STOP. It may be an indication blood vessels in the neck are being squeezed.
The Owl:
place right hand on left shoulder and give a firm yet gentle squeeze massage
hold right elbow with left hand, if you like
inhale through the nose
slowly turn head to look back over left shoulder (or to where your body will allow - don’t force) while keeping shoulders down and front ribs down
exhale using ‘who breath’ (or the owl’s ‘hoo-o-o-t’)
if possible allow exhale to be to a count of eight
inhale through nose, return head to centre
continue to squeeze massage left shoulder
exhale using who (hoot) breath, turning head now to look back over right shoulder
inhale through nose, return head to centre
exhale using who (hoot) breath, drop chin to chest while keeping neck long and shoulders down and back
repeat two to five more times
now place left hand on right shoulder and give a firm yet gentle squeeze massage
hold left elbow with right hand, if you like
inhale through the nose
slowly turn head to look back over right shoulder (or to where your body will allow - don’t force) while keeping shoulders and front ribs down
exhale using ‘who breath’ (or the owl’s ‘hoo-o-o-t’)
if possible allow exhale to be to a count of eight
inhale through nose, return head to centre
continue to squeeze massage right shoulder
exhale using who (hoot) breath, turning head now to look back over left shoulder
inhale through nose, return head to centre
exhale using who (hoot) breath, drop chin to chest while keeping neck long and shoulders down and back
repeat two to five more times
Explore the Movement
notice with curiosity, wonder, and kindness to yourself
Did you notice differences between your left and right sides:
in the shoulders? one higher? one tighter?
in listening? in opening up to sounds?
Next time before beginning, read something aloud and then in your head:
How easily can I listen to what I read aloud and in my head?
How does my voice sound?
How relaxed are my shoulders, arms and hands while reading?
Are my ears aligned with my shoulders or is my head forward?
Complete ‘the owl’ movement on both sides.
Read the same passage aloud and then in your head.
What changes have you noticed in your voice and posture?
Baby version (see picture in footnotes):
Place right hand on left shoulder, and then extend left arm out. Turn the head to the left.
Repeat on other side.
Everyday Living
Perhaps you are like me and a lot of stress builds up in the shoulders. And then one day, it becomes harder to rotate the head because an annoying kink developed in the neck and or shoulders. Add to that as the tension builds my patience diminishes. One of the purposes of ‘the Owl’ is to invite the tension to release, reeducate the muscles, and make life more easeful like turning the head while shoulder checking.
Learning ‘the Owl’ has also made me realize the importance of turning my head more often and to opening my ears to sound, like when out in nature.
Yoga Practice
Many postures invite one to turn their head. Triangle you rotate the head up. Abdominal Twist you rotate the head in the opposite direction of the knees (like a baby see footnotes). In a Seated Spinal Twist you rotate the head to look over the shoulder. However, there are some common postures where it is NOT recommended to turn the head and that is Bridge Pose, Shoulder Stand and Plow.
Discover Amazing
As mentioned in a previous post “Two Halves = One Whole”, the right side of the brain controls the left body and vice versa. This rule applies to hearing and reading as well. Our two ears have different functions when it comes to reading and listening.
The right ear is better at listening for details and literal meaning of language (left brain functions). The left ear more easily picks up the elements of emotion, tone, and inflection, as well as the melody of language (right brain functions). 4
When we learn to read, we decode symbols by sounding them out aloud. As this takes effort, this is primarily using the left brain. However, as we begin to know how to read, our voice becomes internal indicating an automatic, stress-free activity taking place in the right brain. It is at this point we can effortlessly absorb the meaning held by the words. 5
As fluid readers, the right eye focuses and tracks left-to-right, as the right ear (left brain) hears the language patterns from beginning to end. Then shortly after the left ear (right brain) recognizes the auditory patterns and creates meaning. This is called whole brain integration. 6
Movements like the ‘cross crawl march’ and ‘the owl’ help us maintain whole brain integration and ongoing surround sound hearing. Keep up the movements and keep discovering amazing!
Namaste, the Light in me honors the Light in you
keep moving — health is movement and movement is health
Disclaimer: Be safe and move wisely without causing harm. Information provided in this newsletter is for you to explore and discover how your body works. It is not to diagnose any medical condition. Please consult with a physician or physiotherapist if you have concerns.
Tonic Neck Reflex definition: “ When a baby's head is turned to one side, the arm on that side stretches out and the opposite arm bends up at the elbow. This is often called the fencing position. This reflex lasts until the baby is about 5 to 7 months old.” source: https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=newborn-reflexes-90-P02630
Paul Dennison and Gail Dennison, Brain Gym® Teacher’s Edition, page 75
Paul Dennison and Gail Dennison, Brain Gym® Teacher’s Edition, page 74, 75
Kathy Brown, Educate Your Brain, page 110
Kathy Brown, Educate Your Brain, page 110
Kathy Brown, Educate Your Brain, page 111