From another mind
From Another Mind…This statement caught my attention when I heard a respected osteopath choose this phrase while speaking about our ‘very’ beginning of life, before our embryo developed. The statement went something like this. “Relative to us beginning life as a small bit of protoplasm—followed by ‘a touch,’ an ‘event’—something’ was set in motion: a vibration passing through this small bit of living matter. This touch set in motion our development toward being in a human form.”
Here’s the punchline: “That contact came from another mind“(!)
Now what can that mean, “from another mind”? Yes, it sounds rather cosmic…yet we all know we have access to such a place—even if this “from another mind” has to do with a different attitude, one where we catch ourselves thinking in one way, possibly a negative way, and consciously change “to another mind.”
But the above description is not quite “it.” I really am—and the doctor was—directly relating to something, someone, some part of us, as Divine and outside our ordinary day-to-day mind—to a “mind energy” or “being”outside our beliefs, mental concepts, or even imagination. We all have had some kind of experience with this or you probably would not be reading this far into the blog. I am thinking in a broad sense, not exclusive to any religion, possibly like the Good Doctor choosing this specific phrase…“coming from another mind…” in order to avoid boxing myself/himself into a specific idea.
Some of the greatest insights seem to come from that “greater mind” which we all are intimately connected to and part of, probably from that first nudge as a bit of protoplasm. This “other mind” could be said to have something to do with intuition; to stopping the daily mind chatter to see who is there, to secluding oneself, and to deep meditation.
The point of all this is: we do have access to this other mind! It is literally our birthright. And we do not have to earn it, pay for it, or rise up to it. Simply go inside, let go of that which is holding us or we that which we are holding on to…get into the moment, remember…yes there may be a need to change the way we think; “how else can we find the other if we stay where we are, and continue to believe only the way we do?”
As always I do not profess to have answers for others. I simply hope to share thoughts that may inspire seeking should you be interested. I do offer for your consideration some ideas of how to get out of our own way in order to find relationship to shall I say our “other mind.” Just to preface and maybe entice, I am sure it would be worth our time, even with that moment ‘between one thought and the next’—worth the search.
There is value in the exploring, in changing patterns. How else can we perceive such an idea as “another mind, the Divine”? One of the easiest ways to change pattern is contact our body and change a habit with awareness and intent. In ‘that space of choosing to change’ is ‘magic (now there is a word that one might see and think ‘well this is a bit much’…maybe even resisting…but I will use it anyway). The following are some examples of things to try (makes me think of the beginning of a Mission Impossible film…).
Self observation first; notice how you stand or sit in this moment…close your eyes, take a mental picture of yourself, wait for it to develop… Exaggerate what you notice very slightly (for example if one foot is turned outward notice then slowly exaggerate.) Notice who or what part of your mind is watching, is this already another mind? Is there a question somewhere in your observed space in time? An answer?
I invite you to try any of the movement lessons within which there is much space for seeing feeling different patterns/reflections of who we are. Please see media on the blog downloads of these lessons free!
Try something different, “watching yourself,” watching your responses—see who you are when you explore a new activity, food, a different road your home. Do it with awareness; watch your reaction, listen to your self respond, and self response to that. Now make something up, yourself some other way to safely change your pattern even for a moment, enough so that you get your attention.
There is no promise that you will immediately encounter the ‘All Mighty’ as the “other mind.” BUT…How will you ever open the lines of dialog and awareness within if you don’t listen for Her as the “other mind” on occasion or even with some regularity?
Good luck in your search! Who knows, maybe we will find one another. Blessings.
Ribs…The 12 Apostles of Breath
From Webster’s English Dictionary: Apostle means follower, missionary, disciple. With this analogy in mind please consider the following…
Ribs,”The 12 Apostles of Breath.” Each of our sets of ribs, as they come in pairs, receives very clear, distinct impulses from our breath, therefore they can be considered a follower or missionary carrying the ‘message’ embedded on the breath. The ribs also translate movement to our organ functions in their vicinity.
Literally our inspiration, or inhalation, is laden with feeling-expression as well as oxygen drawn from our outer environment, the world. We therefore blend in breath, life force, from the outer environment with inner inspiration from our own impressions of life, such as an insight, a wonderful thought, beautiful sunset, even the inspiration to breath. This inner and outer combination within our breath passes on to the ribs (and certainly other more familiar locations also like lung tissues, blood, etc.) to be carried into our form.
From a mechanical point of view, our breath sends impulse or movement toward the ribs. All inner matter is surrounded in fluids. The design of our ribs is so elegant in form, shaped like long paddles so that even the subtlest movement sends ripples throughout our system.
I shall say “we” inspire, or are inspired—breath is drawn; ribs carry the Word of inspiration from ‘us,’ the indwelling soul, out to nerves cells, tissues, organs, even to tissue containing feelings and history. We literally touch our Life Impressions with our inspired breath...which may result in change…
With a single, inspired breath our ribs are sent out with the message; of course we may breath in many different ways thus sending ‘that’ message or ‘this’ one to be carried forth.
This leads us to choice and an deeper understanding relative to how we imprint tissues with this subtle force of our life. The possibility of exhalation, expelling gases, could be expanded to dispelling old beliefs, and sweeping them out with rib paddles…!
Our ribs follow the action and attitude of breath—they improve and inspire fuller breath as well as organ movement. Our ‘inspiration’-induced breath, the ‘teacher,’ passes impressions-laden breath to the 12 rib-apostles who disseminate life information and communication among tissues carrying our ‘word’ or attitude regarding life into the world of our body, even through the flesh, into the outer environment.
Just watch people (possibly starting with yourself) as they breathe under different circumstances. In a busy, stress-filled airport, maybe there is short, contained breath, jet-lagged. The whole body including the eyes reflect the inner breath. You may not even see rib movement.
Watch the breath, yours or others, after yoga practice or Movement Explorations® (offered in the media section of the blog free…), or after prayer or meditation. Possibly in the soft, full breath, rib activity passes the word through the inner and outer system visible in the eyes and demeanor.
May I mention something more specific about the 12 Apostles? There is a whole meta-science regarding sacred geometry of the body which is understandable when one looks upon the elegance of a single rib, the shape of the sacrum, many structures of the human temple—the wonder of human design goes beyond simple mechanics…
Our heart—literally suspended from rib and cervical tissues as hangers—is lifted up physically. The lift sensation will expand on the feeling carried on breath translating through the rib hanger. We could go on with the practice of directing breath in differing locations but I will leave that to you to inspire yourself. I would add—just for curiosity and effect—Touch of Awakening®. Touch different ribs, breathe into your touch, see and feel the results!
PS There are a few blog entries as well as information in my book Ayurveda & Life Impressions Bodywork that refer to the Touch of Awakening. I invite you to check them out as you explore your breath and 12 Apostles of Breath…
Looking at Our Illusion
‘Looking at Our Illusion’—there are various ideas about life being an illusion, even though when encountering an event it seems so very real, in particular the physical and emotional impacts.
Let us assume that the Sages and Saints are right—as they usually are—and the life we live is a dream which can be looked upon in many different ways, and in fact may not be real at all.
One may currently hold a self-image or life-image that may be very different than the one held (and assumed to be true) in our early life. In fact we may have held other people in our early life in that context, and now they seem very different: “The amazing teacher who knew all, could do no wrong…” Reflecting back, there were holes in the thinking.
May we add imagining the home we grew up in as a child as being very different than it is now. For example, after many years, we return to our childhood home finding it much smaller much different—was that real? Was it we—who were small—that made everything including walls, living space, etc., seem so very large?
Our childhood family experience often sets the scene—the first act in life if you will—of how we fit into the rest of life. Our first illusion! We learn to, or may be compelled to, play our role, for a long enough time-frame that we buy into this illusion.
This is “who we are:” and all the references, the stage props, the other actors continue to hold the image with and for us.
Does this cycle have an end short of our physical death? Can we update every year, every day, every moment?
It is said with certain inner practices we can see through our own beliefs—who we think we are—”see through the illusion” if you will and push the curtain aside to see backstage.
If we become very very focused on this moment all will be ‘seen truly’ we will be free of the illusions we create, or the ones that seemed compulsory by society, family, whatever environment we found for ourself.
An image comes to my mind from my childhood: a cowboy show on TV where those being chased thought about ‘doubling back’ to hide tracks. Can we double back on ourself? Can we self-examine deeply enough, often enough, to lose the illusion? How about the cowboys getting caught in box canyons? How do we get away—should we try—can we live a ‘double life’ so to speak, being in the world but not of it?
I offer a picture below of one who is familiar to many beings known world wide and held by the world in stasis, in a static image of suffering. Do we try to depict even ‘freed souls’ in the box canyon of our thinking? 
Did he suffer within, was he in the world but not of it? He was serving all, but always at rest in the Divine. Are we not the same—but caught in our illusion? Can we be awake in the cosmic dream to free ourselves from the illusion?
As always I offer this blog for your own consideration, not assuming personal knowledge or holding answers for others. Sounds like a medical disclaimer… I am just simply one person who finds himself caught too often in his own faults/beliefs. One who once in a while sees light at the end, even through the eyes of others. May all the Saints and Sages bless you this holiday season and forever.
One last thought: maybe we could simply look into the forest, find an image like to one at the beginning of this blog keep looking until we are one with the looked-upon image…………….
Many people are praying for you…
Many people are praying for you…may I preface the blog offering with the fact that this is not a call the alter of some faith or religious sermon…I was sitting in my meditation seat looking out the window wondering ‘why do I feet better?’ Having had a back issue among other body issues to which I had given a great deal of my attention, not to mention whining time. The fact was I felt better! Noting how much better I wonder… closing my eyes I hear a voice “Many people are praying for you.” again and again…
My first thought was, in preparation for meditation I was taking time to notice. So often one might be swept away by the pain drama, if this lingers we are on alert for it even expect it a good deal of the time. Therefore being unavailable to other experiences. This was certainly a possibility. My ‘change’ was different surprising stronger somewhat instantaneous… a bit mysterious.
