Back on track

As I still don't trust my sensory awareness too much, I didn't really know how well I fared without school and without semi supine. All in all, I think unicycling did a good job in advancing me on my way, although I nearly forgot how much more I gain during a turn when I feel less urged to talk.

The turn with Marigold gave me a good idea about working much more subtle, especially when we moved our hands together. Although my visualisation skills feel quite underdeveloped, my attempts to visualise movement/release/extension work out somehow, and seem to prevent extra effort.

Yoga felt okay. It's getting easier for me to let go of end-gaining, and stay with easy movements, instead of going to and through pain to make the postures look good. We worked with movements from the hip joints, and continued doing so in the group work as well. I'm not too sure how much distance (if any) existed in my body map between sitbones and hip joints, but it certainly increased today. Bending forwards towards a ball felt just wrong after I released my hips more, there's still the strong habit of judging movements by specific tension patterns.

Riding

Today I had my turn with David, who helped me finding yet another pattern in my misconception of standing. I tend to push from my sternum, which brings neck and head out of alignment. While working with Kaz on the table a lot of release in the front of my body and hips happened, just when Kaz was doubting that anything would happen.

In the group work with Marigold we looked at riding. By spiraling around our thighs Marigold helped us releasing the legs, so that instead of sitting like on a chair, the legs could simply hang from the hip joints. The balance initiated just from head, neck and back. What felt like a anterior release turned out as posterior release of those muscles pulling the bum together and the pelvis back.

Hands on

Having just six people on Fridays feels good, especially as half of us went swimming together yesterday. Matt came into the school for teaching, and I had my turn with him. We did the sitting on a chair routine. I realise that I lost "contact to the ground" with my legs. Bracing them prevents me feeling the upward direction from the ground.

The effect of releasing my hip joints in the water continued until today. I get more a sense of the additive character of directions, although the three primary keep me already occupied. Today even Rossi and I started putting our hands on.

I understand the importance of the teacher's coordination better now. When I had my hands on Cal's head, she could sense the release of my neck through my hands. My sensitivity certainly has to increase, which most likely happen as a side effect of maintaining coordination.

Swimming

I can't really say that the course so far fosters building of new habits in regards to a school day. Although everything we did relates to the work, each day held new surprises, which helps to keep the mind flexible and open.

We went to Penny McDonald's place to do some swimming. Or rather not doing swimming. Penny worked with me while I floated in the pool, which allowed very precise sensation of the hip joint. My neck felt a bit stiff during the turn, however, being in the water allows a different form of information gathering.

Bo displayed an amazing mobility in the water, his head moved with ease while his body followed snake like the directions of Will and Penny.

I really enjoyed gliding effortless through the water, and my relation to water and swimming relaxed a lot. Experimenting with new and familiar activities turns into pleasurable data collection sessions, so I'm looking forward to the pilates session next week.