Grounding Movements: The Owl

Presentation

The Owl is one of the most recognized lengthening exercises in the Brain Gym program, developed by Paul Dennison, Ph.D. It belongs to the Lengthening Activities category, the second of four categories in Brain Gym's 26 movements. These exercises aim to release muscle tension that "shortens" the body and blocks information flow between the brain and extremities, hindering learning and cognitive performance.

The Owl takes its name from the owl's characteristic head-turning movement. The exercise involves firmly gripping the trapezius muscle on one side with the opposite hand, pressing deeply into the muscle, then slowly turning the head to look over each shoulder as far as possible while making a prolonged "ooh" sound with each rotation. This vibratory sound activates the skull bones and inner ear structures, stimulating auditory processing.

Alongside The Owl, Grounding Movements comprise a set of Brain Gym energizing exercises that strengthen the body's connection to its center of gravity and verticality in space. The two main grounding movements are Earth Buttons and Space Buttons, working on downward grounding and upward orientation respectively.

These exercises are particularly indicated for people who tend to be "in their head," disconnected from their body, or lacking spatial and postural awareness. They are widely used in schools, neurological rehabilitation, and sports preparation.

Creator: Paul Dennison, Ph.D. (1941–), founder of Educational Kinesiology

Fundamental Principles

The Owl and grounding movements rest on the principle of releasing protective reflexive tension. Under stress, neck, shoulder and back muscles contract reflexively in a primitive "protection" pattern. The trapezius muscle, extending from the skull base to the mid-back and shoulders, is among the first to contract under stress. This chronic contraction compresses cervical nerves, reduces brain blood flow and limits head mobility, directly affecting auditory attention and peripheral visual perception.

The second principle is auditory processing activation. The "ooh" sound during head rotation creates bone vibration transmitted by bone conduction to the inner ear and vestibular system. This vibratory stimulation activates cochlear hair cells and vestibular otoliths, simultaneously improving auditory acuity and balance. This principle resonates with the Tomatis method of auditory reeducation.

The third principle concerns the focus dimension (front-back). Brain Gym lengthening activities specifically work this dimension, linking the frontal lobe (planning, comprehension) to the brainstem and cerebellum (reflexes, posture, automatisms). When the body is "shortened" by stress, communication between these structures is disrupted.

The fourth principle is proprioceptive and gravitational anchoring. Earth Buttons and Space Buttons work on body awareness along the vertical axis in Earth's gravitational field. By simultaneously stimulating a facial point (high sensory connection) and a pelvic or coccyx point (low sensory connection), these exercises strengthen the internal body map and improve three-dimensional spatial orientation.

Technical Sheet

Full Name

The Owl and Grounding Movements

Brain Gym Category

Lengthening Activities + Energy Exercises

Creator

Paul Dennison, Ph.D.

Target Dimension

Focus (front-back) and centering (top-bottom)

Position

Standing or sitting, upright posture

Recommended Duration

The Owl: 1-2 minutes per side; Earth/Space Buttons: 30 seconds each

Target Muscles (The Owl)

Upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, splenius

Stimulated Points (Earth Buttons)

Point below lower lip (CV-24, Cheng Jiang) + upper edge of pubic bone

Stimulated Points (Space Buttons)

Point above upper lip (GV-26, Ren Zhong) + coccyx

Minimum Age

From 4 years

Equipment Required

None

Main Indications

• Cervical tension and trapezius pain from stress or posture (screen work)
• Auditory attention and sound discrimination difficulties
• Oral comprehension and auditory memory problems
• Spatial orientation and navigation difficulties
• Balance disorders and postural instability
• Body disconnection (feeling of "floating," not being grounded)
• Read-aloud difficulties (visual-auditory-articulatory coordination)
• Poor posture and chronic postural slumping
• Sports preparation requiring body awareness and auditory reactivity
• Rehabilitation after cervical trauma (whiplash) — in subacute phase
• Active listening and interpersonal communication improvement
• Support for musicians — auditory acuity and postural awareness

Session Procedure

A session integrating The Owl and grounding movements typically occurs after the PACE protocol, during the specific work phase targeting identified patient needs.

The Owl: The practitioner asks the patient to stand with feet shoulder-width apart. With one hand, the patient firmly grips the opposite trapezius muscle, pressing fingers deep into the muscle. The patient slowly turns their head to the left, looking as far as possible over the left shoulder. At maximum rotation, they make a prolonged, audible "ooh" sound, feeling the vibration in skull and neck. Then they turn right in the same manner. This is repeated 3 to 5 times per side, then hands switch and the exercise is repeated.

The practitioner observes rotation amplitude: it typically increases 10 to 20 degrees after a few repetitions, demonstrating trapezius tension release. Asymmetries (more limited rotation on one side) may indicate unilateral tension or postural imbalance.

Earth Buttons: Two fingers (index and middle) are placed under the lower lip, in the chin hollow, touching acupressure point CV-24 (Cheng Jiang). The other hand is placed flat on the upper edge of the pubic bone. Deep breathing for 30 seconds to 1 minute, visualizing a sky-to-earth connection through the body's vertical axis.

Space Buttons: Two fingers above the upper lip, touching point GV-26 (Ren Zhong, the philtrum), used in Chinese medicine to revive fainting persons. The other hand on the coccyx. Deep breathing for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This improves verticality, spatial orientation and sense of direction.

The session ends with a post-test: the patient turns their head and notes amplitude improvement. A listening test can demonstrate improved auditory attention. The patient receives self-practice instructions for daily use.

Variations and Sub-techniques

• Classic Owl: contralateral trapezius grip, head rotation with "ooh" sound, basic form
• Ipsilateral Owl: same-side trapezius grip (right hand on right trapezius), targets sternocleidomastoid more
• Seated Owl: same exercise seated, adapted for office or classroom
• Silent Owl: head rotation without "ooh" sound, for quiet environments (less effective for auditory processing)
• Arm Activation: complementary lengthening exercise — raising an extended arm, supporting with other hand and gently pushing in four directions, releasing shoulder tension for writing
• Foot Flex: seated, gripping calf and Achilles tendon, flexing and pointing foot, releasing lower limb tension for standing posture
• Calf Pump: lunge position with hands on wall, pushing rear heel to floor while bending front knee, stretching soleus and gastrocnemius
• Gravity Glider: seated, legs apart, leaning forward between legs, releasing pelvis and hamstrings

Contraindications

• Acute cervical disc herniation or symptomatic disc protrusion
• Severe cervical osteoarthritis with radicular compression
• Diagnosed vertebrobasilar insufficiency (risk during cervical rotations)
• Acute cervical trauma (whiplash) — wait for subacute phase and medical clearance
• Vertebral artery syndrome
• Recent cervical vertebral fracture or atlantoaxial instability
• Acute cervicogenic migraine
• Diagnosed cervical or spinal cord tumor