Where is that coming from? The first part of an answer, a hint right in front of me, my spiritual teacher sits on the alter hands folded in prayer, looking at me. What is that most elegant statement which indicates the dawning of awareness, Duh! Yes that is the one…Even with that ‘aha’ the words reverberate again ‘Many people are praying for you…’
After some time spent placing these words, in others mouths. I hear it again…another big Dah! “It is my own inner voice gently reminding me trying to re-call.” Me the guy who was so busy ‘feeding’ the idea of back pain needed the recall/reset button pushed.
Validation of those who offered these exact words started to echo within. My friend from Dallas saying ‘I will pray for you…’ Other voices come to mind. The person who organizes classes Poland, finishes her last email ‘I will pray for you…’ My Dutch friend in fact many others join the choir now chanting in the ether of my mind.
My wife touched my very painful spine in the night holding a long time. ‘I have such an idea of pain I slip out from the covers to the other bedroom so as not to disturb her with my thrashing about in discomfort. Next morning “I did the whole prayer for you…last night” she says, while I was touching your back. ‘Yes’ I say, but did I? Was I really with the touch then, or splitting between awareness placed on the pain and slightly less on the offering?
The people I work with in my bodywork practice, I call them clients though that phrase is not warm enough, they are all more than that…many say noting my present manner of movement and occasional grown, ‘I will pray for you’ or ‘I hope you feel better’ (another type of prayer…if one takes it to heart).
Has such a heart felt statement become so ordinary that one might miss it? Noting the statement as a very commonly used phrase such as “how are you?” “Nice day,” “Have a good day…” These also may could to be offered and thus taken in more literally, or shall I say feelingly so we really experience the offering, ponder the question…giving due consideration.
“I hear you all now!” I took a brake in my habitual thinking feeling pattern, from the gift, gave myself a brake took time to re-focus and I heard them all “Many people are praying for me…” now I feel it and most of all what or who is behind and within the praying! It’s working thanks!
How many people are praying for one another, or shall we say offering directed kind thoughts in some manner every day? Maybe not in the traditional sense hands in a posture calling forth a Divine source or personage. But in kind meaning full thoughts. People such as mother, a partner, dear friends, a four legged friend, our teachers not just Spiritual teachers all teachers who hope the best for our awakening knowledge to come forth.
Recently we sent our friend, teacher, brother off to see his mother for the last time in this life form with love and prayers. I am sure he felt it, maybe his mother felt it. His mother passed but hours after his arrival. Do we feel the prayers of so many more in times of intensity or crisis or less? Do we offer them?
My answer would be ‘yes of course we do it is only the degree to which we are present that limits our receptivity!’ The further question might be are we present and awake to hear and receive the benediction of those heart felt prayers thoughts and well intended feelings? One last consideration do we pray for our-self in earnest?
Dear readers I pray for us all, blessings…
Did I miss something…do I overfocus?
Two bees. Flitting from flower to flower very quickly, one bee may miss sweet pollen bundles. The other bee, over-focused on every bit of nectar, barely makes it out of the poppy with her life. 
We all need balance and appropriate pacing. The pace of mind, action and emotions in life require close observation lest our hurried agenda, or hyper-focused plodding, instill habits that impair judgment and learning.
Most of the time we make the discovery regarding an overly accelerated pace by way of a knock on the head, thus awakening—or from some other excessive pace-related ‘aha,’ such as spilling something on ourselves in our rush to get out the door, forgetting the package we meant to hurry off to the mailbox with.
We can “outpace our awareness,” missing the golden nuggets of wisdom presented in our life moment to moment as we zip past them toward ‘early completion.’ Maybe the thought is in the back of the mind: “If I go fast enough I will get it all done, all finished, all collected, get all I need.”
As I was sitting on my new deck meditating last evening, I overcame my fast pacing in order to linger longer in the stillness, somehow “outwitting my out pacing tendency.’ I received a gift of a bird song high above my head from an overhanging tree. A gift so sweet and high! In my mind I thanked the little being—yet another gift followed! Something hit me directly on my third eye (not bird dung, though that too could have been a gift)—a very small branch. Had I done just my bead cycle, held myself to the minimum time sitting that my speedy mind could tolerate, I would have missed this gift of a perfect song, a small twig, and of course the inner meaning and blessing thereof.
The other end of the spectrum of pacing: overfocus; attaching to every detail; missing the bigger picture; clinging to each word, action, or detail; gnawing upon a phrase, action, or thought; hoping for a different outcome if we hang out there long enough! This is more technically known as physical, mental, emotional ‘dilly dallying.’ Replaying the tape, looking for even more of the very same—our response often lends to our intellect’s indiscriminate tinkering—attempting to get ‘the reality we want.’ This result may not be as important as getting the lesson given, and accepting it ‘face value’ and moving forward.
Many of us try the fast pace in the daytime, running in daily activity, then keeping ourselves awake at night wondering, “Did I do the right thing? Did I miss something…?”
The photo below is of the inner membranes of our cranium, and represents a structure that divides and unites the two halves of our brain. These two halves are said to represent different types of thinking and pacing, —and in fact can represent the two patterns of focus described in this blog.
Please note the arched shaft in the middle here is a place from which to reflect upon life…it is a place to gather information from both sides of the brain, a place of neutral—not the quick pace of the left brain, nor the intuitive visual pace of the right, but a place to unify or reflect upon both sides of an experience—a place from which we can dissolve the whole notion into SELF, to invite a higher knowledge if you will. Enough said, as this is a new ‘place’ of non-judgment, maybe timelessness.
Many people have a bit of both rhythms, sometimes over focus on details, sometimes zipping by so fast we miss the point.
An example of missing something: I was once on a trek in the Himalayan mountains when I stopped to take a drink from my water bottle, and while removing it from the guide’s horse, a bag of grain for the horse fell and scattered on the path. Naturally I picked up what I could find ‘quickly’ so as to get on my way again…turning to continue my walk a feeling pulled from behind me. Turning again and looking down I noted the guide on his hands and knees looking for every tiny crumb. Oops… I missed something important! The extra grain I was willing to bypass, considering unimportant, was no doubt a large expense for this man. More importantly I missed the awareness, the sensitivity, the need to slow down and pay attention the first time around. Fortunately I ‘got’ another chance.
This experience, along with others regarding observation of our rhythm of action and attention, requires willingness to be present for each moment, as well as letting go. Our ability to shift pace, listen and act with awareness, is only possible with reflection, self-observation—then we have the ‘neutral pace’ to shift gears or to rest in neutral.
On occasion one may get over-focused, re-run the same tape, looking for information to a point of missing the simple lesson. Belaboring an event—a slightly harsh response from a friend—may lead to looking for hurt feelings and even retaliation. When taking in the event note if there is any truth to it, and moving on may be a possible choice. Looking for a reason to dig more into “it,” elaborate beyond the current meaning, ‘build a case for yourself even against the “other,”‘ may be a pattern worthy of a new choice called letting it go. Again and again, picking at an assumed insult, we may easily forget the bigger picture in the details. Maybe it will require changing within rather that expecting the other or the world to change.
In the attempt to get more meaning from an event or action, we may miss the fact we are flattering our ego, chasing words, feelings, looking for a reason to react. We may simply be indulging in over focus, over sensitivity.
As always finding the balance through introspection may be the answer: holding the space of the ‘observer,’ softly self-critical yet clearly aware. Is life a huge pile of details to be constantly sorted, categorizes inspected over and over, an inventory? Is life a race to some imagined endpoint skipping, over that which we feel is unworthy of our time? Yes to both questions—to the degree that we need the learning. No to both questions—if we become habituated in behavior and response.
Maybe the truth is Life is a dream: don’t take it too seriously nor to lightly. We must play our part well, not getting caught in the plots and sub-plots, and at the same time gleaning information for our personal growth.
Updating our self image
May I refresh the idea of self image? This concept may be considered in many different ways: the interpersonal self; am I likable, a good person; wise; shy; and so on. There is also the physical, shall we say, functional-physical self image: I am reasonably attractive, slightly homely, too short, fat, tall…all those self reflections.
A question arises regarding the physical, particularly, “how do I move this image about,” as this is, shall we say, the moving temple? We must move about to care for our needs: move away from or toward that which supports or protects the held image.
Often we add to the moving image: judgment about quality, inability, grace, and pacing—comparing our Self to others: “I’m not as good as…because they can…better than I…jump higher…dance better…work longer…”
Our moving self-image is often generated or inhibited by the interpersonal image: a firm tangible touchable overlay if you will of our inner self (a hard copy printout to show the world…or an attempt to hide from the it).
Moving self-image may be restricted, exaggerated, or otherwise altered, in order to protect what lay beneath. We tether our tissues/ligaments/nerves in order to express and shape ourselves the way we want to see the world and be seen.
Our shaping and functioning self-image can ‘harden with habit over time,’ thus reflecting impositions back to the interpersonal image, maybe as ‘faults evidence’ that we cannot change. This is not necessarily true, but the established shape offers some evidence of our history! My point, soon to be made, is we can change/improve, but all of us has to be on board.
The good part is that our existing container—representing our self-image and the image itself—is reversible! We can update who we are (on all levels) to reflect a more authentic self-image!
How you ask? By carefully exploring Self (the Big One, greater than the day-to-day Working Self) with great care, respect, safety, and support.
Treat this precious Self as a new born child, a wild deer wanting to be coaxed into the big world! Explore the container: that shape created from the inner self with backing from the bigger SELF.
