James Speer,
Injury Rehab Therapist,
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

Thank you for coming here. This is where I continue to create articles regarding my work in Movement Re-Education Therapy, and orthopedic rehabilitation. If you experience back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain, or have balance issues, I can help you. If you’re new here, a good place to start is to read my post below titled “What I Do as a Functional Movement Education Therapist.” The best to you in great health! James, 1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #208,Santa Monica, CA, tel. 310-395-1952

Friday, July 12, 2013

Is this Mozart reborn? An amazing 5 year-old musical genius.

Greetings my friends!

I am so grateful that a friend of mine recently shared with me the following link to a childhood protégé. That term is probably a great understatement.

Check out this 5 year-old boy, a uniquely, "above and beyond" human being.

Here's the link to hear this musical genius.:

http://sorisomail.com/email/289445/tem-5-anos-e-toca-assim-piano.html

My friend included the following blurb with the above link.:

Mozart Reborn?

April 16, 2013

Astounding five (5) yr old!!!! No music sheets needed. Seems to thoroughly enjoy playing these songs, and becomes fully absorbed in the flow of notes, as if he has heard/played these pieces 100's of times before! He certainly hasn't had the years to comprehend what he's doing, nor practice to be this good, so somehow his brain and finger dexterity have been pre-programmed, when, how, why is a complete mystery! What a talent!

Mind boggling!

Indeed! It sure is! I love articles like these that show the potential for we amazing human beings, how our learning can ultimately be enhanced, how we can ultimately strive and reach a great learning potential.

Bon Apetit!

James

Guan Yin Acupuncture & Movement-Education Center
Dr. Lin Cheng Speer, LAc, OMD, PhD
James Speer, Injury Rehab Therapist
Functional Movement-Education Therapist
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais
1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suites #203, #208
Santa Monica, CA 90401
tel. 310-395-1952www.drlinspeer.com
www.feldenkraisjamesspeer.com
"Health Is All that Matters!"

"If you’re in pain, or your body aches, I give you the sensory motor experience to be able to move freely, effortlessly, pleasantly, without strain or discomfort. Say 'Hello' to relaxing, and 'Goodbye' to stiffness and pain!"
To see my popular YouTube video of me demonstrating the wonderful "'2-Minute Movement-Education Miracle' to Free Up Your Stiff Neck", Click Here

Saturday, June 8, 2013

How The Human Face Might Look In 100,000 Years

Hello again, friends!

How is everyone? First of all, to clarify any possible confusion lately, the photograph above is a picture of me working with a client very recently. This picture has nothing to do with this posting. Thus, it was not taken in the year 102,013 A.D. as some of you have contacted me wondering. J :-)

Some of you may recall last week how I posted the link to an exciting and thrilling video on YouTube titled "Anthro", which reflected the concept of "artificial evolution".

You may be interested in checking out the link below regarding an interesting story which appeared on June 7, 2013 on Yahoo, titled, "How The Human Face Might Look In 100,000 Years"http://finance.yahoo.com/news/human-face-might-look-100-171207969.html

Amongst interesting reading, the article shows at the bottom three different photographs which display the human face in progression of a man and woman in 20,000 years, 60,000 years, and 100,000 years from now, due substantially to our own induced genetic engineering.

Although the depictions of what our successors might look like were somewhat unnerving, i.e. large foreheads and eyes, I still found the article fascinating.

The best to all for great health!

James

Friday, May 31, 2013

A Cool Short Video, "Anthro"

Dear friends,

I just came across the following cool video on YouTube, titled "Anthro".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_XR8bJwOZ0, 5 minutes, 41 seconds in length

I think that the special effects look great! The video shows a small outtake
for a proposed, potentially full movie regarding "artificial evolution"
experiments being conducted on the moon, via a moon colony of scientists. The
dramatic clip opens up with a "MayDay", or Distress Call from the Lunar Base
directed to earth, requesting immediate help.

