In the last two articles, we explored the strategies of breath, movement and energy; we discussed the fact that each of them worked to create an expansion in our bodies when applied in an exercise. We also compared all three strategies and found one that we liked the best, calling this our leading strategy.

The primary order is the leading strategy, followed by your next favourite strategy and then your least favourite strategy. This is your order of preference for using the strategies of breath, movement and energy.

Try the exercise from the last article and re-explore all three strategies. See if what you chose as your leading strategy last time is still your favourite or if another strategy has taken its place. Place the strategies of breath, movement and energy in order of preference, from your leading strategy to your least favourite. This is how you determine your primary order.

You are always using your breath, movement and energy as ingredients to create states of being, to create changes in your body, to initiate actions and sustain processes that produce changes in your life.

You are doing this whether you are conscious of it or not. When you consciously initiate any change with your leading strategy, the result is greatly amplified. When you use your primary order, you stack the deck in your favour to successfully produce the outcome you want.

In determining your primary order, you are uncovering a successful strategy for effectively producing outcomes. This “success strategy” always produces the same outcome if it is followed precisely.

For example, to make yourself happy, you must use your breath, movement and energy in a certain way. When you do it that way, it always produces happiness. If you don't, you are not happy. If you wanted happiness and did not get it, you DID NOT use your happiness success strategy. 

The success is in the fact that the strategy always produces the same outcome without fail. The outcome produced, however, may not be something you like or find successful. You may, in fact, continually be using a success strategy that produces something undesirable like boredom, sadness or anger.

When you know your primary order, you have a powerful tool to consciously take charge of your mental and emotional state. You can use this tool to produce physiology in your body that supports any attitude you need to accomplish. In other words, your primary order puts you in the driver's seat.

When you use it, you are the one directing and structuring your attitude, thoughts and emotions. You can use it at any time to switch from being at the mercy of an undesirable state of mind or emotion to one that gets you what you want.

If you find yourself in an unsuccessful state, you are probably using a well-rehearsed success strategy for producing that state. When you realize that you would like to be in another state, simply put your hands on your body, over the belly button is the easiest place, and apply your primary order. Start by focusing your leading strategy; add in your second favourite and then your least favourite. Do this as you breath in and create the expansion of the area under your hands.

As you breath out, do the same thing. Commence the exhalation with your leading strategy; add your second favourite and then your least favourite. All three strategies will be used in one in breath and out breath.

When you have developed a good expansion in the area under your hands, you are already changing your state. Change your focus from the state you did not like to a state that produces what you want.

If you find yourself in an unsuccessful state, you are probably using a well-rehearsed success strategy for producing that state. When you realize that you would like to be in another state, simply put your hands on your body, over the belly button is the easiest place, and apply your primary order. Start by focusing your leading strategy; add in your second favourite and then your least favourite. Do this as you breath in and create the expansion of the area under your hands.

As you breath out, do the same thing. Commence the exhalation with your leading strategy; add your second favourite and then your least favourite. All three strategies will be used in one in breath and out breath.

When you have developed a good expansion in the area under your hands, you are already changing your state. Change your focus from the state you did not like to a state that produces what you want. You will be amazed at how well this works. If you want some guidance in doing this, attend or re-attend the Intro to Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI) Workshop. The next one is on Thursday, July 9th at 6:15pm.