There is a mouthful of ideas! Take it as you like…I feel this is important enough to offer another chance: Contact the ‘observer:’ the one who watches the personality operate—you know the one!
We know when we are being a bit petty, willful against better judgment, making questionable choices. Yes, notice behavior from that place of awareness! Note how your body responds, how others respond to you, how you respond to being seen! No judgment! Just observe.
Take that place of observation into a space of exploration: how do you make the shape you reside in? how do you move your self or hold your ground?
It is more useful to sense how you ‘do’ behave and move rather than thinking about changing. Usable change can be introduced after one discovers what is being done…”If you know how you do something then you have choice as to how you may choose to do it better or easier…”
Exploration:
Stand before a mirror (with your inner observer looking on this one is totally non-judgmental). Ask yourself what does my shape say? How does this reflect my image of self? Not sure? Exaggerate; lift or compress your chest very very slightly. Ask again. Wait for response. (You may adjust any body part you choose but make it very slight make it a hint as opposed to a shout.)
Note your facial expressions, what are you saying with you expressions, not in words. Wait, listen, feel, ‘refer to the observer’…very very slightly change your facial expression, more or less smiley, more or less stern, more or less eye contact. (Choose only one), wait for response, feel.
Note internally. Your SELF, “the Big One,” will be observing the patterned self-image you have created and stored over time…and possibly have come to believe in, that you are THAT…your reflected physical shape gives hints as to what is behind…
From the information you are gathering regarding exercise above, you may explore with other body parts, shifting so carefully that you have time to note how you make the change.
This How is very important should you want to choose a new self-image: the “how” can help you find a way to change, reverse, even build anew.
Your nervous system (you in an electrical form) will need the ‘how’ information in order to self-correct the self-image. Otherwise changing mechanically to fit an ideal may create is simple window dressing, having no use or meaning.
Lastly have a look in the mirror, take yourself in…then explore one of the lessons in the Media area of this blog, followed by another look…see who or what you have become…Have a great journey! Remember you are OK now and will be then—this is not to make you better, just help you have options.
PS If you like, just before your walk away from the mirror whisper to your reflected image, “I am a Divine Being whatever image I see before me!”
- Blessings -
Swan in our brain…mystic temple
There is an elegant membranous structure within the core of your brain which establishes placement of the brain segments. This structure anchors like a fine suspension system for an expensive automobile.
In the Osteopathic tradition it is called the reciprocal tension membrane. The R.T.M. anchors front to back, side to side, and top to bottom (this is over-simplifying a very elaborate connecting system but will serve the purpose of this writing).
The ‘beak of the swan’ places her forehead as if taking a bow more of less behind our own third eye, also known as the spiritual eye; her wings, called tentorium, spread laterally, engaging the inside of the bones surrounding, and slightly above, our two ears. Her wings are low on her sides, as if humble, resting on our own water of life within the cranium, yet not effected by so many random thoughts!
‘Swans feet’ extend as a shaft down into the brain encompassing the spinal membranes. As if she clutches the most precious aspects of our being (not that all of us is not so), she holds all brain matter and touches the Spiritua
l Eye. She is said to rock in such a manner as to ‘ring the bell’ of the brain. Her elegant sheets of tissue her body resilience is involved in pumping of the cerebrospinal fluid/spiritual waters, the carrier of Sushumna in Hindu scripture.
Though her mid-line she maintains a space between intellect and spontaneity, otherwise known as left and right hemispheres. She divides, yet connects patterns of thinking, passing information through her center.
With the structure of her flow ing, sustaining parts, she embraces definition and continuity, or holds us together; yet keeps ‘specialized’ compartments (old brain reptilian, memory, responsibility), so many functions, under her wings and about her flanks. Strong lines of force, yet feathery delicacy maintain order: one fluid breath at a time for the entire life, and slightly beyond, possibly sending ‘us’ onward from the form when when we have outgrown its worth.
In many spiritual traditions the Swan is a very spiritual symbol (my teacher Yogananda uses the Swan in the logo for his organization; I think representing the idea of resting in/upon the world but not succumbing to its ‘charms’). The Swan within our cranium thus takes on another deeper significance, possibly that of a mystic temple (again note the shape).
In many healing traditions the bone of the sacrum is referred to as the Holy Bone: the swan may be the Holy Membrane. I pose the idea that there are many sacred shapes within our form; in fact one focal point of the Life Impressions Method is to recognize our form as a temple, every cell, bone, and tissue.
Possibly reflecting upon the Swan within our head can inspire such introspection. Note the image, feel within for her soft undulations within your waters of life.
Next time there is occasion to bow the head to nature, a temple, the Divine within another person, place, or revered object one might feel the delicate inner swan, so pure, white, even with the possible murky watered thoughts all about, bowing with us.
Namaste (I bow to the Divine within you!).
I leave soon for an international flight and many hours of sitting. Oh the boredom…oh the pain in the butt (literally). Boredom fades with inner focus I have found: meditation, mentally preparing for the upcoming class (which is why I am currently traveling such a long distance), a good book, a little snooze, and you’re there.
But what about the butt and all of its associates: low back, neck, digestive organs, and beyond?
There may be many areas of ones self that complain after 14 hours or so in the seated, pressurized, minimally-spaced confinement of an airline seat. And this is added to the established history of a seat-imprinted culture!
We are a culture reared in chairs. We have developed our chair imprint from a very early age: a high chair, school desks, auto seat, office chair, dinner table chair, couch (the easy chair, as it were ‘lazy boy’…).
One may observe the average person on the street attempting to organize in vertical space while constrained by the shadow of the chair imprint. Legs not quite under them, prepared to take a seat even while on the go. Upper body slightly bent forward, habituated toward the desk, the dinner table, the frontal or slightly-below-horizon focus on the world. (No wonder we do not see the plight of the planet before us…or below us since the gaze stops at the desk, maybe the dinner plate, unless of course it is drawn forth toward the TV…the short story is that we need options and another point of view).
The following are some ideas (soon to be offered in the Media section of this blog as Movement Exercises in ‘confined spaces’).
First, sit less when possible, and sit better when you must. The first and easiest improvement while seated, look up with your whole self!
Mentally tie the top of your chest to your chin as it in turn rises to follow the eyes to look to the world in front: the horizon, tree tops, or buildings outside your location, even the sky. Do this very slowly; lead with your curiosity interest then follow, sending your eyes forth, followed by chin etc., in order to enjoy and ease your way free of the habitual forward inferior (downward/ below) gaze. (Hmm there is a word: “inferior” gaze maybe not be just looking down… it may be instilled very early in supplication to the “high and mighty” in the front of the classroom whomever…another story…)
Back to the lift of gaze: as you invite your eyes to be lifted, encourage your chest to follow, your belly button the front of your pelvis…follow out of curiosity, spontaneity, not correctness. Let your inspiration unfold, see/feel what you have been missing. Enjoy the return journey back to your task in front of you; repeat many times till it please you!
Try variations: look up (very slowly), engage the ‘tag along parts’ slightly, turn better, yet spiral a little to the left, see/feel what is “over there.”
See feel what is under the collapsed body parts as they arise.
Here, imagine this: you have an eye ball in the center of your chest on your belly button…intend (do not try or effort) to look up over the table, desk, or above the TV…
This ‘mini-lesson’ may be most beneficial with eyes closed at first. This ‘carries the imagination’ well. Later add eyes open; this will also avoid reaching and too much expectation.
Which brings us back to my story.
Regarding the compulsory-seated space, being confined to a very limited space, that of my assigned seat. One must think and move within…and make use of the “available”space offered, as well as the constraints.
I tried all of the above mentioned movements, so small and slow my seat partner could not notice I was doing anything. Not only did I feel less pain on my bottom but a sense of more space within my whole body and mind. A man my size in the current airline seat can use all the inner space mental and physical available! I returned to the care of my mind and spirit…no longer hindered with body pains. I had a very good meditation.
One of the best reasons to care for the body is to avoid its interference while tending to the Spirit.
Bottom line (pun offered), it is not only how much we sit, it is how we do the sitting. Sitting can be a liberating activity.
A Mouth-full of Action, a Hand-full of Ideas
Each movement of the lips tongue or a the slightest twitch of a finger sets off a chain reaction in the nervous system. This activation is great for learning keeping those neurons firing. But when we need peace, and quiet or we find we are ‘stuck in a ‘habit loop’ of thoughts or patterns such as smoking, biting nails, eating too fast or too much, or a repetitive-action pain syndrome, it is important to be able to ‘stop’ and to explore options.
To reign in or reverse our patterns we can use the same tools, fingers and mouth, in a different manner; explore different ‘non-habitual’ movements or discontinue movement entirely of these areas…
There is a part of our brain known as the sensory cortex—as you might assume by the name it/we respond to the outside world through this part of our brain, by sensation, feeling. This sensation passes on information to the motor cortex for action (somewhat of a never-ending process lest we intervene).
This whole looping process between sensing and action is somewhat self-sustaining: the action stimulates the sensation, that sensation sets off the potential for another action, the cycle goes on. This reciprocal process keeps the nervous system busy which in turn keeps “us” (as if we were separate from the body) occupied with the world and our external environment. Rest, peace, stillness, representing ‘our inner environment,’ is somewhat lost to us in the action/reaction process. The point is that we can change this.
The odd little fellow below represents how we would look if our body parts were sized according to the input of the sensory cortex. Please note the very large hands lips and tongue…this indicates the influence these areas have on the nervous system…
All parts of our body have some ‘space’ dedicated via the sensory cortex based on developmental patterns and ‘special needs;’ the mouth and tongue have a very large section ‘etched’ into the sensory cortex due to the highly refined use of these parts in language eating and so on. Another part of the body that has a very large section devoted to it regarding the sensory cortex are the hands.
