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Esther Gokhale's blog

How Barbie and Other Dolls Can Give Us Postural and Personal Inspiration

August, 2023
This summer, with blockbuster success, Barbie is front and center! And yes, I did see the movie. I usually use dolls to talk about our physical characteristics, but their intended function is to teach emotional and social skills such as friendship, parenting, and play. Barbie the movie certainly emphasizes this aspect of the iconic doll in no subtle way! This blog post looks to dolls for some postural lessons, and also some emotional ones. Research such as a 2017 New Zealand study increasingly shows that posture connects with both our physical and emotional stance, and in our company we have increasingly come to embrace the deep relationship between posture and emotional health. So, over to Barbie, Wonder Woman, and friends. . . Read more

Posture Workouts in a Swimming Pool

August, 2023

August is peak holiday time across the northern hemisphere, and many of us who live here will find ourselves poolside, or even better, in it!

Being in water has the natural advantage of lifting weight off the joints while providing gentle resistance training. Aching backs or knees can find relief from compression in the natural buoyancy that water provides. This has made pool exercises a popular prescription with physical therapists over many years, especially for post-operative or post-injury rehabilitation. 

On land, to relieve pain and compression, people usually use elaborate measures like inversion tables, traction units, or going to outer space! In the Gokhale Method we provide decompression for the lower back relatively simply with the Stretchsit® Cushion or the nubs on our Gokhale™Pain-Free Chair. But stepping into water is the simplest of all, giving you freedom of movement and the ability to strengthen yourself simultaneously. Read more

Helping My Mom with Parkinson’s

July, 2023
My mother developed Parkinson’s Disease (PD) over 22 years ago. My mom’s brother passed away from PD, and another relative on the maternal side also suffered with it. I also have a more distant “uncle” who is in the early stages of PD, who I visit. This particular disease has loomed large in my family and my life for over two decades, but many of its challenges and what helps will apply to those living with other diseases and their caregivers. In this blog post I would like to share how the Gokhale Method has helped my mom, my family, and me. Read more

Treadmill Training with Healthy Posture

July, 2023

During the Victorian Era, a British engineer, William Cubitt, invented the treadmill as a means of harnessing hard labor in prisons and penal colonies. It was also used unproductively, purely as a punitive measure. Despite this sordid history, the treadmill has become a highly beneficial and enjoyable device within the context of a contemporary lifestyle.

The sedentary nature of modern life in the industrialized world leaves most of us with less than the ideal amount of physical activity. In 1968 the importance of aerobic exercise was popularized by the book Aerobics by Kenneth H. Cooper. Inspired by this book, the first electric consumer treadmill was developed by another American by the name of William Edward Staub.  Read more

Bachata for Trunk Mobilization and Stability

June, 2023
Regular readers and our students will know that I am a great fan of dance—it is a fun, social, and mood-elevating way to get fitter and master healthy posture. Dance and the importance of length in the spine The Gokhale Method® focuses on restoring the spine to its natural length, strength, and shape in all positions and activities. In vigorous activities like dance, with higher impact and distortions like twists, side bends, flexions, and extensions, the inner corset technique becomes especially important. Read more

Eyeglasses, Posture, and Headaches

May, 2023
Vision and headaches We know that challenges with our vision can cause headaches. Squinting in bright light or straining the eyes to bring hazy text into focus can easily result in strain or pain in the eyes, temples, top of the head, or elsewhere.  What is less widely acknowledged is that wearing prescription glasses can also cause headaches. An overlooked cause of headaches—and other pains too—is the poor posture we often adopt when wearing glasses. In this post I will be looking at the posture traps to avoid with eyewear—and how to turn wearing glasses to your postural advantage.  Read more

Fixing Plantar Fasciitis

May, 2023
Why is it not a routine practice for podiatrists to observe their plantar fasciitis patients’ stance and gait? Let’s consider how a broader approach that considers the way people stand and walk could improve treatment outcomes for plantar fasciitis patients—and also help prevent recurrences. Read more