This video incites within me a philosophical question, in that, will we as a
species, albeit the "human being" species, over the next few million years or
so, if we don't happen to otherwise die out of existence or somehow exhaust our
gene pool, evolve to be a more superior being, that is, possessing greater
superior strength and intelligence, as suggested in the "Anthro" video? Or,
would we humans instead evolve into being a more feeble or weaker species having
lesser intelligence as well? If you believe in Darwinian Evolution, we, as a
species, that being "Cro-Magnon man", came into existence about 100,000 years
ago or so, as the offshoot of our ancestral predecessors, they being
"Neanderthal Man". Neanderthal people had much greater strength than we current Cro-Magnon people. However, we Cro-Magnons possess much greater intelligence than the Neanderthal people did. That last sentence is perhaps debatable. J

The "Anthro" video suggests that men of the future would possess both greater
intelligence and strength, even perhaps having telekinetic abilities. For
example, observe how the "Anthro" creature is able to unleash his will, rather,
his mental powers, onto the much weaker human being, thus, resulting in
increased pressure onto the human being and ultimately cracking the human
being's face mask.

However, come to think of it, the Anthro creature is not a result of Natural
Evolution. Instead, apparently, "Anthro" is, I guess, some sort of
laboratory-controlled evolution. Therefore, I'm speculating that the scientists
were responsible for tweaking the humanoid species toward whatever particular
direction they chose to go in, that is, to ultimately produce some sort of
humanoid being ("Anthro") capable of much greater strength and intelligence than
current human beings. The whole thing brings up an interesting concept and
subject matter.

FYI. When doing an online search for the word, "Anthro", I come up with the
following.:

Anthropo - (from Greek "human"), a prefix meaning human, humanoid, or humanlike,
especially with regards to sentience.

The word "sentience" means the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to
experience subjectivity.

Anyway, enough cerebration! :-) Simply enjoy the short video!

Check out the "Double Eyes" of the evil "Anthro" creature. Coooooouuuuuuulll!

The best to all,
James

Friday, February 15, 2013

Ability to Sit and Rise from the Floor

Dear Health Enthusiast!
Greetings to you! With our recent celebration this week of Chinese Lunar New Year, “Year of the Snake”, I am reminded how here in beautiful, sunny Southern California (most of the time, anyway) in just a few weeks we will be able to enjoy our wonderful Southland Springtime accolades.It’s floating all over the Net. … You may have seen or heard how a very interesting article was recently published on December 13, 2012 in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention, titled:
Ability to Sit and Rise from the Floor Is Closely Correlated with All-Cause Mortality RiskTest of musculo-skeletal fitness is 'strong predictor' of mortality in the middle-aged and older
Many similar versions of this notable article can now be seen in many different websites such as in the Science Daily, European Society of Cardiology, as well as in several other documented sources.

You may like to check out the following link:http://www.escardio.org/about/press/press-releases/pr-12/Pages/ability-to-rise-correlated-mortality.aspx?hit=dontmiss

where it is written:

"If a middle-aged or older man or woman can sit and rise from the floor using just one hand - or even better without the help of a hand - they are not only in the higher quartile of musculo-skeletal fitness but their survival prognosis is probably better than that of those unable to do so."Here’s the link to read the same article on the Science Daily:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121213085202.htm

The Science Daily writes within their rendition of the story:

"A simple screening test of musculo-skeletal fitness has proved remarkably predictive of all-cause mortality in a study of more than 2000 middle-aged and older men and women. The study, performed in Brazil by Dr Claudio Gil Araújo and colleagues at the Clinimex -- Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio de Janeiro, is reported today in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention."

If this all sounds intimidating, as an Injury Rehab Therapist, my background being a Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, I can greatly help you with this.

This “going-to-the-floor article” validates and reaffirms what every Functional Movement Therapist like myself already knows, that being the importance of movement education. There have been many recent articles and documents of late publishing how 90% of the brain is attributed toward movement or sensory-motor learning skills. Thus, the desire for working with improving our movement skills fortunately carries over into the education and improvement of all of our Being.