Our oral cavity and all it represents may be suspended by placing our two lips together and leaving them there.
In like fashion, folding the fingers inward, closing the hand in a soft fist, and laying it down on your lap quiets the stimulation from that region of the cortex.
A bit more about the brain matter which is related to the hands, particularly the fingers. Each time we move a finger the sensory cortex is activated and the element that that finger represents is activated and highlighted in the sensory cortex.
Not only do we have the option noted above of closing the feed loop down by the gathering of the fingers into the palm and being still: specific ‘neuron-elemental’ connections known in Ayurvedic medicine as mudras ‘set a tone’ energetically and elementally establishing patterns and choice. A mudra is a hand and finger position particularly designed to connect and integrate body mind and Spirit.
We have a “handful” of potential ideas tied to movements of the hand in daily activity. We can choose the ideas, the tone, and the vibration we want to nurture in our life through the use of our hand positions. Add a “still mouth” and tongue we have blessed silence as well as potential for quieting of mind.
As with the options of mudra of the hand, we may choose to speak or sing of the Divine, this choice known as mantra. Repeating mantra, or chanting, may not only quiet one’s own mind, soothing the heart, but set vibrations in motion that spread outward into the world.
May we be mind-fully mouth-fully and hand-fully aware of our choices, reclaiming rest and peace using simple tools of our own form…
(I am quite aware that such words as mouth-fully may not pass the Webster test or for that matter a scrabble test but it seemed a good idea…!)
Please note the two different mudra hand positions. The first is called the Ganesha mudra—very good for quieting the mind. Note that all fingers are touching the base of the thumb, which in turn is touching the middle fire finger…
With both hands in this mudra, one holds both hands in the position lightly resting on the lap, or if you should be laying down, place your hands on your belly…
The second mudra is a simple one for inner focus. The positioning of the fingers is important.
Every Loss Of A Loved One…
I was recently introduced to a therapy method known as “Primal Trauma” therapy. I inquired about details and I was told it has to do with original separation from our mother, birth, and how that ‘very big event’ impacts us all.
My understanding of this method is that it is a therapy involving our cranium imprint at birth, its movements, and or interrupted patterns, and having a potential for ‘corrective’ responses that could be awakened, thus improving/updating our ‘arrival experience’ and how we perceive the world thereafter…even in this moment.
I have been trained in various methods of manual therapy, some using this ‘cranial model.’ Cranial therapy can inspire ‘self corrective’ responses at a very deep level. In fact we continue to live in our embryonic tissues throughout life, and ‘it/we’ respond to the movements of the cranial system. With skill and very deep attention a therapist may offer touch in such a manner that cranial ‘imprinted’ patterns ‘set’ at birth may be altered and or improved essentially self-corrected.
With the above mentioned ideas it may be possible to combine this physiological cranial/fluid responsibility with personal awareness (both with therapist and recipient) to ‘re-frame’ the birth trauma maybe to remember who we are and were…
Possibly even release very old beliefs regarding how we live ‘Our Lives’ independently, with respect to the birth mother, and the rest of the world. Our Aloneness, as well as healthy interdependence with others in relationship, can be re-called and or reshaped.
A segue if you will; I recently lost a loved one. In fact I have lost most of my family over the years and, like all of us, sooner or later will lose either in death or some other form of separation All. The bottom line is we will ‘lose’ all those we love in this life. This reflects back to the original separation from mom but a bigger one… Wow what a thought but true even if it occurs as a result of our own death: ‘we are ultimately alone’.
Now the good part! Before we took physical form at birth and after, we are/were alone with the Divine, our Higher Self, God. The short story is, we were and are always in the best of company within! We add external elements such as father, mother, siblings, friends, lovers, on and on, in life: attaching ourselves to these ‘others,’ diluting the ‘Shining One’ we are and we are with, within…
Therefore IF or WHEN we see through the attachments, let go of the ‘pain’ we feel, the fear of loneliness, the beliefs that we have become accustomed to connecting to loss…however that may occur, with the help of a jog of our cranial parts, the loss of a loved one, or the big ol’ ‘aha’ in meditation, then we realize Every Loss Of A Loved One (or thing) Brings Freedom! I am not saying it is easy.
We can practice for the eventuality of freedom/aloneness; we can use tools like the Primal Trauma release, Touch of Awakening ( a method used in Life Impressions Method of Bodywork) to help soften the blows to come or better yet to remember who we are and Whom we are with always!
We can meditate, go inward, reacquaint our-selves with our SELF. God. The Higher Self now! Practice every conscious moment using mantra (phrases carrying vibration of truth..) Differentiate aloneness from loneliness, moment to moment. Ask yourself inside who is in here? Wait for the answer, sit long and deep, wait for the rest of your life, keep asking. Do not wait for the pain of death, the loss of dear ones to ‘slap you in the heart.’ (This is also designed to wake us up but as we all know it hurts!!!!).
Find your way, find a true teacher, find yourself free, alone with others, alone with nature, alone with God, as often as you can! Really what else can we do?
May I add humbly the movement lessons offered in the media section of my blog can help in this respect. They are meant to reaquaint us with our inner self, and you take it from there, to that deeper place. The lessons are not only designed to help in movement and ease of body pain, though this may be one result. They are meant primarily (is that close to primally?) to help you free yourself to examine our self-image.
I offer all of the above as a fellow being looking constantly for true freedom, true joy in Self Realization. With this most recent loss in my life of a dear one, and the reflection of a very dear friend who is passing a test of aloneness, I am inspired to share these ideas for all…May We All Be Happy Being Alone!
Dear reader I must share an image from our older home…
“Holiday Flow…”
Here we are again in the flow of Christmas. Depending on how and what we do this ‘flow’ can be overwhelming caught in traffic, shopping, event planning, family gatherings…The flow may be joyous. Carols sung with love and devotion or simple pleasant seasonal memories. Connecting to loved ones refreshing friendships from the past.
However we experience this ‘Holiday flow‘ we recognize there is more volume, electricity, intensity about the season. Lest we forget, our group mind, either present or past, has established a powerful recognition of a great soul regarding this time of the year. (Granted the accusal time and birth date of this being may or may not be this exact time.) Enough of ‘us’ placed our consciousness on this time and the wondrous being who once lived such a life that we are still receiving vibrations from it.
Whether we celebrate the birth of this being or not, the “flow” still has its effect. Group mind if you will opens a portal to the infinite such that energies bathe the earth and Her inhabitants.
We may not even realize the energies as such (a gift from Divine); none the less the volume the flow is around us. Set in motion every year for centuries, tradition alone compelling it, inviting it, longing for it…
We have a choice regarding this influx of power: based on our consciousness we can be elevated, vitalized, awakened if we use it wisely. Or we can be frustrated, overwhelmed, even depressed. It, ‘the flow,’ is neutral, gaining value and quality assigned by our consciousness. The choice is ours, but the flow is here no matter what we do with it.
Exploration: Take a moment, sit quietly (may I suggest in different locations such as in the midst of a traffic jam, a busy mall, a forest, a private secluded spot in you home). Close your eyes, feel the flow around you, passing over and through you, endeavour to let it be neutral, just energy. (Do not forget if you are in your car to tend to the flow of traffic light).
When you get the neutrality of the flow, make your choice how would you like this energy to manifest in you? Could you take the hum of the city traffic feel it as vitality raising your consciousness? How about the uproar at the dinner table, all the voices, clinking of tableware, background noises, music, television (reindeer on the roof ?). Let all ‘that flow’ raise your awareness, nurture you, sustain you.
Rest with the late night silence after packages are wrapped, children snuggled into bed, living noises have come to rest. Once more close your eyes, feel the ‘flow,’ it is still the same, how do you sense this quality?
May we receive the gift of the Divine flow sent/drawn forth, hallowed with the touch of a great soul within our hearts for the highest good. As always I can not resist, ‘Luke feel the force…’ We can all feel the force and use it well.
May you be blessed by the holiday flow!
Touch Of Awakening
At the beginning of our life Touch Of Awakening, a spark of the Divine, was placed upon/within, a drop of protoplasm… ‘We’ began to vibrate with life. Sacred shapes developed within and around us such as; DNA spiral, embryonic curl, which by the way looks very similar to the sacred Aum symbol…(see below). Oh, how could we forget the feline spiral…These inherent shapes developed for life in physical form to balance and suspend us within earths gravity under the laws of nature. We became a focal point between Spirit and Nature.
The same principle, Touch of Awakening has the power to re-awaken, healing memories within each person. When we lose ourselves in thought, trauma, life impression stored as habit, T.O.A. may again enhance and support the indwelling wisdom, health and balance. With all humility and respect reminding each of us of the Divine fingerprint ever present within…
“Touch Of Awakening” put into practical application is a keystone of the Life Impressions Method. We implement this offering both with hands on, movement exploration and as a metaphor regarding the method. Though not exclusive to this method. Any touch offered with caring and compassion holding an attitude toward waking respectfully another to their own wisdom serves the same purpose. One who might be lost in thought on a busy street corner stepping ahead unaware…a touch on the shoulder certainly a touch of awakening!
May I once more emphasize it is not just the physical contact, but the self-awareness that rises to meet the touch that en-kindles that spark within. Reclaiming ones awareness even in simple daily actions may be utilized for self healing, learning, personal growth or to remember the original “fingerprint.”
A “treatment” application: When we have an injury of any nature we protect, encapsulate (the same is true with a ‘faults belief’ that holds us back from the fullness of life). Whether containing an idea or an event of another nature, left untended for a time, we wrap and store for further reference. T.O.A. offered to one’s self, or another without ‘fix it’ mentality attached, offers support, safety, and awakening potential without expectation.
