How to open occipital joint

[Toni]

This is an important part of the human body, the joint between the atlas and the occiput. Do you know some technique to open this important spot, besides tucking chin in?

 

In Alexander technique they lay down on a mat with the head under two paperback books, in order to make it go forward, but I would like to know other ways to work this area.

[Taomeow]

Toward this worthy goal I'll reveal a taiji secret to you.  And a secret it is, judging by the fact that even "Taiji classics" instruct one to hold the head "as though suspended on a string from heaven" and the explanations almost invariably assert that "the top of the head" is suspended.  Well, no.  If the top of the head is suspended, it's better than letting one's head collapse forward or backward or sideways or get fuzed with the neck in frozen immobility -- but the atlanto-occipital articulation still remains closed.  Tucking the chin does not by itself allow for the proper alignment either -- the head might just rotate forward for this without opening that articulation.

 

The correct method is to hold it "suspended on a string from heaven" from the first cervical vertebra (atlas/C1).   To be honest, I don't know if it will work for someone who has no taiji.  This is how I was instructed when well into taiji already, and it was one of those game changers in push-hands that suddenly opens a whole new chapter (these tend to occur in taiji with some regularity -- every discovery is a game changer but one never knows when, or whether, the next one will come, or even if this one will be made into a habit and won't elude you the next time -- unless fully grasped and diligently practiced.)  In any event, I'd give it a try, see what you can feel/sense.      

[welkin]

 

https://www.opentip.com/search.php?cPath=16883&ats=gs&products_id=11348099&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMKV95ey6gIVIQnnCh0XDQhWEAYYAiABEgKe5fD_BwE\\\

 

You can also buy a laser pointer and tape to a hat.

 

This may help with that and will help in many other ways you'll find out once practicing. good luck on your journey to open it up.

 

Avoid sitting on regular couch and watching tv (and anything else that puts you in similar non optimized positions), as their purpose was to cause this postural issue for the masses.

 

As far as chin tucks, there's much more to that than the very generalized idea of it. This will help as well:

 

 

Rarely any 1 part of the spine is the only thing to work on. It works as a whole. i would recommend learning the spinal wave which will help balance and open up other parts of the spine in optimal position. Look up on youtube how to properly do the spinal wave. This is the guy (Ido Portal) that made it popular. 'You're only as old as your spine.'

 

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by welkin