Overview

2013 Nautilus Silver Award Winner! Contains Barnett Formula Centering as featured in Pilates Style Magazine! Practical Centering enhances physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance with innovative breathing techniques and empowering exercises. It provides an instant vacation in this hectic world, enabling us to elevate our energy, relax our body, strengthen our core, and quiet our mind. Larkin Barnett links her original techniques with the chakras-ancient, non-Western concept of the seven physical and spiritual centers in the body. The Chakra Rocking Massage she teaches is a movement meditation that awakens the chakra centers and offers a practical, user-friendly way to relax. Reminiscent of being rocked in a cradle, these repetitive, gentle motions are soothing and tension releasing Muscular tightness can begin in the mind. The root cause may be illness, surgery, accidents, abuse, emotional trauma, daily stress, poor movement habits, or even one's choice of sport or fitness. The Chakra Rocking Massage clears and opens the chakras, causing energy to move more freely throughout the body. Hence, muscular tension dissipates, and tissue health, suppleness, and posture are improved. To this key exercise, Larkin adds simplified breathing techniques drawn from both Eastern and Western traditions as well as visualizations. Likening the experience to creating a favorite meal, she provides ""recipe cards"" for each exercise, focusing on the ingredients of color, location, life lesson, natural elements, physical senses, emotions, and affirmations. Strengthening our mind/body connection in this way is the ultimate immune booster, improving circulation for better tissue nutrition and metabolism. The body acts like a natural pharmacy as it flushes away waste products more thoroughly. Altogether, the tools in Practical Centering can lead to a life of more vitality and ease. It's a great little book to pack in your suitcase or back pocket. The exercises take only minutes and can be done easily at home, at work, or wherever you happen to be.

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9780835609036

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Reviews

Dancer, movement therapist, and Pilates specialist Barnett has created a true minutes-a-day regimen to improve fitness, vitality, and wellness. Drawing on her decades of experience (and her work with children), she has not only come up with an easy, practical series of exercises, but she has also presented them in a fun, colorful, and easy-to-understand package. Coincidentally, I pulled a groin muscle just before I started to review this book. Carefully practicing her Rocking Massage Exercises was one of the most soothing things I did to deal with the incapacitating injury A main focus of the book is learning to breathe correctly. It s not a new idea, but her use of the images of large, colorful balloons placed within the body to teach these techniques is very new, and very helpful. She ties both the Rocking Massages and Balloon Breathing to the seven major chakras, creating a simple full body workout. She adds sections on slow stretching and core abdominal strengthening to complete this deceptively simple regimen. This one is truly a gem. It takes the should out of exercising and replaces it with fun and self-nurturing. Don t let your customers miss this one! --Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight

<br>As a Pediatrician, I welcome Larkin's exciting approach to lifelong health and well-being. If we would make these basic fun and colorful techniques available to our young impressionable children what a blessing it would be for them to have this tool to help meet the stresses that may arise in their lifetime.<br>--Sherrill Pratt, M.D. <br>The net effect of Larkin's work is an integrative adaption of breathing strategies, from both an eastern and a western tradition. Larkin teaches breathing like a dance teacher, with inspiration, humor, and artistry. To read her exercises is to be coached into a kind of centeredness where healing is possible.<br>-- Dr. Greg Loewen, Pulmonary Specialist <br>Larkin presents an easy-to-read and follow set of exercises that combine visualization, breath and movement that can make a difference in our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Her simple set of exercises can help one to relax, loosen up and bring life once again to our daily life. The trick is in her combining mind with visualization, spirit with one's breath and body with movement to return us to wholeness which is our natural state of being.<br>--Robert Volkmann, MD <br>Larkin's insights into the mind-body connection are profound and very practical. I feel her book offers great hands-on techniques as well as insightful visualizations to encompass the whole person. I thoroughly enjoyed the easy-to-read and concise explanation of her life-changing routine. You can start small and have big results. I would highly recommend this book to those who are seeking to make great strides in their life.<br>--Brian W. Wright, Fitness Manager, Canyon Ranch <p>While a young dancer struggling with stamina issues, Larkin's life-altering realization of the importance of breathing properly could well have remained information simply applied to her own well-being. But instead, she has ever since been on a path dedicated to improving all of our lives through her inspired k