Expectations take the attention into an area of effort, closing the free boundary of inner wisdom. Putting this into the realm of the nervous system, if we touch anywhere ‘openly’ without constraints the receptivity like lightning passes throughout the system. The area of need will respond, it may not be the area the intellect would choose, thus possibly limiting the value of the experience…as well as the healing effect. This may be where human touch meets the ever etched original fingerprint of greatest wisdom.
Exploration: Close your eyes, breath slowly and softly a time or two, quiet yourself listen within, wait…Lay your hand on some part of your body very slowly lightly, wait, listen follow the flow within as awareness travels. Be willing to see/feel where you are taken, when you arrive, notice what is spoken, the voice of tissues, cells, the very source of life will often respond. This is the realm of instantaneous healing of body mind and soul. It is not the end of challenge for this life, though a brighter light may shine for the rest of our journey.
In carrying on with the idea of sacred symbols enjoy once more the “Aumbryo…” Note the symbol of Aum the representation of the voice of the Divine which began all of creation its shape and that of our own embryo…wonder no longer at your own true nature…
This blog is the second on this subject and is offered in hopes of deepening the idea for all who find this concept of value. More details of this T.O.A. method may be found in the book Ayurveda & Life Impressions Bodywork…
Embodying the Divine…
We tend to forget our dearest most influential aspect in life, our body as part of the Divine self. If you don’t remember how influential, just wait for the next illness or trauma to come around. Our form has a way of getting our full attention! How can we reflect in our body our Divinity so that even when ill we are present with who we truly are? Maybe we can choose to responding to illness as an invitation, a reminder to explore ‘its’ (the body’s) Divine nature! (doing so, the sensations tend to change, test this for yourself).
We sit in church on bended knee, or we arrange ourselves in lotus posture for another type of seeking. How about the vehicle, our knees for example, can we discover divinity in that bent appendage? Shall we ignore the poor knees aching against the prayer bench or curled about our vertical form? Do their complaints take attention away from our inner searching? What if we recognize the Holiness within knees, even embellish it, to the advantage of our worship?
Securing ourselves in a temple of nature, in a distant cave, each step toward the cave may be affirming indwelling Holiness. Our house, our temple (the body if you will), may carry us to the place of devotion—in fact it is a devotional place itself. Our journey to the ‘cave’ may have equal value to the sitting practice—each step increasing awareness of our purpose.
What is our flesh? Is it truly blood/bone/tissues? Getting microscopic, the body is a large group of varying types of cells. A closer look reveals atoms, yet another step inward what is there? In every atom life is present, energy moving. Electrons protons: what moves them? We, the indwelling Spiritual being.
Looking at our body from another more well established (it has been around for about 6000 years) medical model, Ayurvedic medicine, life force or ‘Prana’ is the essence of electrical energy in the atom, the iving manifestation of our Spirit! Differing rates of vibration in this movement present what seems like liquids, blood, lymph, more solids such as bone, and very subtle gases; yet all are the same life-force of our breath of life: Spirit in form.
Back to our journey to the temple/meditation bench/church pew: even before we bring attention toward recognizing the body as ‘energy Divine,’ it already is and always has been. Our task, should we choose it (not a mission impossible), is easy: simply shift awareness. This body may not be a hindrance to our spiritual progress, it may be a reminder of it. (Even aches and pains may be used as reminders to go inward, get underneath the symptoms, return to the essence or the form.)
Something practical: Lay on your back eyes closed, go inside, watch your breath. Feel how you rest on the floor, where is your greatest comfort? Follow the feeling of comfort through yourself to its source. Where does the feeling of comfort arise, go very deep, maybe beyond the tissues, beyond the breath, look for the source of your comfort…go inside your spine, past the idea of tissues, where a greater mind resides. Once you have reached your greatest depth, go deeper…then affirm. “This is who I am body, mind, all Divine!!!”
Repeat the same lesson with an area that is uncomfortable, get behind, under, within the idea of comfort or dis-comfort…also finish with an affirmation.
This exploration takes practice for a very long time; we have been taught to separate ourselves into parts, even body, mind, and Spirit, all different…we have addressed the body as villain (though in many ways it is how we care and think about it that often creates the disturbance…).
Dear reader may I remind you there are many movement lessons on the blog under media you can try them to enhance your ability. EMBODY THE DIVINE that you are or may become…PS note/observe the movement of your eyes as you read this blog, observe behind the eyes, track the one who watches, moves, and determines the message…it is to that one the Divine Embodiment we may refer…in fact, shine the light behind your inner eyes all about your form, look at your whole self, radiate upon yourself from the indwelling Divinity that you are…
Gather all your ‘lives’ in this moment…
Gather all your ‘lives’ in this moment…may I first ask for your open mindedness: some may not believe in past lives, reincarnation and the like. For you, I ask that you consider the possibility, or take this as yarn or story, hopefully of interest, or simply go on the next blog…
Many religions do believe in past lives and the idea that we reincarnate until all our lessons are learned, until we realize who we are/were/and ever shall be…
This is where I want to begin. It is said there is no future, no past, only this present moment. Try to convince yourself of “that” with ever-present news programs, memories assaulting you from days gone by, a bad divorce, death in the family, remembering the trade towers, on and on the stories go. Is it a wonderful play for us all? As they say in the East, “Gods’ leala”…a challenge, learning, letting go, or simply being in the moment? Maybe a movie analogy: we sit in the theater of life watching the dramas unfold, a play, not taking it so seriously, it’s only a movie…I am not saying this is easy!
For a few moments suppose it is true—we do come again and again to this “party,” this planet, this “current life”…we are tested, maybe with the above-mentioned events, to see if we give up on our peace of mind, if they can “knock us off our moment”. All events, past and future, are happening now (or maybe never really happened, let’s not go there for now…).
It is said that we progress through many many lives toward a point at which we realize this moment, only this moment! We realize in this single moment that we are one with the Divine— and always have been. Great peace and serenity are ours and have been forever…sounds great.
To the practical: Sit in meditation, still as you are able, imagine as the Great One’s say “some day, some life, we will all awaken!” Continue to imagine, while sitting, that your “future” (if indeed there is one) self—the one who is already Awake—is there watching you, sitting with you, even sitting within you. Possibly all the ones you once were, come to gather with you the “sitter” in the first person…(gets a little complicated—I realize maybe it is all the better to consolidate.)
The older “selves” convey the worthwhile knowledge gathered instantly with no disturbance to your quiet mind; then You The Enlightened (doesn’t that sound good) merge with all including the sitter (are you still with me?)—at last all scores are settled, all questions answered, illusions vanish…you sit as you are, always have been —One in this moment!
Have a good day, the one and only day—or shall I offer instead “have a great moment, sit, stay!”
Balancing From Inner Self
I will begin this blog with a bit of mechanical language, but as you will see it is, as always, about us, the Indwelling Being, not the mechanics of form.
There is a term in osteopathic medicine that has to do with supportive membranes within our skull—are you ready? The “reciprocal tension membrane system.” Now there is a mouth full—even a head full of ideas.
These RTM for short are membranes elastic, yet very strong, which hold the cranial cavity brain vessels, fluids, and other components in relationship. This membrane system is connected through the base of the brain and skull to the rest of the system via more membranes.
The tone of all tissues (these composing the RTM included) is established and maintained in the brain and nervous system (which in turn is held by our awareness). Tending to this very sensitive combination of tissues assists in many profound and subtle self-corrections. These specialized membranes, like all our tissues, can be accessed consciously—thus balancing our inner self in form with the ‘formless’ self awareness stemming from the Spirit—that we are under all of the above.
In an attempt to cut to the chase, or simplify a complex anatomical discourse, let me say this: we have within all body parts these reciprocal tension membranes, held in place by profound awareness and the impressions of our life. They are receptive to self correction with our focused attention, increased safety and support, and appropriate movement, and touch—even if they are compromised very strongly through traumatic events or long-term habituation.
Now for the practical side; with any segment of our Self we may notice qualities of compression—dents in our fenders. Example—lay on your back, scan your torso, note the four corners (hip and shoulder joints), observe the relationship, notice if one seems compressed and/or the others more full, rounded. These observations would indicate a disparity in the inner balance relating to inner RTM suspensory tissues. More accurately you hold “that one” closer for some reason. The exploration is designed to reveal…fixing is not the issue.
Counter-intuitive to how we might tend to this ‘corner compression, increase the “dent”! Find a way to pull it in further, very very softly, very very slightly. Breath softly into the compression three times, then very slowly release your hold. Rest, and note the change from within. Repeat this once or twice more, filling the dent with your breath which emanates from your inner self. Or shall I say, take up residence in the newly available space, thus balancing from inner self!
Note: do not go for great changes—soft gentle changes may be acceptable and pushing will be rejected. Don’t try to create perfection—you are already there, perfectly balanced within your personal imbalance! Even the dents/divots have value and contain valuable information—they do not represent a flaw in character health or self-worth. The dents hold potential for well-being, learning, and personal growth when tended to with respect care and, yes, love.
Silence—A Renewable Resource
Have you noticed after sleep, a walk in the forest, meditation, any time spent in silence you feel renewed? Silence, though we often habitually avoid it in our culture—labeling “being in the silence” as a waste of time, being introverted or non-productive. Or we find silence simply uncomfortable, boring, or even scary.
Before and after every thought there is an ‘inherent’ ever-present silence…waiting. This precious quality prevails before birth, after death, within every moment throughout life. Silence fills all spaces between every action, breath and thought—offering peace.
Most spiritual teachings indicate silence is saturated with the Divine, representing the place from whence we came…and possibly the place to which we go in the ‘here-after.’
"Completion": are we there yet?
Completion can be as big as re-incarnating because we left unfinished lessons, or as small as did “I miss that piece of paper on the floor while sweeping and I know it, therefore the job is incomplete.” It may be that completion is awareness of our inner and outer life, that construct, the idea of being complete.
