POSTURAL DEVELOPMENT
AND LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle tremendously influences our postural body usage. Like many habits our posture develops during childhood.

Notice a young child's perfectly balanced postural alignment . The child's head is delicately perched on top of the neck in line with the spine. Both are securely anchored on top of a wide upper back with a heightened and expanded chest. Together they join in an upward rippling spinal motion orchestrated in the child's acts of standing, sitting and walking. This inherent Mitzvah Principle is unconsciously activated by the child who while moving conducts an interplay between the pelvis and spine leading to a finale of the head rebalancing freely on top of the spine. Here stands the child, a perfect playful picture of grace an ease. 2 (Gloria Verly)

A small percentage of adults are posturally capable of maintaining their childlike upward flexible stance and ability to move with grace and ease. Spend time in a crowded mall and observe the postural variations among the shoppers. Some shoppers carry themselves upright as they move with grace and ease. A large percentage slouch as they go about their activities. In slouching individuals the head, neck and chin poke forward, one shoulder may be higher than the other, one arm may be longer than the other, one hip may be higher than the other, some may walk with their toes pointing inwards or outwards. Apart from congenital or traumatic origins these deviations are caused primarily by habitual slouching.

Today we are a society laden with appliances and machinery. Each item is supplied with a manual to explain the care, mode of use, what constitutes misuse, warnings and unit maintenance for proper functioning. As human beings we are inherently endowed with similar postural information. When we allow the functioning of the Mitzvah Principle we maintain its inherent ability to correct itself. From an early age we inadvertently misuse our bodies. Sedentary activities, watching TV, computer, desk work and chairs lacking support at home, school and work can result into slouching patterns of body usage, shortened muscles, distorted posture and inhibited body performance. Slouching is defined as the head and neck poking forward, elevated shoulders, chest squeezing inward, back rounding, and the pelvis tucking forward. This slouching pattern over time becomes habitual body misuse. The slouching pattern blocks and holds the body downward, restricting its natural freedom of movement.. The slouching pattern of body usage directly causes postural problems, aches and pains, sleep disorders, poor co-ordination, tension and stress buildup for which no medical cause can be detected.

Lifestyle has a tremendous influence on our postural body usage. Postural patterns can be shaped by our activities. The following lists some occupations and possible reasons for pursuing the Mitzvah Technique. They all tend to share a common denominator; tension and stress build up and interference with the dynamic upward rippling motion.

bulletParents, care givers,doctors, health practitioners and nurses who often suffer neck and back pain.
bulletAutomobile, work and home related accident victims who suffer from chronic pain.
bulletOffice staff who sit at computers for long hours who often develop carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back pain.
bulletTrade persons performing repetitive activities like the painter who squeezes the neck to paint ceiling, and auto-mechanics who must confine and tense themselves under vehicles.
bulletProfessional executives who wants a more confident appearance.
bulletSchool teachers who are concerned about their own and the posture of their students.

bulletActors who want to improve posture and voice range during rehearsal and performance.
bulletMusic and dance teachers and students who are plagued by movement restrictive tension and stress build up during class, rehearsal and performance.


When the day's work is over we tend to continue the postural pattern during leisure, travel, theatre, television and other activities. The Mitzvah Technique as a tool for body re-education can help increase potential for body performance during all of our activities in a practical and convenient way. It is possible through the Mitzvah Technique to help many suffering individuals to cope and correct our postural body usage as we go about various activities.