Tonight we’re doing the mid section of lesson 6, the part where we lie on the back and then the stomach to do the circles around our fingers. Recommendation: have cushions or towels nearby for under-the-chest particularly if you have difficulty lying on the stomach. Sometimes having a folded towel under the collar bones can act as a support to keep people in a comfortable position. If you’re wondering “why this constant emphasis on comfort?… being uncomfortable during the movement often means that instead of focussing on what is happening, instead people spend their time tolerating the discomfort until they hear the words “and let that go, now, rest”.
Think of these lessons as a discipline for WHERE we place our attention.
Think about what happens when discomfort is being tolerated, what happens?? A lot of the time the face screws up, the hands and feet clench, they tighten as if holding on (to what?), and then everything in between also tightens, stressing the whole system.
That’s quite the opposite to what these lessons are for.
We aim to soften our systems so that we use the time, the positions, to seek out the most efficient way to move… and align our systems for maximum utility - whatever that use might be.
By making space between the bones, this allows them to navigate the best fit in relation to each other, so that the nerves can flow through and do their thing… that being to feel, touch, sense, seek out connections with others.
Sometimes the hardest part of this method can be the unlearning, undoing that old “no pain no gain” adage which is simply ONE way for people to move as a discipline, there are many other ways.
Perhaps one way to use this time during the lessons is to experiment with ways to explore options for movements.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to MySelf.Study to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.