Assumed belief brought on by outside influences such as “you did not finish your last semester at college,” lurks in the back of the mind. An old school friend shows up speaks about his last year, the graduation and party you missed, leaving you with a fresh feeling of incompleteness. It is true? Or an assumed responsibility brought on by society, a family member, or something you truly feel is unfinished?
Another question: are we ever complete until we are in peace, in that moment, before the old classmate shows up? Maybe we are complete, as much as we will ever be. “That moment” of peace, stillness, and contentment may be all there is to it…
In my experience with every big and little meaningful personal and group process I have noticed patterns in myself and others. The idea that “this is it” dawns on us…when we “look ahead” toward the “end” we make up stories—we will separate from our regular time spent with friends/fellow students and the lessons we were looking for.
Does this mean we are incomplete? I think not. This is longing, attachment, and love for our fellow beings who we think will be lost to us…for a time.
As we find ourselves on the threshold of the end of a course of learning, a journey of whatever meaningful nature, an inner voice—the emotional body, energy body, physical body—all take stock and report. We react and wonder… “but I am not done yet, what about this, what about that, I will miss this one, did I get the message? Maybe these inspirations from teachers and friends act upon us because “we are the same”—we have those qualities we seek in others, we already have the knowledge, it has simply been awakened by another or the lessons. They are wakened through interaction with another but they are within us! Otherwise we would not respond to them.
Are we there yet? Maybe another question will help: Where is there? What do we expect upon completion? The question might be: Did we ever really start and is there an end? Now that is a big chunk.
Let’s return to the simple story: I was a janitor in my youth—this was about the time I was “on my spiritual path” (as if it began then). But officially I had found my teacher and started the lessons. Everything became part of the practice; I was sweeping the long hallway with one of those wide, fluffy dust mops. Out of the corner of my eye a very small piece of paper ‘got away’. In and of itself no big deal, but I noticed it! Now that made it count! Whether I responded to that little scrap of consciousness in the form of paper had meaning because I took notice, gave value to it. I made myself responsible for it. The job of sweeping the hallway would not be complete if I did not retrace my steps and get that. I did—that lesson lasted a long time—even until this moment of sharing it with you. I had a feeling of completion at the end of the evening—no, more to the point, as I gathered the scrap in the folds of the broom a “completion took place.”
Of course the story could have gone in a different direction had I different values (or weaker peripheral vision). If I did not care about the quality of my work, if I did not assign value to the pieces of paper, no big deal. Would this make me a lesser person, in-complete in some manner? Maybe. However consider that the possibility of in-completeness would be present only once I had seen the paper and made it my responsibility to either go back for it or not.
As long as we assign ourselves to the piece of paper that slipped by—or the “unfinished character flaws”—are we responsible. Going back for the paper, noticing, and choosing to respond differently than our habit, would dictate the feeling of satisfaction to some degree of a completion. If we let it slide by, aware it might get stuck as a belief—if “I did not full-fill my contract with myself…or in my job”—we may well feel incomplete.
Maybe the idea of complete has to do with being in the moment, having little or no distractions. This might be why we take the courses, the job, do the trainings to awaken more fully to this very moment.
As a single flower rests in the wheat field unaffected by wind and sway of stalk. We may be complete in the midst of our active mind and so-called unfulfilled beliefs. We may choose to get that piece of paper or not—the learning will still be ours to have in that moment.
I ask myself, is this blog complete…am I done yet? You determine, fill in as needed for yourself…as will I. “Rest in peace” as they say at the end of life. We could say this at the end of each adventure, each breath…we are there, we never left.
Our First Time…
Our First Time…”I have never felt my feet touch the ground like this…”she said after the lesson. “I can feel both bones of my pelvis when I sit, I don’t think I ever noticed this before, I can even breath better…” he said after another lesson. Both of these people held an expression of amazement on their face, eyes filled with the delight you might find in a child. With focused attention and a simple non-habitual action or though we can be there then as it were. (As being here now is always in the past when we get around to noticing it….)
The first time for everything, time and time again. Imagine every single thing you do happening for the first time. Can you remember the delight, as a child the first bike ride, sleigh ride, ice cream, maybe your first steps, later the first day of school, first kiss: the list goes on and on.
The point is there is something very profound in the moment beyond the aha, a place in our life where we are always new fresh and have choice. This ‘place’ of newness is also the place we arrive on our way toward deep meditation and beyond. Why not experience it when you want by choice?
Each movement, your every observation, each breath can be fresh, new, exciting, awakening for your entire self—a first time experience of how and who you are again and again. When too much habit enters our actions thoughts and beliefs the brain becomes dull/ numb/automatic: “who cares, been there, done that,” and we take little or no notice. Precious awakenings and enjoyment pass in habituation. When we move, breathe, speak with intention with spontaneity born of curious interest in every part of our life then we are able to repeat the first time many times.
If we have an experience we like, or dislike, we tend to “lock on,” attach, hold, and imprint, hoping we can continue the feeling longer, or resolve the discontent. In doing so we miss the fullness of the event, the lesson if you will, of that moment, be it pleasant or unpleasant. And we miss the amazing event directly after that one. We miss the new lessons while clinging to the “other event” that we still try to cling to. The ones we hold to so tightly take center stage in our consciousness leaving very little room for another great aha!
There are books about the “Now”: Being Here Now, Living in The Now, and of course the ever favorite “how now brown cow” (could not resist that one). These books offer an enticing possibility for experience. However the abstract reading and thinking about such an event, moment, or action is not quite the same as “being there” once more for the first time.
I invite you to explore the movement lessons under “Media” on this blog site. There is a fresh one coming from the Poland class I just returned from… soon to arrive on the media page—it is bi-lingual as well as shall I say multi-dimensional. Within the movement exploration there are direct invitations to feel what it is like to breath and move “for the very first time in your life,” again and again and again.
Until this particular lesson is up and running, any of the lessons can be experienced in this manner. Follow these guidelines to make it so for yourself. With eyes closed; look within, “see” or feel yourself in contact with the surface you rest upon, notice details: displacement of weight, temperature, ease, anything you can to gain greater moment to moment clarity. When the movement suggestion comes, follow it into yourself, track the sound from vibrating airspace into your ear. From auditory message to neuro-response. Take a moment to note how you initiate action—you have choice there, maybe your first time ever to notice such a thing. Proceed from there with each movement offering. At the end of the lesson rise from the floor slowly enough to allow for the first time experience to manifest with each sequence toward vertical.
Running… Out of Time
Waking, yet asleep, we look at the clock: body says, “Feed me, wash me, breath me, hurry up I have needs.” If we—the one awakening—chooses to be present, we renew consciousness, deepen it, re-commit to it with each response: the breathing, stretching, washing…
Each waking happens on all levels of who we are. Mind says: “Get up, work to do, look at the clock, we are running out of time, it is almost whatever o’clock…no more sleep wake up!”
What time are ‘we’ out of ? What about our Spirit: is there time…is that ‘in time?’ Could we make all the demands of our self—body, mind, emotions—a spiritual exercise?
If we gave the body enough for long enough, would it be quieter, make fewer demands? Would we become lost in the ‘bliss’ of simple service to every action? If we are not the body— but had need of it for a time—would we care for it well enough? Could we use it as another tool to remain awake in Spirit? Would we realize more of who we are behind the constant demands?
If we heard the announcements, the loud-speaker, the constant agenda maker, our own mind, as entertainment, not always necessity, would we be in the sweet nothingness, the timelessness?
As thoughts arise for this blog I notice space between them; is this space “Out Of Time?” Have I run myself out of the time I think I live in? I sit outside to meditate, hear birds, feel wind, sun rises slowly—a reflection of time passing…the day moves forward.
Am I running out of time to find myself?
As the gulf fills with oil, the polar bear loses its ice, are ‘We’ running out of time?
Or is all perfectly designed for our awakening? Throughout history ‘we’ had ideas ‘this is it—this is in the big trouble.’ how will we survive—through world wars, quakes, floods famine. But again ‘this’ too passes—where did ‘it’ go? Into the history books etched in memory.
The fear passed, we prosper, breathe, wake, wash our face…the little things of life may hold some promise of peace even in the shadow of great drama. These ‘small’ actions can invite us between the moments of time.
It is always the loss of hope when spirits are shaken: “Fear paralyzes the Spirit.” Maybe we are not running out of time but running away from Spirit, chasing the dreams we make, those that were made by others, that hold us through belief and fear.
Meditation over, peace carried within, how long? Will I run out of time to hold it, can I not be there throughout time and beyond it? Mind says: you are aging, body will have more needs: is there time enough to find the self, will you outlive the money you make? More fears tied to time…
The teachings say ‘we are already there, nothing to find, nowhere to go, no time.’ How do we recall that place when time—the illusion—is in our face, when day follows night, year follows year, gray hair showing, bones ache with use. Can we be aware of watching? Can we realize nothing is happening here—that we are already out of time? Can we stop running now?
May we breath between each moment, see the space between, see the large and small events placed before us, all as lessons.
Could we smile more to the worried face in the mirror?
Could we gather all history in a moment of our own choosing bless it and let it go?
Peek over the fence at the future seeing only possibilities from the ever-present moment now? ?
As the life guard says ‘walk, don’t run’. Stop, eyes open. Sowly, out of time constraints, into your own moment, again and again.
If we could we pause the flipping card cartoon book, stop time, slow it down to see just this moment, would it hold still? If so who would be there to see it?
A True Dutch Treat
Class in Holland, composed of mostly of Ayurvedic students, opened my heart. Ayurvedic medicine arises from Spirit not unlike the philosophy of Life Impressions Bodywork. The environment was preset, human life form and life style arising from original sound of Aum, into elements, tissues, and dramas, eventually settling back into oneness. What a way to start the class!