Dancer, movement therapist, and Pilates specialist Barnett has created a true minutes-a-day regimen to improve fitness, vitality, and wellness. Drawing on her decades of experience (and her work with children), she has not only come up with an easy, practical series of exercises, but she has also presented them in a fun, colorful, and easy-to-understand package. Coincidentally, I pulled a groin muscle just before I started to review this book. Carefully practicing her Rocking Massage Exercises was one of the most soothing things I did to deal with the incapacitating injury A main focus of the book is learning to breathe correctly. It's not a new idea, but her use of the images of large, colorful balloons placed within the body to teach these techniques is very new, and very helpful. She ties both the Rocking Massages and Balloon Breathing to the seven major chakras, creating a simple full body workout. She adds sections on slow stretching and core abdominal strengthening to complete this deceptively simple regimen. This one is truly a gem. It takes the should out of exercising and replaces it with fun and self-nurturing. Don't let your customers miss this one! --Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight --Reviews Practical Centering is truth in advertising. I can't recall reading a more practical, accessible book on this sort of subject matter. --Excerpted from The Magical Buffet --Reviews This easy-to-use self-help title will appeal to readers looking for stress-reduction techniques. Meditators, students of mindfulness, yoga and Pilates aficionados, and those interested in mind-body topics will also find much of interest. Recommended. --Excerpted from Library Journal, Janet Tapper, Univ. of Western States Lib., Portland, OR--Reviews Practical Centering enhances physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance with innovative breathing techniques and empowering exercises. It provides an instant vacation in this hectic world, enabling us to elevate our energy, relax our body, strengthen our core, and quiet our mind. --Larkin Barnett, DailyOm --Reviews Sometimes we need to bring ourselves back down to earth. Practical Centering: Exercises to Energize Your Chakras for Relaxation, Vitality, and Health is a new age discussion of discovering greater vitality and spirit in one's life, embracing the spirit and drives within oneself, the chakras, on a daily basis. Practical Centering is a straightforward and much recommended pick for followers of new age philosophy, highly recommended. --James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review --Reviews

<br>As a Pediatrician, I welcome Larkin's exciting approach to lifelong health and well-being. If we would make these basic fun and colorful techniques available to our young impressionable children what a blessing it would be for them to have this tool to help meet the stresses that may arise in their lifetime.<br>--Sherrill Pratt, M.D. <br>The net effect of Larkin's work is an integrative adaption of breathing strategies, from both an eastern and a western tradition. Larkin teaches breathing like a dance teacher, with inspiration, humor, and artistry. To read her exercises is to be coached into a kind of centeredness where healing is possible.<br>-- Dr. Greg Loewen, Pulmonary Specialist <br>Larkin presents an easy-to-read and follow set of exercises that combine visualization, breath and movement that can make a difference in our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Her simple set of exercises can help one to relax, loosen up and bring life once again to our daily life. Th

Dancer, movement therapist, and Pilates specialist Barnett has created a true minutes-a-day regimen to improve fitness, vitality, and wellness. Drawing on her decades of experience (and her work with children), she has not only come up with an easy, practical series of exercises, but she has also presented them in a fun, colorful, and easy-to-understand package. Coincidentally, I pulled a groin muscle just before I started to review this book. Carefully practicing her Rocking Massage Exercises was one of the most soothing things I did to deal with the incapacitating injury A main focus of the book is learning to breathe correctly. It's not a new idea, but her use of the images of large, colorful balloons placed within the body to teach these techniques is very new, and very helpful. She ties both the Rocking Massages and Balloon Breathing to the seven major chakras, creating a simple full body workout. She adds sections on slow stretching and core abdominal strengthening to complete this deceptively simple regimen. This one is truly a gem. It takes the should out of exercising and replaces it with fun and self-nurturing. Don't let your customers miss this one! --Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight --Reviews This easy-to-use self-help title will appeal to readers looking for stress-reduction techniques. Meditators, students of mindfulness, yoga and Pilates aficionados, and those interested in mind-body topics will also find much of interest. Recommended. --Excerpted from Library Journal, Janet Tapper, Univ. of Western States Lib., Portland, OR--Reviews Practical Centering enhances physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance with innovative breathing techniques and empowering exercises. It provides an instant vacation in this hectic world, enabling us to elevate our energy, relax our body, strengthen our core, and quiet our mind. --Larkin Barnett, DailyOm --Reviews Sometimes we need to bring ourselves back down to earth. Practical Centering: Exercises to Energize Your Chakras for Relaxation, Vitality, and Health is a new age discussion of discovering greater vitality and spirit in one's life, embracing the spirit and drives within oneself, the chakras, on a daily basis. Practical Centering is a straightforward and much recommended pick for followers of new age philosophy, highly recommended. --James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review --Reviews Practical Centering is truth in advertising. I can't recall reading a more practical, accessible book on this sort of subject matter. --Excerpted from The Magical Buffet --Reviews

Author Information

Larkin Barnett is a movement education speaker, Pilates/yoga instructor, professor, movement therapist, dance choreographer, and personal fitness trainer. She holds five Pilates certifications, including two Golf Pilates specializations. In the eighties, Larkin worked as Professor of Dance at Virginia Commonwealth University. From there, she went to Canyon Ranch Spa and became a movement therapist and fitness professional. Throughout her career, has also enjoyed teaching, choreographing, lecturing, and performing for organizations such as Harvard University, Longy School of Music, Four Arts Society Library and the University of Lappennranta, Finland. In 2007, Larkin was chosen as a President's Challenge Advocate for the President's Award's Program, part of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She is the author of Practical Pilates: Using Imagery, Pilates and Calisthenics for Children, Creative Yoga for Children, and On a Lark! Creative Movement for Children. Currently, Larkin provides movement education and breathing workshops for adults and children, as well as stress management programs for national fitness conferences, certification organizations, hospitals, corporations, universities, spas, athletic clubs, physical therapy clinics and ballet companies.

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