Thus, when a high priority is placed on establishing for ourselves to be able to gradually learn how to move about more easily, this ultimately equates to improving our overall health into all areas of life.

I greatly enjoy working with Seniors as well as those of you experiencing movement challenges, helping you to learn body awareness, how all of your body comes together, how it is all connected, in order to be able to ultimately give you an inner knowing for finding your optimal way to very comfortably get to the ground or floor, and to also be able to easily and elegantly return to standing. This is Movement Re-education!
Wearing my hat as a Functional Movement Educator, I will give to you a sensory motor experience of what it feels like to move easily, effortlessly and comfortably from sitting to standing, and from standing to sitting.
Please feel free to ask me more about how I can help you with this.

Health is so important. After all, as my business logo since the early 1990’s declares:

"Health is All that Matters!"The best to you for a wonderful Chinese Lunar New Year, "Year of the Snake"!

James

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Walking Poles

Dear Movement Education friends,

Greetings to you all! Some of you may be interested in hearing about "Walking Poles". These long poles seem to becoming more popular for people, not only for mountaineering or trekking, but just for ordinary folk who wish to go walking. Walking Poles are also finding other valuable uses such as for the elderly, or people recovering from injuries. Also known as Trekking poles, hiking poles, hiking sticks, or even walking sticks, these "sticks" or "poles" are similar in appearance and length to a traditional ski pole and can provide a wonderful form of "Movement Reeducation" to one as he or she is engaging about the fun activity of walking.

Walking poles can gently remind you that the action of walking is a Whole Body Movement. Just as your biological ancestors (many millions of years ago) used all four limbs for walking, the use of the modern day walking poles reminds you that your arms, as well as the rest of your body, are participating in the action of walking, in addition to your current awareness of the use of your legs.I have absolutely no business affiliation with anyone associated with any of the several different walking pole companies. I am just happy to share with you all a helpful product. Walking poles can be purchased from many places, one of them being: "Highland Cork Air Shock" from Komperdell.

For those of you interested, you may like to check out the following link of this company's website:

http://www.komperdell.com/en/poles/trekking_walking/basics/index.php

Recall that it is within our geneological ancestry, or ancient biological nature, that when we used to previously walk on all fours, we naturally knew, without even thinking, how to integrate the movement of our front paws with our back paws, as well as with the rest of our body. Now that we as humans walk upright, for the most part, we have perhaps subsequently lost some of that integration that we previously had naturally with our arms (a.k.a. our front paws). Thus, as a useful tool for re-discovering or re-integrating the movement of our arms with the rest of our body, walking sticks (walking poles) are therefore very useful.

For someone who is having difficulty or balance issues while walking, rather than using the traditional cane while walking, which can possibly create an unnatural asymmetry within one's body, it can sometimes be more effective to use two different walking poles, one for each hand. This is a more evenly distributed, balanced, and natural movement for one's body.

Happy walking!

All the best in great health!

James

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Functional Movement for You, the Musician, or Future Musician

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT for You, the Musician, or
Future Musician
FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT classes to help create your extraordinary musical skill!!!

Led by James Speer, Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais (since 1994)
tel. 310-395-1952

As a musician, or someone who enjoys playing music, would you like to improve your prowess, dexterity, breathing, or be able to play with total grace and pleasure, without experiencing any pain or discomfort?As a Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, my Movement Education classes will help you to expand your kinesthetic, or bodily, awareness of yourself. By you ”encompassing more of yourself”, attaining a greater self-image, often times, pain or discomfort is eliminated.

I will verbally direct you through a series of comfortable movement sequences that will engage you in a precisely structured movement exploration to make you more aware of your habitual neuromuscular patterns and rigidities and expand your options for new ways of moving while increasing sensitivity and improving efficiency.
When: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Saturdays, beginning November 3, 2012

Where: My office at 1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #206, Santa Monica, CA 90401 tel. 310-395-1952Fee: $12 per class, or 5-class package for $50Class size limited. To assure your class space, please call tel. 310-395-1952 to RSVP.

* Please feel free to bring a mat or blanket to class for further comfort.

