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Aligned & Aware

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019 Sarah Whitten

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vocalyogi

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Kyrie Irving helloing with teeth brushing tonight. -
#boymom #basketball # Celtics #sevenyearsold #vocalyogi #movementmaven #metrowest #natick #momlife #suburbanjungle

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Muscles do only one thing - they contract! And the capacity of our muscles is only as great as the load we apply to them - that is a somewhat fancy way of saying, the only way for muscles to have better function is to ask them to work.

Today in the Un-Wreck Your Neck Challenge, we’re going to look directly at the neck and some movements to strengthen the neck and to teach the deep neck flexors how to work.

We'll do some isometric work as well as eccentric and concentric motions. Isometrics have been shown to have an analgesic effect so they help reduce pain. An isometric exercise is one where you generate force without moving joints and frequently involves an external object - in this case, we are using a block. An eccentric contraction is the motion of a muscle while it is lengthening under load. A concentric contraction is muscle activation while a muscle shortens, or contracts.

Have you signed up? Link is in linktree in the bio. Materials available until Jan 31!

#vocalyogi #unwreckyourneck #singer #musician #music #voice #opera #musicaltheater #performer #neck #movementmaven #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #voicegeek #bodynerd #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #soprano #alto #mezzosoprano #tenor #bass #moveeveryday #moveyourbody #movebetterfeelbettersingbetter

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Your shoulder girdle is made up of your shoulder blades (scapulae), upper arm bones (humerus), collarbones, and ribcage as well as all the muscles, fascia, nerves, blood and lymph vessels.

We should be able to move our arms forward and up (flexion), down and back (extension), to the side away from the body (abduction) and back in (adduction), in rotation AND a combination of those movements, which is called circumduction.

Modern life has left us with limitations in one or more of those ranges!

Limitations in these ranges of motion have impacts far beyond the shoulder. When the shoulder girdle is limited it also impacts our ability to breathe with ease. Mobility of the shoulder influences general tension and pain in the neck as the neck will try to pick up the slack, but also plays a role in issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and pain and tension in the upper back.

Want to explore these movements? Join the Un-Wreck Your Neck Challenge going on now! Link to join is in my bio. All materials are available through Jan 31st!

#vocalyogi #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #movementmaven #singer #voiceteacher #bodynerd #voicegeek #performer #shoulders #neck #soprano #alto #mezzosoprano #tenor #baritone #bass #musicaltheater #jazzsinger #operasinger #popsinger #voice moveeveryday #onstage #boston

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#Repost @beautycounter.hill.nerd with @get_repost
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Breaking: New study found seven chemical sunscreen ingredients absorbed into the body after one use, at levels that exceed safety thresholds.

This is one of many reasons why Beautycounter uses mineral sunscreen ingredients, they don’t enter the bloodstream (also known as physical sunblocks vs chemical sunscreens) and are the only two ingredients currently deemed safe by the FDA, while still offering sun protection.

Our ingredients are also screened for environmental impacts. Fun fact, Beautycounter teamed up with Goddess Garden to help pass the Hawaii ban on Oxybenzone and Octinoctate. 🐠

So don’t fret, still use sunscreen please! Just find ones that use non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

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I love everything about this.
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#Repost @emilyonlife with @get_repost
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Underneath our luxury footwear and innovative hummus flavors, we are animals, and our dominant culture is actively invested in trying to make us forget this essential fact, because it’s a lot more lucrative if we believe we can consume and measure and compare our way to fulfillment. Biologically, the things that actually make us happy are time in nature, play, sleep, rest, nutrition, connection, touch, love, moving around, looking at actual trees in the world instead of pictures of trees on a screen.

When I’m feeling sad and disengaged and I want to do something about it, I know now to look at those things first. Am I looking for happiness in the wrong direction? Am I in touch with my essential, basic nature? If not, what can I do today to remember and honor it? #emilyonlife

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I love it when I find hearts on my walk. This one was by the side of the road, just some pine needles and sticks that came together through wind, water, cars going by.
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#vocalyogi #movementmaven #moveeveryday #walk365 #loveislove #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #singer #dogmom #metrowest #performer #voiceteacher #voicegeek #vocalnerd #soprano

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Flawless in Five: keeping me running somewhat on time since fall 2018!
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6 products that take less than 5 minutes to apply.
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The result...a more rested looking, brighter looking, more confident feeling me.
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46 doesn’t feel so bad thanks to @Beautycounter -
Ready to make a #cleanswap of your makeup bag and get a free retractable brush with purchase?
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Link to shop is in linktree in my bio. Feel free to DM me with questions about colors and products!
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#beautycounter #vocalyogi #performer #makeup #saferbeauty #soprano #voiceteacher #hormonehealth #movementmaven #dogmom #metrowest #natick #newengland #singer #onstage #voice

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We go 🍌 for rocks here!
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#vocalyogi #labrador #yellowlabby #spazzyjazzy #rocklove #dogmom #dogsofinstagram #yoga #cleanbeauty #betterbeauty #saferbeauty

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With windchill it is -2 out there this morning!!
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COLD dog walk! 🐕 -
#vocalyogi #singer #performer #movementmaven #movement #walk365 #yoga #res #pilates #yogaastherapy #traumaimformedpractitioner #vocalpedagogy #vocalped #voicegeek #vocalnerd #lovetheimstrumemtyoulivein

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Could strength be the missing component to finding a long term resolution of your neck tension and pain? -

