The Vitality of Youth --- Magnetic Posture
The first step in regaining youthful vitality is the vigorous blood circulation achieved through conscious breathing. The function of digestion, respiration and circulation are the primary sources of vitality and life force.
When we are young our spine is strong and vertical. With work, injury, sport, excessive reading and lack of attention the upright spine becomes inflexible and bent. Few people above the age of 30 are free from this deterioration in the spine.
The vitality of youth is the straight spine for it is this that creates the processes for the distribution of the vital forces within our body.
Imagine a center point on the top of the head, through the base of the neck and down to the center of the pelvis. Any unnatural curve of the spine shoulders or neck interferes with the flow of blood and the flow of nerve vitality and the flow of magnetism.
Blood carries new magnetism for cells. The nerve currents carry the actual life of the body, which includes all it's magnetism. Any curvature of any part of the body that interferes with these flows lessens the energy, vitality and function of the currents so impeded.
Old age brings all kinds of curves to the spine, neck and shoulders. Youth is straight. Age is bent. We have all seen the extreme of this in the stooped aged person with cane for support.
But standing straight is not enough. Create the alignment between the vertical plane of the head, neck and base. This can be made into a habit. This is the prime trait of the magnetic person, in this way they will never grow old to the onlooker or to their own feelings. A straight spine is a centered spine and a centered spine is a centered and present person.
The second habit to be acquired by the magnetic person is the habit of stretch. The neck must be pulled tall.
When the neck muscles weaken, abdominal muscles weaken and the abdomen begins to sag carrying with it the internal organs. The pot belly on so many men is the true reflection not of old age but of collapse of the vitality of youth, the surrender to gravity. It is simply a bad habit.
Here you are asked to develop the habit of upright posture. Check whether your chest sags down when you sit, if so raise it as high as possible without raising the shoulders.
Keep the shoulders central and natural, Hold this position when you eat, read, sleep, walk, talk and when you are driving. Make it a habit.
Next ask yourself whether your abdomen points forward. If so pull it in with muscle. If the muscles are not strong enough then help them with your hands. After a while the strength will return and it will become a natural position.
Young people have a firm abdomen, model them. 95% of people over the age of 20 have collapsed vital muscles. This is the fourth habit. With these habits the flow of natural vital energy returns to the body and to the eye.
The surrender to age is so much dependent on habit for in truth, with the above habits maintained the vitality, vigor, freshness and brilliance of youth shall be maintained.
The new habit is then to keep the vertical alignment of the top of the head, the base of the neck and the center of the chest in alignment plus to maintain the sensation of stretching the head to reach the ceiling.