RE: From Beverly Hunter: introduction and balance board camp/conference program

[Guest guest]

Hello, Beverly,I am a Brain Gym Consultant and we met at the Gatherings in Milwaukee and Ventura. What you have just written is excellent for explaining the benefits of the balance board. This explanation is definitely one that I will hold on to and use within my practice. Thank you so much. Rendón, M.Ed.Licensed Brain Gym® Consultant/InstructorTucson, AZ(520)-744-0695On Oct 15, 2008, at 12:47 AM, Freitas wrote:Hi, My name is Beverly Hunter and with my husband Grant we own and operate Turning on the Light Learning Centre. I have used the Balance Board with myself, my family, my clients and groups for the last 12 years. I met Dr. Masgutova through the International Gatherings of Educational Kinesiology and enjoyed her presentations. When I attended a lecture of Infant and Childhood Reflexes I had the same feelings of excitement that I had had when I was introduced to both Brain Gym and the Balance Board. I knew that this work was going to help at the root of many disabilities. I also knew this was one of the keys that would help my son and I. My husband makes the boards so we have them available for whenever we need them. I went to Poland with my son for the first time 5 years ago and I continued to go back 4 more times. I have also been apart of the camps/conferences /clinics in Florida, USA and Surrey, Canada. I have been apart of Dr. Masgutova’s International Team for the last 4 years. My son was diagnosed as a five year old with a severe memory retrieval disability, peripheral sensory dysfunction on his face and hands, and dyslexia. He was the kind of child who had to be taught how to bend his knee so he could run. For myself, I have had Diabetes for 38 years so I have had many experiences in the health industry. So, with both of our challenges, it has been no surprise that I have ended up in this field. Our bodies have led us down many paths which we have used to find our way back to the best health available to us. I personally love the balance board. It is my tool to keep me grounded, integrated and functional. It is something I can use by myself and when I feel uncentered, emotional unstable, confused, stiff, sore and find my circulation is struggling or my eyesight is weakening I will use this tool to get my vision, vestibular and proprioception systems working together again. These three things always go off or struggle when my health deteriorates. I also used the balance board when I was healthy and wanted to retain more detail while studying in University. I have used this tool by itself and with other tools like Brain Gym, Structure of Intellect, Reflex work, etc., to restore learning and health. I had been using the balance board in my practice and for restoring my balance after going through major eye surgeries for retinopathy, for quite a few years before I had met Dr. Svetlana Masgutova. After hearing Dr. Masgutova’s lectures I really started to understand why the Balance Board worked so well. She was the one who finally was putting words to my experience. These infant and childhood motor patterns, as well as all the Life Long Reflexes, contribute to the safety and wellbeing of an individual. If we are not relating to gravity in a secure, reliable way we are expending so much energy in trying to keep ourselves safe that we don’t have much left to learn new things. It doesn’t take much to set us off balance and we react instead of act in any given situation. Being safe is a priority for us on this planet. As a human being living on earth we need to deal with Gravity. If our vision, proprioception or vestibular system fails to feed our brain congruent information that makes sense to our relationship to where we are in space, we will struggle to function in efficient, appropriate ways. We will be limited in our movements, in what we see, and how we organize and file the information from all our senses. Our filing systems of all this incoming and outgoing information becomes the responses of our unintegrated reflexes and often out of our decision making ability. Our primary survival resources in our cerebellum and brain stem are controlling more of our behaviour than the actual higher level processing hemispheres of our cortex, (where we do our thinking). When we use the balance board we are working on our relationship to our line of gravity and how that is affecting our Stability, Centering, and Balancing Reflexes. This Gravity Line is established with each stage of development as we introduce each level of height and position in space. Dr. Masgutova has this amazing ability to breakdown each part of the Reflexes needed to relate to Gravity. When she points out how the Tendon Guard Reflex and the Head Righting Reflex, as well as many others, are effecting how we are relating to our gravity line the puzzle starts to come together and we are able to see how we can start helping ourselves and others. At camp we have this wonderful opportunity to spend 6 hours a day preparing the body by helping it to relax and be open to its natural resources. We do this with very specific MNRI techniques. As the body begins to trust that it can stay relaxed, it begins to listen to the new information that the therapists are initiating. Part of this educational initiating stimulus is the activation of the Gravity Reflex, that natural gravity line within every person and animal on the planet. As we activate the body’s natural innate resources, we give the body the repetition it would have had (or missed) as a young infant practicing those motor patterns to establish strong neuropathways of communication throughout its systems including postural muscles to keep this gravity line intact. On the balance board we will partake in activities that give the person the opportunity to practice all of the Life Long Reflexes, as well as most of the Infant and Childhood Reflexes, utilizing our natural symmetry and both vestibular apparatuses within the inner ear. We will do this through play as much as possible because that would be the frame of mind that the young child would be in. A curious desire to reach out and try something new without thought; (Pavlov, “What is this?” Reflex) an intuitive desire creating motivation. Once the basics are solid, we will enhance the difficulty of the skill to require more focus and concentration. Each level of skill requires strong neuropathways as a base to be built on. If there isn’t a strong base then the compensations will be developed which result is a limited level of skill. At camp, I do my best to provide each person with the opportunity to work where they are at and to increase their skill level while using the foundation of as many reflex patterns as possible. This is why the balance board is so effective within this program. Each of these skills has the opportunity to be practiced with vision and the proprioception system aligning with the vestibular system. The activation of these three systems working together creates strong neuropathways that the other reflexes can be built on. Here are some of the Activities on the Balance board and some of the Reflexes we will be doing at every camp. Activities on balance board include:- Standing/or sitting still with eyes open and eyes closed- pendulum ball – eye tracking from side to side and within the midfield- many different combinations of ball work with a variety of sizes, shapes, rhythms, weights, textures, etc.- stick passing behind back and to each other- large ball work- hula hoops- floor games Reflexes used daily were: Infant and Childhood Life Long Grasp Tendon GuardHands pulling GroundingBabkin Palmomental Stability Flying and Landing Head Righting Hands Supporting Centering Foot Grasp BalancingBabinskyLeg X FlexionATNRSTNRTrunk ExtensionMoroeGalant As you can see, I value what can be done on a balance board. But I also respect the fact that it is a tool that, by design, is an unstable piece of equipment and can actually put you in a compromised situation with the potential for accidents and injuries if you are not careful. Safety is a high priority. Beginners, please be aware that this is very hard work for some, 10 minutes to one person may feel like they haven’t done anything and to another it could feel like they have run a marathon. Watch for signs of fatigue. Take breaks. And for those who can’t stop moving their feet, have someone gently hold their heels in place. This will help calm those ADHD kids down. If they can just keep their feet still, it allows their bodies to start to organize themselves in a different way. Playing catch with a koosh ball, bean bag, and beach ball or bouncing a rubber ball, basket ball, or racket ball is a nice place to start. For those who can not stand, go ahead and sit on the board while reading a book, playing catch or passing a balloon back and forth. I love memory games, story telling or even talking about your day while passing a ball back and forth. I have developed a beginner’s course called “Learning and Gravity – A Balance Playshop” which is an accredited workshop by the Educational Kinesiology Foundation, for those who would like an introduction to the Balance Board and the opportunity to go home with confidence in what to do with it. I also have more information written about how the Balance Board works in the article section of our website, www.turningonthelight.com I hope this is helpful and I am looking forward in meeting some of you at our International events. Beverly Hunterwww.turningonthelight.comPh 250 864-6203

