Let’s start with some terms, shall we?
Dynamic (adj.) Characterized by continuous change and movement.
Alignment (n.) Arrangement in a straight line, in correct relative positions.
Bodywork (n.) Therapies and techniques in medicine involving manipulation of the body’s muscular and connective tissue (myofascial) system.
Dynamic Alignment Bodywork speaks to an easeful alignment within the force of a straight line that we’re all under, all the time: gravity. This alignment also has an element of dynamism, of movement and adaptability to our lives (meaning, this work isn’t about getting perfectly aligned and then going and sitting in a cave, never again to disrupt a fragile equilibrium). We achieve this dynamic alignment through manipulation and awareness of the myofascial lines and relationships in the body.
Another important pillar of DAB is the interconnectedness of the physical body. As in, we can’t work on part of the body without affecting the whole.
That’s why, odd as it may seem at first, you may experience a chronic pain in your neck that ultimately stems from an old ankle injury. Or plantar fasciitis that we may trace to an abdominal surgery when you were a child, or to years of working behind a desk at a computer.
Of course, it might not be that complex, too. Working skillfully with whatever presents itself is the science and art of it.
Here’s a bit on what that work might look like.
