Over the many years practicing manual therapy, I've been able to cross paths with other practitioners and educators that have influenced my work and excited my mind to explore concepts beyond traditional models.

About 12 years ago, I found Liz Koch's book, "The Psoas Book" and was delighted to find at least one other person out there convinced that the Psoas was more than just a hip flexor muscle. In fact, she, like me believes the Psoas is an integral element of our "core". But we both also believe that the "core" isn't a muscle system. Check out this article "The Psoas is NOT a Hip Flexor." By Liz Koch. Really a great read!

Throughout a 3 hour workshop, we discussed how to change the language of the body, to recognize that we are a fluid, dynamic, every changing system. If we change how we understand the body, and access it in a new way. The core of the body in our field is often times described with metaphors rather than science. 

I've spent the past 8 years developing simplified models to interpret the core in a new way. My model, the NeuroCore describes a dual neurological stabilizing system that keeps our deep abdominal organs supported and stable while keeping us effortlessly grounded and stable in a standing posture.

Through techniques of MELT we began with accessing this system through our feet to ground the room of 22 curious participants and then worked with two primary reflexes Liz works with called Fetal and Startle. (The fetal/startle reflex is studied in an attempt to provide an objective and quantitative estimate of the fetal neurological condition. Use of these positions with grounding intentions can evoke embryological repatterning to come up to the conscious mind of an adult allowing that adult to regain connection to their very being.) These positions explored the Psoas as a messenger of information. Liz wanted the group to pay attention to the messenger and listen to what it was saying.

The evening was magical to me. Our ability to bounce back and forth was so amazing and easy. Liz is BRILLIANT, AMAZING, WONDERFUL... what can I  say, if you missed it, you missed real, spontaneous magic.

I recorded this program for the MELT Instructors so it will be up on the site soon for you to listen to. Quite profound. Far beyond functional exploration and biomechanical movement, this first workshop between Liz and I opened a doorway for more workshops to emerge. We are talking about doing one on the throat, voice and psoas in October! More info to come!

A special thanks to Liz for spending the evening  exploring the core on such a deep level. I love you much Liz! Thanks for the experience.