[Guest guest]

Beverly:

Thanks so much for such a wonderful note. Lots of great ideas

backed up by your personal experiences. Thanks so much.

Joni Polehna

Minnesota, USA

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Freitas

Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:48 AM

Subject: From Beverly Hunter: introduction and

balance board camp/conference program

Hi, My name is Beverly Hunter and

with my husband Grant we own and operate Turning on the Light Learning

Centre. I have used the Balance Board with myself, my family, my clients

and groups for the last 12 years.

I met Dr. Masgutova through the

International Gatherings of Educational Kinesiology and enjoyed her

presentations. When I attended a lecture of Infant and Childhood Reflexes

I had the same feelings of excitement that I had had when I was introduced to

both Brain Gym and the Balance Board. I knew that this work was going to

help at the root of many disabilities. I also knew this was one of the

keys that would help my son and I. My husband makes the boards so we have them

available for whenever we need them. I went to Poland with my son for the

first time 5 years ago and I continued to go back 4 more times. I have

also been apart of the camps/conferences /clinics in Florida, USA and Surrey,

Canada. I have been apart of Dr. Masgutova’s International Team for

the last 4 years.

My son was diagnosed as a five

year old with a severe memory retrieval disability, peripheral sensory

dysfunction on his face and hands, and dyslexia. He was the kind of child

who had to be taught how to bend his knee so he could run. For myself, I

have had Diabetes for 38 years so I have had many experiences in the health

industry. So, with both of our challenges, it has been no surprise

that I have ended up in this field. Our bodies have led us down many

paths which we have used to find our way back to the best health available to

us. I personally love the balance board. It is my tool to keep me

grounded, integrated and functional. It is something I can use by myself

and when I feel uncentered, emotional unstable, confused, stiff, sore and find

my circulation is struggling or my eyesight is weakening I will use this tool

to get my vision, vestibular and proprioception systems working together

again. These three things always go off or struggle when my health

deteriorates. I also used the balance board when I was healthy and wanted

to retain more detail while studying in University.

I have used this tool by itself and with

other tools like Brain Gym, Structure of Intellect, Reflex work, etc., to

restore learning and health. I had been using the balance board in my

practice and for restoring my balance after going through major eye surgeries

for retinopathy, for quite a few years before I had met Dr. Svetlana Masgutova.

