The term “tensegrity” was coined by futurist Buckminster Fuller to describe a principal of design. This principal states that in order for a structure to maintain its integrity, it must balance the forces placed upon it, inside and out. His famous geodesic dome is a human-made example of tensegrity.
Tensional integrity describes structures that are kept stable by the push-pull,compression and expansion of internal and external forces. And when you think about it, we humans must know how to balance our external pressures with our inner energies.
What tensegrity means in REAL LIFE – the tension that we put on the strings of our cells regulates the expression of our genes and cellular activities. When we are held tight, tense cells stay with old patterns, reproducing themselves while relaxed more at ease cells go on to do their purpose in life. They mature, grow up, serve their purpose for life. So pay attention to your body and ease up on the stress and strain on your stringy and stretchable nature.
Our bodies are constructed from tensegrity structures.Our cellular fabric or matrix is woven together of strings and tubes of different sizes and properties. These strings, tensegrity structures, move the cell, help it divide, know up and down, and help determine which genes are expressed.
This fabric is known by its anatomical name – CYTOSKELETON
It is woven from strings and tubes, filaments and are influenced by vibration, sound and music, movement and mind. Connective ’tissue’ at the cellular level. Get in tune takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to your cells. Some scientists believe that tubes (microtubules) in this fabric of neuronal cells carries consciousness. Carlos Castenada’s Magical Passes which were said to be tensegrity practices that changed consciousness and energy of your body.
In 1998 I was fortunate to discover two seemingly different articles about tensegrity. One by Harvard Professor Donald Ingber (Scientific American), talked about tensegrity being essential to the architecture and functioning of cellular life. In the other one (Yoga Journal) Carlos Casteneda talked about tensegrity practices that facilitated the use of energy by body and consciousness. He talked about tensegrity practices which were “physical movements” he called magical passes.
Since then I have been writing about and exploring tensegrity of the cell, the facet of biological decision-making, the cellular intelligence managed by the tensegrity features of our cells. I deemed that the most exciting part of biology. I still do. That the mechanical forces on our cells affects their genetic expression, life and death. Our cellular strings are keys to tensegrity, the psychology and health of our cells. Stretching of those strings generates vibration and energy. Even some scientists postulate that they are the seat of consciousness.
TENSEGRITY PRACTICES are those that change the tension of the cells and tissues, stretching and relaxing: yoga, tai chi, qigong, weight lifting, swimming, moving changes the expression and abilities of your cells. Movement and releasing tension and stress are keys to maintaining vitality. Start your day off with stretching your limits your life. Kickstart letting go of your tension with a 3 session Lesson Stress on demand course.
Recently I have been given the great gift of working with an energy healer who is taking me even deeper into the truth of our cells and life. What I had discounted is what I didn’t know or fully believe in. My belief kept me focused on the power of the body and learnable skills and abilities to access our cellular healing powers. What I had not been willing, or educated to do, is to access or explore the more esoteric energy forces, such as written about by Carlos Casteneda and other energy discoverers.
Here is where science and consciousness, the courage of exploration and maybe even the articulating forces of the universe converge.
I don’t see energies. I can feel or sense qi having been schooled in those energy practices for more than two decades. I have worked with shamanic practices as they pertained to the imagination and sound. I’ve mined bodymind medicine for healing strategies that I can explain in terms of our cells. And while one reviewer of my book said though he loved the cell biology, there was too much emphasis on the shamanic and the spiritual. For me, there was not enough spiritual.
Now that I have delivered many workshops since the release of my book Secrets of Your Cells, I recognize that cellular awareness of our strings, can include a few Magical Passes as well as simple stretching, a long uphill walk, yoga, weight training, movement, tai chi. I began discovering for myself the first series of intending and my body feels energized as does my mind. IYou can learn more about these specific Magical Passes, called tensegrity movements, from people who are trained to teach these practices who worked with Casteneda or his students.
Our cellular structures need to be stretched and compressed. Pulled and released. Life needs movement at all levels. Our patterned behaviors need to be stretched to something that feeds our souls better. When a teacher thinks she knows whatever she needs to know, that’s the time to look at what she or he must learn next.
My workshops take us all on the journey of discovering the strings of our cells through movement and sound. We explore together some movement series given to us by ancient and modern shamans to heal our body mind and spirit as well as shift the energies that surround us to healing our planet. For it’s no longer just about what’s good for me or good for you, its alway what’s good for future generations, how can we contribute to the field of the future by what we do now?
I have been touched by the emails I’ve received from people who are reading my book. I have truly been amazed by your stories and its now time to take the lessons of our cells to the next round, dancing with your cells, playing with them, elevating our potential.
Discover your cells your self. A simple hum or stretch will get you in touch.