Posture Tips for Meditators

April, 2023
It has been over 60 years since Eastern schools of meditation became widely known in the U.S. and Europe, and meditation became widely practiced, with over 14% of Americans having meditated at least once. If we include those practicing mindfulness techniques, using meditation apps, and attending yoga classes with a meditation component, this figure goes far higher. The effects of sitting in meditation The potential benefits of meditation are well known, and include a calmer, clearer mind, lower levels of stress, better sleep, improved relationships with others, and better mental health.  From a posture perspective, whether you sit in meditation regularly or are just getting started, you want the experience to be as healthy for your body as it is for your mind.  Read more

Rotator Cuff Injuries: Prevention and Healing with Healthy Posture

April, 2023
In my experience, people are often unaware that their posture has greatly contributed to their muscular problems and damage. In this blog post I would like to talk about a frequently injured group of muscles that attach the arm to the torso at the shoulder blade—the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff helps rotate the arm and lift it sideways and is also responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint. Read more

The Gokhale™ Wedge for Relaxed, Upright Sitting

March, 2023
In this blog post I am excited to introduce a wedge for stacksitting to our students and readers. It’s possible to experience and take pleasure in sitting as you work at your desk, eat at your table, or play an instrument. If this is not the case for you, the Gokhale Wedge could make it so. Read more

Upcoming Workshops

Upper Back Pain Relief with the Gokhale Method

Date and time: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
7:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
8:00pm

Asia/Jerusalem

Open spots: Open
Language: Hebrew
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Sunday, October 01, 2023
10:00am

Europe/Paris

Open spots: Open
Language: French
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Tuesday, October 03, 2023
10:00am

Asia/Jerusalem

Open spots: Open
Language: Hebrew
Teacher: Michal Tal

Wake up Your Glutes: They Snooze, You Lose

Date and time: Tuesday, October 03, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Wednesday, October 11, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Friday, October 13, 2023
10:30am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Julie Johnson
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Monday, October 16, 2023
10:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Julie Johnson
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
8:00pm

Europe/Berlin

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Julie Johnson

Lower Back Pain Relief with the Gokhale Method

Date and time: Tuesday, October 24, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale

Sturdy, Upright, and Tall: Posture for Aging

Date and time: Friday, October 27, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale

Posture Remedies for Text Neck

Date and time: Monday, October 30, 2023
4:00pm

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Sunday, November 05, 2023
11:00am

Europe/London

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Clare Chapman
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Sunday, November 05, 2023
5:00pm

Europe/Paris

Open spots: Open
Language: French
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Tuesday, November 07, 2023
12:00pm

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale

Wake up Your Glutes: They Snooze, You Lose

Date and time: Thursday, November 09, 2023
12:00pm

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Friday, November 10, 2023
12:00pm

Asia/Jerusalem

Open spots: Open
Language: Hebrew
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
5:00pm

Europe/Ljubljana

Open spots: Open
Language: Slovenian
Teacher: Sabina Blumauer

Revolutionize Your Wellness through Posture

Date and time: Thursday, November 16, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale

End the back pain and get back to music-making with the Gokhale Method

Date and time: Monday, November 20, 2023
8:00pm

Europe/Berlin

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Julie Johnson

Sturdy, Upright, and Tall: Posture for Aging

Date and time: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
4:00pm

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
8:00pm

Europe/Paris

Open spots: Open
Language: French
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Wednesday, November 22, 2023
8:00pm

Europe/Berlin

Open spots: Open
Language: German
Teacher: Julie Johnson
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Thursday, November 23, 2023
8:00pm

Asia/Jerusalem

Open spots: Open
Language: Hebrew
Teacher: Michal Tal

Fix your feet with the Gokhale Method

Date and time: Tuesday, November 28, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale

Scoliosis and the Gokhale Method

Date and time: Thursday, November 30, 2023
11:00am

Pacific Time

Open spots: Open
Language: English
Teacher: Esther Gokhale
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Friday, December 08, 2023
6:30pm

Europe/Berlin

Open spots: Open
Language: German
Teacher: Julie Johnson
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Saturday, December 09, 2023
5:00pm

Europe/Paris

Open spots: Open
Language: French
Teacher: Michal Tal
Introduction to The Gokhale Method and Living Pain-Free
Date and time: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
1:00pm

Asia/Jerusalem

Open spots: Open
Language: Hebrew
Teacher: Michal Tal