ReCentering for Sports and Sanity - 2 - Transition Point - Rest in the Moment - Infinity Hips
That point of emptiness or fullness where yang flows to yin flows to yang
The magic point of stillness when the tide changes from in to out to in…
ReCentering for Sports and Sanity - 2 - Transition Point
The Magic Moment of Dropping Into Center
A variation on the “Dual Pelvic Clocks” lesson from Alan Questel
“ Life is not a stable process. Our ability to recover is our greatest quality.”
Seek the point around which all turns. Feel for the low point into which all flows. Holding that point of stillness is the essence of all sports training. And most meditation, mindfulness, gratitude practices.
Moshe Feldenkrais was, at core, a judo master. Many lessons grew from that center. This lesson, a modification by my teacher Alan Questel, builds on the pelvic clock lesson to highlight that magical center point.
Set your balance point where you will. Equestrians, kayakers, golfers might set that point at the base of the pelvic floor. Martial artists, cyclists and Bailarinas de tango set focus on the the belly’s dan tien. The heart center draws the Bollywood dancer and meditators; the third eye - carnatic dancers and crystal palace seekers of immortality. This lesson focuses on that liminal space where that balance tips.
“ A liminal space is the time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next.’ It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing.”
Annika Sorenestam. By Keith Allison
Do this lesson seated on the floor, leaning back on your hands or with low back support to minimize weight on the pelvis. Alternatively, sit on a chair to experience the affects of gravity.
The session begins on the center point of the pelvic floor, with a chance to feel into the circle that surrounds this center of gravity.
Then, the clock divides with each new circle centered on a sit bone. (Or, if you are exploring different center points, the eyes or nipples.) Explore each of those circles individually, and then slowly, slowly (another SLOWLY lesson) experiment with how the two circles relate to each other horizontally, diagonally, and vertically.
This is profound stuff. Like last week’s lesson, where gliding down the vertical center line exposed all kinds of kinks and blind spots, this lesson may reveal unexpected side-to-side differences, blocks to whole body movement and areas of easy, graceful movement. Most important, it guides you through the subtleties of dropping in and out center.
No science nerd candy this week; too many possibilities to consider, so I won’t even try. Nice tango, carnatic dance, Bollywood dance, application videos below…
Set Up:
Seated on a flat-bottom, armless chair, knees and hips even
OR seated on mat on floor, leaning back, supported by hands, legs softly long, knees bent
The Voice-O-Meter Healing Sounds choices this week relate to the emotions associated with each organ:
Heart - HAAAAA - laughter, relief, love, joy
Kidney/Bladder - CHOOO - kindness
Triple Burner - HEEEEEEE - wholeness and integration
How You Might Feel After This Lesson: Deeply entranced; Meditatively aware of the center point; Sensitive to that magical moment when you fall off or onto center; Side-to-side balancing during weight shifts; Aware of the vertical alignment during weight shifts; Connection between the feet, sit bones and ribs; Fluid and Free hips; Sexier; Balanced; Centered.
New Student Registration for the series. Continuing students use ongoing login. $40/month or $15/individual class. PayPal or Venmo: jackisue@aol.com. Or Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574