Summer means baseball. And baseball means sitting in front of my computer almost every night live-streaming Indians games (go Tribe!), biting my nails, and screaming at the screen. But this season, a strange phenomenon happened…

If you have ever taken class at Studio Anya, you’ve probably heard phrases such as ‘enliven the hands’, ‘ground the feet’, ‘organize the shoulders’, or ‘soften the jaw’. These tag phrases help provide access into the body, and give a basic step one for correct alignment and well-being.

They also get stuck in your head. Suddenly, I’m watching baseball and all I can think of is, “if you would just organize the shoulders you could throw the ball more accurately”, or “for God’s sake, soften the jaw, you’re making me nervous!” And then, of course, I realize that my shoulders are up to my ears, my jaw clenched, and my nails chewed off. (Note: fingernails do not have their own tag phrase.) And then I think to myself, “When did this happen? Anya has taken over my life!”

But of course it has. That’s the point. It’s this little, sneak-attack system that overrides all your most basic habits and points them out to you, and you don’t even realize it’s happening until you are walking around your day noticing how often your shoulders are up to your ears (or just noticing everyone else’s). And it drives you crazy. You won’t be able to watch baseball in the same way ever again.

Until one day, you notice how beautifully your shoulders have learned to open and plug in – aka ‘organize’. And you can casually watch baseball without wanting to punch the shortstop in the face for not grounding his feet. (Okay, that may never happen.) And then, you don’t even consciously notice anymore. Anya becomes a beautiful, enriching, new habit that replaces the old.

And provides a delightful, new way to watch major league baseball.

(photo: Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images)