James Speer, Functional Movement Education Therapist (1994)
Growing up in a music family, James has gratefully been surrounded by music his whole life.
In 8th grade, he was seated as the 1st chair for Trumpet in the New York Junior High
School All-State Band (encompassing the whole state). Herb Alpert and the Tijuana brass being his idol, he learned all their songs by heart, luvin’ it!

When sometimes having to experience dogma and rigid teaching from otherwise good intentioned regimented music instructors, James realized that his best developmental moments as a musician came when he was “cut some slack” and allowed to creatively explore his Self, his instrument, and the relationship between the two.

As a Functional Movement Educator, James loves working with musicians. James’s forte is playing the trumpet. Also being familiar with playing keyboards and a little bit of guitar, musicians are his kin. James was destined to be a professional trumpet player. However, after becoming obsessed with the genius music of the world's greatest rock band, Led Zeppelin, this changed his focus in his musical taste. After having finally met Robert Plant, James realizes that he is the world's absolute nicest guy.

After a 10-year successful career with Eastman Kodak Co. as a mechanical engineer, in 1994, James completed the 4-year training regarding the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais. He has twice presented Movement Education for the International Association of Fitness Professionals at their World Fitness Expo & Conventions. James treats all patients having neurological or orthopedic conditions, improving their mobility and action. He currently plays and performs with the American TCM Orchestra in Los Angeles.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Having fun while playing music … the best way to learn and develop

Dear Musician, Future Musician, as well as Music Lover!

A big “Hello!” to you. You are "my kin"!

Let me start by saying that, as a Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, I love working with musicians, albeit, my kin. My forte is playing the trumpet (more on that below). However, I also am familiar with playing keyboards, especially the piano, as well as a little bit of guitar. This helps lend itself to understand the aches, pains and tribulations that musicians of all instruments sometimes experience in an effort to achieve perfection.

Back in the day, I was rather good at playing the trumpet. Let me please share some reasons for that.:

Sure. It's sometimes good to have a regimented music teacher, someone who lays down a structure, who sticks to the basics, etc. This kind of teacher usually sticks to drilling a student on learning to play scales, to play (sometimes boring) etudes, or other kinds of drills. However, I also believe that it is helpful to have variety. Therefore, I also believe what helped me a lot ...

I am blessed to have had as my very first music teacher, “Mr. Clark”, through the public school system that I attended. It was in the 3^rd grade when my beloved father purchased for me a brand new trumpet. I remember vividly. However, it was inferred as being a fun, casual thing. I didn’t have to take it at all seriously. Thus, I would say that my biggest years for musical development were my grade school years, grades 3 through 5 that I spent with Mr. Clark. Looking back I am fortunate that my parents really never pushed me to succeed at learning how to play the trumpet. They just sort of laid back and let me pursue my own curiosity and interests regarding the instrument. There was never any push to make it better, or “play more nicely”. Or a push to enter a certain contest or win a musical award and the like. However, on my own, because I wanted to, later on I did enter contests, win musical awards, enter competitions …

I would show up for my weekly lessons, in Mr. Clark’s office, sometimes with 1, 2, or maybe 3 other trumpet students, and we kids were allowed to have fun … to explore … to play … to even frequently joke.

Outside of the fun, “free-to-explore” Mr. Clark, as well as weekly band practice with the grade school band led also by Mr. Clark, I was fortunate to have a wonderful role model, that being the marvelous trumpet player, Herb Alpert. Most likely if you were born before 1970, you are familiar with the magnificently fun music group, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Herb’s unique trumpet sound was popularly heard on television, such as in the opening as well as in other parts of the notorious show, The Dating Game. Herb’s horn became widely known for lively blasting the “Teaberry Shuffle”, for the illustrious advertisement for Teaberry Gum … Not to mention, Herb’s magical renditions of the songs, “The Lonely Bull”, “Spanish Flea”, “Tijuana Taxi”, “This Guy’s in Love with You”, … the list of hits goes on … Even as late as 1979, during the disco era, Herb had an excellent hit, titled "Rise", which was played in every disco. With a great dance beat, everyone was luvin’ it.