After hearing Dr. Masgutova’s lectures I really started to understand why the

Balance Board worked so well. She was the one who finally was putting

words to my experience. These infant and childhood motor patterns, as

well as all the Life Long Reflexes, contribute to the safety and wellbeing of

an individual. If we are not relating to gravity in a secure, reliable

way we are expending so much energy in trying to keep ourselves safe that we

don’t have much left to learn new things. It doesn’t take much to set us

off balance and we react instead of act in any given situation. Being

safe is a priority for us on this planet. As a human being living

on earth we need to deal with Gravity. If our vision, proprioception or

vestibular system fails to feed our brain congruent information that makes

sense to our relationship to where we are in space, we will struggle to

function in efficient, appropriate ways. We will be limited in our

movements, in what we see, and how we organize and file the information from

all our senses. Our filing systems of all this incoming and outgoing

information becomes the responses of our unintegrated reflexes and often out of

our decision making ability. Our primary survival resources in our

cerebellum and brain stem are controlling more of our behaviour than the actual

higher level processing hemispheres of our cortex, (where we do our thinking).

When we use the balance board we are

working on our relationship to our line of gravity and how that is affecting

our Stability, Centering, and Balancing Reflexes. This Gravity Line

is established with each stage of development as we introduce each level of

height and position in space. Dr. Masgutova has this amazing

ability to breakdown each part of the Reflexes needed to relate to

Gravity. When she points out how the Tendon Guard Reflex and the Head

Righting Reflex, as well as many others, are effecting how we are relating to

our gravity line the puzzle starts to come together and we are able to

see how we can start helping ourselves and others.

At camp we have this wonderful opportunity

to spend 6 hours a day preparing the body by helping it to relax and be open to

its natural resources. We do this with very specific MNRI

techniques. As the body begins to trust that it can stay relaxed, it begins

to listen to the new information that the therapists are

initiating. Part of this educational initiating stimulus is the

activation of the Gravity Reflex, that natural gravity line within every person

and animal on the planet. As we activate the body’s natural innate

resources, we give the body the repetition it would have had (or missed) as a

young infant practicing those motor patterns to establish strong neuropathways

of communication throughout its systems including postural muscles to keep this

gravity line intact.

On the balance board we will partake in

activities that give the person the opportunity to practice all of the Life

Long Reflexes, as well as most of the Infant and Childhood Reflexes, utilizing

our natural symmetry and both vestibular apparatuses within the inner

ear. We will do this through play as much as possible because that would

be the frame of mind that the young child would be in. A curious desire

to reach out and try something new without thought; (Pavlov, “What is this?”

Reflex) an intuitive desire creating motivation. Once the

basics are solid, we will enhance the difficulty of the skill to require more

focus and concentration. Each level of skill requires strong

neuropathways as a base to be built on. If there isn’t a strong base then

the compensations will be developed which result is a limited level of

skill. At camp, I do my best to provide each person with the

opportunity to work where they are at and to increase their skill level while

using the foundation of as many reflex patterns as possible. This is why

the balance board is so effective within this program. Each of these

skills has the opportunity to be practiced with vision and the proprioception

system aligning with the vestibular system. The activation of these three

systems working together creates strong neuropathways that the other reflexes

can be built on.

Here are some of the Activities on the

Balance board and some of the Reflexes we will be doing at every camp.

Activities on balance board include:

-

Standing/or sitting still with

eyes open and eyes closed

-

pendulum ball – eye tracking

from side to side and within the midfield

-

many different combinations of

ball work with a variety of sizes, shapes, rhythms, weights, textures, etc.

-

stick passing behind back and

to each other

-

large ball work

-

hula hoops

-

floor games

Reflexes used

daily were:

Infant

and Childhood Life

Long

Grasp

Tendon Guard

Hands

pulling

Grounding

Babkin

Palmomental

Stability

Flying

and Landing

Head Righting

Hands

Supporting

Centering

Foot

Grasp

Balancing

Babinsky

Leg X Flexion

ATNR

STNR

Trunk Extension

Moro

e

Galant

As you can see, I value what can be done on

a balance board. But I also respect the fact that it is a tool that, by

design, is an unstable piece of equipment and can actually put you in a

compromised situation with the potential for accidents and injuries if you are

not careful. Safety is a high priority. Beginners,

please be aware that this is very hard work for some, 10 minutes to one person

may feel like they haven’t done anything and to another it could feel like they

have run a marathon. Watch for signs of fatigue. Take breaks.

And for those who can’t stop moving their feet, have someone gently hold their

heels in place. This will help calm those ADHD kids down. If

they can just keep their feet still, it allows their bodies to start to

organize themselves in a different way. Playing catch with a koosh ball,

bean bag, and beach ball or bouncing a rubber ball, basket ball, or racket ball

is a nice place to start. For those who can not stand, go ahead and sit

on the board while reading a book, playing catch or passing a balloon back and

forth. I love memory games, story telling or even talking about your day

while passing a ball back and forth. I have developed a beginner’s

course called “Learning and Gravity – A Balance Playshop” which is an

accredited workshop by the Educational Kinesiology Foundation, for those who

would like an introduction to the Balance Board and the opportunity to go home

with confidence in what to do with it. I also have more information

written about how the Balance Board works in the article section of our

website, www.turningonthelight.com

I hope this is helpful and I am looking forward

in meeting some of you at our International events.

Beverly Hunter

www.turningonthelight.com

Ph 250 864-6203

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