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The Architecture of Alignment

REBUILDING POSTURE FROM MIND TO MUSCLE

Movement 5 Minute Read

Three wellness experts at COMO Shambhala share their insights on dismantling chronic tension, reshaping your physical framework, and untangling the hidden connections between emotions and the body. 


 

Maintaining good posture is an ongoing negotiation between gravity, physics, and biology. And in today’s tech-driven world, there is an unconscious, almost-habitual inclination to slouch — whether hunched over a laptop in the office, or with the head bent over a smartphone.

"These habitual patterns can create restriction within the fascia and nervous system, reinforcing tension and making efficient posture increasingly difficult to maintain," says Amy Buck, visiting postural specialist and founder of the The ALIGN Approach. "A rounded posture tends to compress the organs, which can affect breathing efficiency, energy levels, and digestion."

To recalibrate the way we move through the world, we have to go beyond the simple adage of pushing the shoulders back. Mins Teo, resident Pilates expert at COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, says that good posture can be described as a series of Lego blocks. 

“When evaluating posture, clinical experts trace specific anatomical markers — the collarbones sitting evenly over the ribs, the lowest ribs stacked over the side of the hip joints, and the hips resting directly over the knee joints and ankle bones,” she explains. “What this means is that your bones are able to “stack” in a way that is most energetically efficient for the body. Your muscles are then able to arrange themselves properly and work efficiently, rather than wasting energy fighting a misplaced centre of gravity."

Over time, the central nervous system accepts this collapsed state as the new normal, turning a temporary slouch into a permanent structural habit. This is where neuromechanics and clinical somatics come in to actively retrain the brain-body connection. Pilates serves as a highly effective tool for this neurological reset because it prompts an acute mental check-in with your physical baseline.

“Sometimes, the body “forgets” where a particular muscle is because it’s been unused for a long time. Hunching results in a tightening of the chest and hip flexors, while the upper back and glutes become weak and deactivated. In a 60-minute session of Pilates, you are able to observe the precise areas that require strengthening or stretching, while receiving constant, precise pointers on what to adjust,” says Teo. 

Buck's ALIGN Approach integrates Pilates, Clinical Somatics, and fascial release to support structural alignment and nervous system balance. “Fascia, the body's connective tissue network, is a vital sensory organ that constantly communicates with the brain about movement, tension, and position. When posture becomes habitual, the body can remain locked in patterns of unnecessary strain and stress. Clinical Somatics helps retrain these patterns, releasing chronic tension and restoring greater ease and fluidity of movement,” says Buck.

But we know that the nervous system is a two-way street — our physical state affects our nervous system, and conversely, our emotions also accumulate in the body as tension, pain, or dysfunction. Realigning our posture also includes changing the way we breathe, taking care of our internal organs, and regulating our emotional health. 

Visiting practitioner and bodywork expert Matteo Pasquali has spent years exploring this connection in the body. “While I first started with classic massage therapy in London and Europe, I very quickly realised that it was not enough to only consider the physical state of the body. There is a need for whole-person care that takes emotional energy into account,” he says.

“In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the belief is that the internal organs are connected to specific emotions. When we are overwhelmed by the demands of life, our kidneys can weaken, resulting in inadequate spinal support. Stress or frustration causes blockages that result in trapped energy, restricting the chest and making each breath shallow.” 

Teo agrees that the breath is especially important, and often overlooked when it comes to maintaining good posture. “When the ribcage moves, the spine thrives. Each time you take a deep breath, the lungs expand and the space within the ribcage increases, releasing stiffness in the intercostal muscles and pulling oxygen into the blood.” 

In a world that constantly pulls us forward and down, choosing to stand tall is an act of daily restoration. Regaining our alignment begins with small, conscious choices — a deep breath that widens the ribs, a momentary check-in with the nervous system, and a gentle reminder to let go of stored stress. 

About Our Experts

Amy Buck

Amy Buck is a Pilates instructor, yoga teacher and postural specialist. She is the founder of ALIGN Holistic Fitness and the creator of the ALIGN Approach, which she teaches in luxury resorts from Bali to the Caribbean. Having worked with COMO Shambhala for more than a decade, Buck’s passion for teaching movement and belief in the life-changing power of mindfulness drives her passion to help others on their own path to physical wellbeing.

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Mins Teo

Mins Teo has over a decade of international experience as a movement teacher and practitioner. She has trained as a Ballet and Contemporary dancer, and holds a degree in Biomedical Science, with further certifications in Clinical Pilates, Yoga, Gyrotonic, Tension / Trauma-releasing exercise, Hydrotherapy, and Sports Massage therapy. Based at COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, she enjoys using precise movement to realign the body.

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Matteo Pasquali

Matteo Pasquali has long been determined to help clients’ bodies function optimally. Starting on his journey as a chef and nutritionist, Pasquali moved on to study anatomy, physiology and massage in the United Kingdom, before becoming certified in Sport Traumatology in Italy. With his accumulated experience, Pasquali has his own method of specialised treatments that works with the body’s natural physiology and helps the body function optimally.

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Learn more about our COMO Wellness Journeys and tailored retreats here. To discover more expert insights and tailored wellness content, please click here. 


 

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