I collected all of Herb Alpert's albums. This was back in the day of the LP, with the uniquely illustrious covers protecting these priceless records. Does anyone remember the cover to Herb’s album, “Whipped Cream”? Let’s just say that Herb would always state in concert to the audience, “We’re sorry that we can’t play the Cover for you.” :-)

Within the comforts of my home, I frequently put Herb’s records on the stereo and played along with him. I learned all the notes of his songs, either through imitation or by buying a "Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass songbook". Because I was exposed to his smooth, make-it-look-easy, trumpet playing style, apparently my inner body intelligence (fortunately) thought that that was how a trumpet player is supposed to play, rather, how a trumpet player is supposed to sound. Apparently, my body (and brain) registered or recorded that this was the way to play a trumpet.

Herb Alpert was my idol. I knew and played by heart all of the songs of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Extremely Luvin’ it!

Occasionally, I would turn on the radio ... a pop music station ... I would then play along with the melody of the song. Sure. I didn't get all the notes right away. But, after several, ... several, ... several minutes, I was finally able to figure out what the notes were and to then be able to play along with the pop artist that was singing. If it was a rock tune, I would learn the notes (with sometimes a lot of trial and error, but this was OK.) and then play along with it. I enjoyed myself. I enjoyed what I was playing. I was having fun. If I wasn't having fun, I let it go for the day.

As a child, when I became tired, or it didn't seem fun any more, I instinctively knew when to stop playing for the time being. I didn't have the belief that I was to "push myself", rather, to falsely conjure up more energy to artificially continue to play.

I got creative. I sometimes blew out any notes that I felt like honking or proclaiming out from my horn. I wrote a few songs. :-) Shabby and as rudimentary as they were, my songs probably made no sense to anyone else, but I was having a ball. And, apparently, it's under fun conditions like this that my body was learning to have fun and to play well.

I played fun stuff that was fun to me, again, Herb Alpert music. I guess that Herb's sound back in the 1960's and 70's would be referred to today as something like "smooth jazz with a Mexican ethnic twist", or something of the like. It spoke to me at the time. I loved it!

Another thing that I believe was helpful for my development as a trumpeter was that I was very often receiving positive praise and feedback from those around me, such as my family, classmates and friends, regarding “Jimmy’s beautiful playing”. I was often told how wonderful I was. Thus, I actually started believing it. J This then nicely snowballed or grew upon itself in a good way, in that I continued to have more positive thoughts about myself, which then continued to nourish me and my development for trumpet playing. Then, I received more praise and accolades … thus, a wonderfully positive vicious cycle. It’s probably logical that you become great when you’re repeatedly told you’re great. The universe manifests itself.

One other thing that I believe was helpful in my development as a trumpet player …

When I was young, my beloved mother knew to buy for me as a gift one of the “Music Minus One” records from their extensive collection series. She bought for my birthday, the “Music Minus One” series for “Duke Ellington”, with its accompanying songbook. Duke was a legend within the jazz community. With the accompanying song book mounted on my music stand, having my lead (solo) part written out for me, I then put the “Music Minus One for Duke Ellington” record on. This contained all the necessary background music, which consisted of strings, piano, percussion, etc. for each particular song on the record. Then, I was free to play the solo (lead part) of each of those particular songs, such as, “It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing”, and other fun songs composed by Duke Ellington.

Although I was within the comforts of my small bedroom, I actually felt like I had a live band all around me, accompanying me as best as they could. They were there to support me, making me look good. It was all about me. This was my world, and the other “bandmembers” were just in it.

The following year, Mom bought for me the “Music Minus One” record for “Hits by Hal David and Burt Bacharach”, with its accompanying song book for the lead part. This record included all of the background music for these well-known pop composers for many of their various hits, many of them which they wrote for Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, the Carpenters, and Dionne Warwick, among others. I especially enjoyed playing the lead or solo for the songs on this record as the strings, keyboards, and percussion wonderfully supported me in the background. I was free to be the soloist within my wonderful bedroom, free of any outside world distractions.