Join me for Un-Wreck Your Neck and let's find out! -

We start Monday!
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Link to sign up is in linktree in bio!
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#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #singer #songwriter #performer #musician #operasinger #operasingersofinstagram #jazzsinger #popsinger #ccm #yoga #movementmaven #voiceteacher #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #voicegeek #bodynerd #musiciansofinstagram

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Lunch.
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What’re you eating?
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#lunch #vocalyogi #morrocanquinoasalad #workfromhome #entrepreneur #singer #performer #voiceteacher #music #voice #voiceped #natick #metrowest

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Are you picky? I hope you will pick me!
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In all seriousness, don't live for one more day with that nagging neck tension and pain.
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Motion is lotion as they say and figuring out how to move to make your body feel better is a powerful tool for every singer to have in their pocket.
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This event runs Jan 20-24 and is FREE.
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Un-Wreck Your Neck link to sign up is in linktree in my bio.
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Thank you to @vocalprocess for this feedback about the prior Unwreck Your Neck Challenge!

#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger

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Vitamin D in a skillet. #nomnom #vegannight #vocalyogi #imperfectvegan #ocassionalvegan #singer #performer #voiceteacher #metrowest #natick #dinner #whatsfordinner #mondayispastanight #greenlentilpenne

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We humans have been looking down since the dawn of time...yet we seem to have more neck pain than ever? Are our devices really to blame?
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I tend to fall into the camp of believing it is never just one thing that leads to a problem in the body, rather a combination of factors and considering issues like frequency and duration. -
If you're looking to resolve your neck pain and think maybe you need to do more than just put your phone down, join me January 20-24 for the Un-Wreck Your Neck Challenge. -
It's all online and you will receive emails daily with information about how the whole body impacts the neck, and movements to try to help you feel better. We'll even end the week with a live recap and discuss forward head posture a little more!
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Live link is in linktree in my bio. Or you can type in: https://sarahwhitten.com/_ulpa_/unwreckneck/

#neckpain #textneck #necktension #singersbody #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger

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As part of my massive workspace clean up I’ve assembled the last years worth of NATS Journal Of Singing.
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I’ve gone through and marked the articles I’m interested in reading and am giving myself one week to read them.
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If I don’t read them in a week I have to dispose of them and move on.
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#accountability #decluttering #cleanup #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger

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If anyone wonders what being an entrepreneur looks like, this pile of notebooks sums it up pretty well.
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This is seven years of ideas, dreams, fears, and plans. -
It’s fascinating to look back to 2012 when I started to contemplate leaving my academic teaching position at Harvard. -
I used the lesson times when singers no-showed to start capturing my ideas and dreams.
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What follows are all the working through of the beliefs I held (hold?) about whether I could be successful, things learned from various business coaches, the how-to’s of making videos, recording audio files, building mailing lists and so much more.
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I’m not gonna lie this pile makes me fucking proud of myself and all I’ve accomplished in the last seven years!
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#entrepreneur #mompreneur #speakeasycooperative #thesebringmejoy #independentvoiceteacher #singer #voiceteacher #movementmaven #yoga #restorativeexercise #soprano #musicaltheater #music #thevoice #movement #idol #sing #voiceped #leader #nats

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#singers, is this cycle familiar to you? You've got neck pain and tension so you stretch and massage which provides some in the moment relief, but before you know it the pain and tension are back?

Join me later this month for the Un-Wreck Your Neck Challenge and learn some way to break out of this cycle and find long term relief so you neck is no longer standing in the way of your performance.

Link to sign up is in LinkTree in bio...did I mention it's FREE!?
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#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger #voiceped

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A FREE 5-day Challenge for Voice Teachers and Singers
Join me to address the #1 physical complaint I hear from singers! *Are stretching and massage enough to solve neck pain? *Is forward head position the death knell for the voice? *Where does strength fit in and how do I do it? *How do you take a whole body approach to solving neck pain?

You'll get answers to those questions and learn ways of moving to strengthen the neck to help yourself and your singers .
What's in this FREE 5-day challenge: **Daily emails with information and movement videos. **Daily live facebook videos to go further in depth. ** Live training on Friday, January 24th recapping the week and talking about forward head position and it's impact on the voice.

Participants will also be eligible for prizes including a free year's membership to Aligned and Aware: Solutions for the Singing Body, a free consult session with me and MUCH more! Join today and get on the path to stability and freedom in your neck and voice! Full details will be in your confirmation email!

Link to sign up is in linktree in bio!
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#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger #saferbeauty #cleanerbeauty #lowertoxinload #beautycounter

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January is breathing month here in VocalYogi-land.

There are so many ways the breath is a powerful tool for singers that go far beyond it being the power source for the voice.
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One of the ways we can use the breath is to simply learn to feel the body breathe. Noticing the sensation of the breath in the nostrils or feeling the belly soften or expansion of ribs on inhale and the corresponding changes on exhale brings you into the present. That's a pretty damn powerful tool when it comes to performance nerves.
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#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger #saferbeauty #cleanerbeauty #lowertoxinload #beautycounter #breathe #pranayama #breath

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Such a cup filling day meeting up with @edencasteel in #newport for the cliff walk and lunch.
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#lovetheinstrumentyoulivein #vocalyogi #movementmaven #vocalpedagogy #voiceteacher #singer #singers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #soprano #mezzo #alto #tenor #bass #baritone #opera #musicaltheater #jazz #hiphop #singersongwriter #ccm #operasinger #saferbeauty #cleanerbeauty #lowertoxinload #beautycounter #speakeasycooperative #walkeveryday #outside365

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