Stillness, the theme, already cultivated within those who gathered: we begin with the “Aumbryo:” what you don’t recognize such a term? Here it is for your consideration.
Please take note of the shape/similarity: Aum, the beginning of all creation, and our little embryo shape themselves as one. They arise from the absolute stillness, the depths of silence within and beyond.
This is where the class began, adding such ideas as our blueprint space between the spine and organs from which we may always refer for renewal. An idea of original oneness in vibrating fluids, developing, shaping, growing, changing, yet remaining simply ‘one:’ elements, Spirit, intact. Exploring the journey’s beliefs, events that would seem to change us into a struggling/longing/lost being, searching for the healing memories. We began with movement and touch, based on a reminder of ‘fishing for consciousness’ to restore what seemed lost.
We found analogies, such as stirring the porridge of consciousness in body form, to draw into the mix of self those estranged ‘ailing’ parts. Looking from within, from the space between the front of the spine and the back of the organs to see how our own movement set waves of fluid consciousness in motion.
Sitting in courtyard facing lush forest, taking rest as self-corrections were brought forth from within: healing memories wakening. Walking forest trails near wild pigs and short deer; listening within to the ever-present deepening stillness. Gathering in small groups in the evenings, noting how we change, faces softer, steps lighter, rest evident as inherent learning made manifest.
Old stories of events held in tissue storage, sweetly, lightly, tenderly touched, brought clarity; a reminder of who we are now ‘present in time.’ Tears moistening hearts, hydrating old cells with new life, melting old beliefs. We became more of who we are, emerging out of a deepening stillness.
Evening brought the bunnies resting safe on the ground about us, munching sweet grasses, watching us, trusting, maybe teaching trust…
Long, very long days, like those of the midnight sun, offered time and extra light for self reflection. Each new morning, greater closeness among more like minded souls. More movement exploration, origins of limbs renewed ‘the better to touch you with my dear.’ Floating corners of self set trustworthy frame for mid-line organs to rest. Rest from inside soothes, awakened limbs connected to foundations inspires trust and safety, deepening stillness.
A learning family overseas finds brothers and sisters through the ethernet of current space and time. Love of learning renewed from coast to long distant coast brings tears to my eyes. Heart and souls from Holland held forth to those from Santa Fe eager to make contact. A bigger family introduced namelessly as none are needed from such a place.
A Dutch family portrait for all to see: compliments of our body forms and the skills of Mattijn Franssen.
Who teaches whom?
I leave my dear ones in Poland a bit sad but with sweet memories having had another rich experience…having learned so much, I wonder who is the teacher… Surely it is the Divine teaching us all—oh but how she cloaks her work…
The plan was that I come to teach the Life Impressions method;did my best; well received it was. But once again, who teaches? Each time I return to Poland I find the ‘students,’ the country, have teachings for me.
Northern Poland, the lake country…
The sun rises at 4:00 a.m., drawing my body into the lake by 5:00. Followed by a walk/meditation/rest, contemplating class at the civilized hour of 11:00. Learning settles very deep within rested happy souls taking in lessons dropped in my mind in the early hours by ‘The Teacher’ of us all… After seeking healing memories—moving and touching to stir consciousness—self-corrections abound—lead by inner wisdom.
Break for afternoon nourishment…new potatoes grown by the lake grace our plates…
Fresh food, harvested moments before from rich soil, prepared with skill and love, nourishes body and mind. Farmers next door teach us about land care as they sweat looking over the fence. We eat as the hawk surveys her territory overhead. A Stork freshly arriving from Africa walks on water as we watch. 
Black Cow at the fence gazes on the lake—does she wonder, as we, about walking on water?
‘The Teacher’ in Her animal form waits for us; class is always in session here held in natural world—do we see, do we learn?
Wild grasses herbs and flowers prove the lands health, no strange chemical amendments, only hard working farmers and cattle link nutrients to the earth.
We begin afternoon class as clouds roll in, seeking our healing memories with movement and touch. A farming family outside the window, grandma included, hurry to get the hay in before the storm. Working so hard, one wonders what life impressions they make…generations have passed in the same manner…
Our class continues; thoughts of good will sent forth from within for their task as dark clouds gather over the hill behind. One student sheds tears of release—a memory found—as drops begin on distant the fields. Our hope for the workers of the land reach out through the window; grandma shouts in a language foreign to my ear—many a ‘z’ color the sounds.
Nearing the end of our hands-on lesson, winds carry forth the storm. We are drawn to the window as our lessons close, mentally urging pitchforks onward. One line of curled hay remains as dark billowing clouds rise over the ridge.
The last load pulls away—we wonder did our thoughts help them? Did their actions teach us something? Who teaches whom?
Listening at the borders
Imagine a border between countries who are at odds—differing opinions maybe quite strong, effecting understanding. You the listener are totally neutral, therefore unnoticed.
Conversation about the “others” flows freely—ideas that could not be shared with those others—and the same is heard from the “opposing side.” Gathering information from both sides you “see” clearly the edges of understanding—the spaces where there is possibility for harmony.
With our own being, whether in idea of self or tissues, we have erected borders or boundaries. Most are useful, as they are flexible borders, responsive to change for the greatest benefit to the entire system. But, there are also borders established around other issues—conflicts that do not hear each other. Once more “You,” the indwelling soul, may observe, invisible in your neutrality, hearing the issues.
Your noticing, and the subsequent response of being heard, may heal. In essence doing nothing, interfering little, listening, will have an effect on “both sides.”
Not to be too vague, we—the big “We”—when taking notice with respect to ourselves or others, when invited, may provide great assistance “doing” little or nothing directly. The same principle is true in hands-on exploration: in the Life Impressions method we touch without intent to change or correct but to listen, to wait at the border, bridging established patterns whether they be physical tissue representations or emotional conflicts. After waiting, listening, that which is being “observes,” senses being “heard” through subtle energies, through neurological responses, and then change begins—understanding spawns healing wisdom.
Heading the other direction, more esoteric, we wait between worlds in neutral. Those “worlds” may take different forms: that of external life or the internal life. The world or views of Islam and Christianity, the world of cells and hard flesh. the world of sadness and joy. At the border of any belief or physical dynamic, where flexibility has turned to habitual stiffening, listening may bring learning or awakening. There is the healing, the understanding!
May I invite us all to listen to our own struggles, to those around us with no judgment; just silently resting in neutral see what happens…oh and watch carefully for the tendency to get involved, to make something happen. This is activism at a potent level which may seem like doing nothing. May I add, this idea does not release us from the responsibility to act in the world, it helps us act with integrity versus agenda. 
Stillness in action
Where do we find peace? Where does healing originate? How do we rest? These questions and more are answered when we are still, quiet, focused inward. This may sound simple, it is not most of our life we are drawn out into the world. We must make a conscious choice to stop shift into neutral and reverse our attention.
It takes only a moment to make the switch to reflect inward. Taking that moment is our choice, although often it must be wrenched from scenes, attachments long developed, fixed on the external.
Habitual behaviors such as turning on the TV or radio the moment we awake, looking for news from the world before we even hear the local news from within our-selves sacrifice our inherent stillness.
Waking from sleep (one place where we do find stillness) choose not to open your eyes just stay there with your stillness of the body. Watch the mind as it charges up, re-loads with ideas, worries, starting its daily chatter upon rising from the depths of slumber. Where do you watch from? Who is the watcher? It need not be cosmic, just curious “amazing even before my foot touches the floor I am filled with noise.”
From “the observer” we notice what parts of ourselves are resting ‘still,’ calmly settled against the mattress, and which parts are being revved up for action. Set up a viewing post for the observer within yourself; you could imagine observing self in a comfortable chair behind the waking activities. This may sound schizophrenic but oddly we do this all the time! Frequently, even constantly, different parts are asking and answering questions within. This “chosen observer” consciously watches, and possibly makes better choices. “Maybe I will linger a little longer with the resting body parts on the bed…compare the revving parts to the lingering parts…feel them…”
Obviously we must act at some point and go to work and feed ourselves. But can we take a moment, rest in our “chair of observation”? In most spiritual practices one is encouraged to meditate or pray first thing in the morning and last thing at night—another place to meet or be the observer or to be in stillness actively. Could we take the observer with us out of bed, off the meditation blanket, into the actions of our daily life? Why not? We take the chattering mind with us everywhere! Possibly we could set that aside in the background…
Rising from the bed—”watching,” choosing—do we thrust ourselves up into a forced performance habituated with years of service? Could we maintain awareness of the body parts that are still resting against the bed, pealing them one by one off the mattress, using their support against the bed as leverage, one after the other to arise? (There is a curious lightness, even joy, in such things). Being with each integrated portion of yourself as you rise from the bed changes how you meet your day.
We can carry this observer, chair and all if you like, within us throughout our day, our life. In fact this place, unit of self, need not be created it is already there…that is the same voice that drives us crazy chattering in our head all day, all life long. We can choose what the observer focuses upon. We can remain in a degree of stillness in the midst of action.
One last thought: the moment before action we are in stillness, from here we have choice. Once we act we have results, maybe even consequences.
Please enjoy movement lessons regarding stillness soon to be installed in the Media portion of this blog.
Our classically trained mind says 'I don't get it..'
We have had the intelligence, the common sense, educated out of us. Much of our traditional learning systems are left-brain dominant. Thus our left-brain has come to dominate our life, becoming our classical approach. Referring to ‘the classics’ in another manner we praise such masters and their work such as Shakespeare, Mozart and others. (Possibly before they became the ‘classical masters’ they were called something else for attempting to offer something different).