The company, Music Minus One, was begun in 1950. If you're interested, today, they have an informative website where you can also order products, it being:http://musicminusone.com/

Now, for the icing on the cake, here's my chance to "toot my own horn". Literally. J By the time I arrived into the 8th grade, I was seated as the 1st chair for Trumpet in the New York Junior High School All-State band, thus, encompassing the whole state of New York.

By this point I was interested in becoming a professional trumpet player. But, then in high school, I ultimately became obsessed with the primo rock group, Led Zeppelin, which changed my focus of taste in music. By the way, I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Plant, the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. With such a warm, vivid and amiable personality and demeanor, I am convinced that he is the world’s absolute nicest guy!

This all brings me to my Functional Movement Education practice of today for working with musicians. I work with these performers who often times have pain or discomfort in the back, neck, shoulder, and wrist areas.

My Movement Education sessions are good in that they allow someone (a music student in this case) to "have options" .. to be able to have variety ... to not get unnecessarily stuck in structure or dogma. The regimented, I would like to think good intentioned, music teacher may say that a student needs to, for instance, stand in one particular "correct" posture. They may also unnecessarily deliberate that a student's mouth embouchure must contact the mouthpiece in one particular way, or that the student's arms must be positioned in a certain way, or that a student is to stand in a certain way - that they are to never slouch, etc.

Although this might be an ultimate deliverable to attain, it may be adverse, or work against you, if it is your direct primal interest to achieve. You may wish to consider to possibly let the postures or stances form naturally around themselves after you first acquire the desired sound. This way, you did not create the postures from some artificial means, with no “soul” behind it or backing it up. Instead, your form naturally grew out from your skillfully attained prowess. Rather than pre-set forms, this may all be unnecessary dogma.

[However, I will state that there is not necessarily any one formula. For some, it may be ultimately productive to first go for the postures or stances, and to then subsequently allow the sound to emerge. Hey, whatever works for you!]

Allow yourself to occasionally slouch, if you want to, as you play. Don't worry. Your body won't want to stay like that permanently. Even slouching, if it is done all the time, rather than it being relaxing, will eventually become tiring. And, after a while, your body will naturally want to get away from doing any slouching. Allow me to say that if you find yourself all the time slouching, then, allow yourself the option of sitting more upright. If you find yourself excessively slouching, you may want to ask yourself, "What is it that manifests for me to slouch? Am I in need to rest my back? Does the music I have selected to play manifest this?"

Whenever you're playing, allow yourself to do anything that you want, when you want to - provided that you don't hurt yourself or hurt someone else.

Here are just a few different fun variations for you to explore. Stand on one leg as you play. Stand on the other leg as you continue to play. While keeping your feet planted on the ground, turn around about yourself as you continue to play. That is, for example, with your feet in more or less one place, gradually twist the rest of yourself (from the ankles upward) to the left while continuing to play. Or, go in the opposite direction, rather, twist yourself to the right as you play. Look down at the ground while playing. Allow yourself to gradually arch your back and neck to look upward as you continue to play. When doing any of these variations, always stay within your comfort range.

Have fun. Discover and explore for yourself how you can make it fun. Be creative. Allow yourself to be creative.

When musicians schedule to see me for a Functional Movement session, I welcome them to bring their instrument. When they do, I have them play a few lines of music before, as well as after, our session together. This way they have a “before and after picture”. That is, they are able to directly transfer over the movement re-education experience from the Functional Movement table bodywork directly to their activity of playing music, and they have positive evidence and feedback of this.

As a musician, or someone who enjoys playing music, would you like to improve your prowess, dexterity, breathing, or be able to play with total grace and pleasure, without experiencing any pain or discomfort? My Movement Education sessions can help make you more aware of your habitual neuromuscular patterns and rigidities and to expand options for new ways of moving while increasing sensitivity and improving efficiency.

Please feel free to call me at tel. no. 310-395-1952 to schedule an appointment.

All the best to you,
James