If we should be so bold as to create outside the boundary of the norm in almost any established field, heavy scrutiny is levied upon our endeavor. Our own left-brain rises up to such great heights—it will whisper, maybe shout at us, what we do is not correct—not by the book. This self-elected tyrant may even discount new knowledge entering your system.
An example: you feel some impending event—something simple—”I will get a call from my friend today, maybe I will wait for a few more minutes before leaving for the store.” The classically trained part says, ‘that’s not logical,’ listen as you have been trained to!” (i.e., as you have trained your mind to instruct you then you follow the instructions lamb like…). Your friend does call—once again you say to yourself, ” why don’t I listen to my intuition, next time I will.”
The same influence regarding “classical training” comes into play with almost any new endeavor. Try to learn a new method of anything (particularly if it is even slightly our of the box). In the background runs a tape saying, “I don’t understand, I can never get this, I should stick with what I know, with what is proven…”
Our current paradigms are built on classic thinking. (I might mention here some are founded on useful ideas however many have outlived their time frame—’we’ have grown beyond the marker or barrier held by the classical thinking). We have learned that certain ways of expressing our faith in the Divine are acceptable, others are not—”our country’s ideals are best because they are based on…”, “we have always grown corn in this land, why change”, “we have plenty of fuel, why change to another source.” On and on it goes, classical thinking always accepted.
Getting a bit more personal we have the right to challenge the little tyrant within our own brain. “Though this method may be new, no one told me how to do it, I think I will try it anyway.” “Yes,” I hear in the back on my brain—”I will be judged but I choose not to judge myself even before I try.”
Those we now call genius: inventors, builders, seekers, voyagers—ones who were told they would fall off the edge of the flat world—had to trust non-classical thinking. Believe in the invisible; disbelieve in the visible on occasion, if only to hear your inner dialogue. Try something out of the ordinary and share it bravely with your dear ones.
They offer gentle “non-habitual” options in the manner in which we express movement. “New” experience in your movement and thinking are inspirational to the manner in what we look at the classics…how we can value them and possibly move beyond…Try something new, challenge the part that says, “I don’t get it.” That may be the left-brain speaking out of turn.
Where does healing and learning happen?
The Masters say we can wake up in a moment. Regardless of all the karma, beliefs, dramas, faults, images, we are always the ever-present Spirit waiting to fully manifest. True healing occurs within Spirit; in fact nothing has to happen there to make health or awakening—we simply have to return home.
How to we get ‘there’? Where does the healing—the learning—happen? We need to make a choice to stop, even for a moment—stop movement, input of senses, reverse our attention, flow inward.
One may have the idea: “Well that’s great if you have the time…if you can can sit in the cave for years, if someone else works to pay my bills, raise the kids, take out the garbage.”
It is a fact that our life is full. It is the nature of our world: the speed with which the universe is moving, or the speed we are moving in OUR universe. Back to the question: “Where then is the healing, and learning? How can we get there?…
We are given, or co-create our existence—in so doing we have established exactly the ideal situation for our awakening. The kids, the job, the garbage, all play a part in our cosmic drama! We may not have planned ‘it’ (our life) in the cave way; more likely it has been in the ‘worldly way.’
Here while in the pace of life we have ‘chosen,’ how do we ‘take a brake’. How do we slow down, and do we need to?
Back to the question at hand: to contact the ‘changeless’ healing place within, yes we do need to still ourselves. Experience shows if we go deep enough the duration can be minimized. It is the depth that is most important, and of course our clear presence.
Where does healing and learning happen? Everywhere! Our entire nervous system, as it permeates our system, is receptive to learning. Unlike popular belief, learning is not limited from the neck up. As for healing, this also happens everywhere—any trauma, or event is registered everywhere.
Now how can we optimize this healing/learning experience?
Finding and creating deep quiet internal moments, between heart beats, between in-breath, the pause, and the out-breath. Between doing one thing and the next.
In western medicine to save a life a coma may be induced with magical results—why? The deep restfulness may remind the one who is comatose of who they are and how to be well.
We feel refreshed after deep sleep, meditation, and visitations to the healing place within. The ‘moments’ we take can be healing if you are there, really there. If you are ‘there,’ but mind is moving forward or lingering behind, it is not the same.
There is such profound renewal in the inner moments that we can heal. This is where healing happens—and sustainable healing is always accompanied by learning. This is not necessarily learning in the intellect; in fact getting away from the intellect may be what is needed…
Habitual actions etch into neuro-pathways
Repeating the same actions, or in-actions, in the same manner draw membranes in lines following habitual actions. Meanwhile the “etch a sketch” (I hope at least some of you remember this toy) in our brain traces lines along neuro-pathways creating another habitual path-feed to repetitive movements.
We now have a loop patterned in neurology and physiology.
In case you missed the etch a sketch idea, here is even an older one (hang in there you youthful ones). The very first typewriters had armatures connected to the keyboard with letters stamped on the other end. One pressed the key, levering the arm to ‘smack’ a belt of ink thus imprinting the paper. On occasion one might hit too many keys—or the timing of the last one being released would meet the one arising. The armatures locked upon one another. You would then manually differentiate the bunch of armatures and begin again.
The above analogy can be applied to our neurophysiology of habit-binding. By moving slowly in a slightly new direction we offer change in the ‘tracking’ of habituated membranes—at the same time ‘finding’ alternative routes about neuropathways.
As the ‘pattern’ is established in brain and body one can also think differently regarding a movement. Mentally go through an action from the your ‘printed circuits’ (we imprint in our tissues as well as the neuro-pathways). Find a habit—something small, simple, maybe the way you bite your nails, pull your hair, reach for your tea-cup. (If you can not reveal this to yourself ask someone to observe you).
Once you have chosen a simple pattern.
- Close your eyes.
- Wake your intention to act…
- Imagine the very beginning of the movement (where do you launch your action?)
- Imagine the initiation of action (example, just before you reach for the tea-cup, do you move your arm/ shoulder/breathe in?)
- Choose a different place to initiate or a different angle, very slowly remember this is just in the image of yourself not physical. Make the intention very small and slow, reverse it many times.
- Feel the brain feel the desire to follow through physically, THEN ONLY permit the follow through in the differing vector, starting from a different place….
- Repeat the same procedure: place your finger/hand around the cup but don’t touch..
- Intend to close in on the cup from a different location, maybe palm first, little finger touching first.
“It is not more flexible bodies but more flexible minds that offer sustainable change.” (A modified quote from Moshe’ Fendenkrais). If you like to explore maybe you can clear your etch-a sketch board!
Possibly you may change a habit that no longer serves you. Maybe you will find yourself ‘free at last,’ wild, on the run…
Train of movement, where's my stop?
Often I hear complaints ‘my hamstrings are too short, back is tight, my neck feels compressed.’ On goes the localization process.
We can have more freedom of movement by extending our thinking functionally.
Human movement is continuous throughout the system. We stop it because of habits, incomplete anatomical understanding, and poorly designed exercise. Our activities, and how we think about ourselves, can either be valuable or disruptive to our well-being.
Imagine: you are standing in a huge subway station at the back of the crowd in a city you have never visited. You’re unsure as to where or which train to take…the train roars into the station, and out again, before you, a bit unsure, maybe shy, can respond.
This is how we move often the surface: habituated tissues are at the door, other tissues and structures pushed, held back, outpaced. Habits are hard-wire responses. ‘Shy’ deeper structures repeatedly are unable to join the train of movement. Part of you is left behind.
When parts are left behind you are incongruent with your function; even your mind is unclear—torn between where you have been and where ‘other parts’ are now. (No wonder we forget things when we locate to another room—we left part of our mind at the last stop).
Back to the hamstrings for a moment, if the movement train in our mind only runs from the back of the calf to the base of the pelvis, we inadvertently leave our back, neck, and feet ‘standing in their station.’ These ‘unutilized’ body segments cannot support the traveling hamstrings. Hamstrings get over worked—even injured. Feeling the contraction, we stretch relentlessly—only in the one station—once more leaving others unattended off the route.
If we think of the entire route, if we pack all of our anatomy for the journey, common simple activities become pleasant, in fact they improve our function.
Bend forward, reach for the pencil on the floor. Starting with eyes, a roll of the neck, add ‘station’ all the way through the heel. Pick up the pencil at the last stop. Return upright in your seat using the whole system reversibly— no-hamstring complaints! In fact no trouble at any stop. Our action is therapeutic—we improve ourselves with simple tasks.
Before the embryo, calm before the storm
Before our embryo we were conscious fluid contained within a single drop of protoplasm entirely whole. Our embryo formed about us the size of that single drop—we were whole. We were fully conscious within our-self, unaffected by gravity, even within the shifting confines of the womb.
We are complete—whole—in fact we always will be, even after the ‘storm’ that comes.
The storm: the ‘illusion of separation’ from our-self, the-self, and others. We are given a name identifying us as someone other than the “One.” Maybe a number is assigned depending upon where we take birth, possibly some crowded hospital. Soon someone counts toes, fingers—separate parts are identified, if only from the outside.
A bit later comes, “this is your nose, can you say nose? This is your ear, no, not your nose ear…that’s right…” Illusions of parts continues—is even escalated—’education’ continues. “This is your calf muscle, that is your thigh muscle,” and so on. This is wrong on many levels! The muscle system is that: a system, in relationship to all systems, and none other than the whole.
Granted we may need to differentiate in order to communicate about a part of the whole. But too often we forget to relate back to reality, think of the part in relationship to the whole… ultimately losing the truth of wholeness in the medicine.
We ‘lose’ a lover or loved one—they say you have a heart ache, but you feel it everywhere. The loss is in your gut, your sleep, your head, your eyes weeping…it is the ‘storm of separation’. All experiences are whole; compartmentalized experiences get stuck in their created compartment, either physically, mentally, or emotionally. It is best to have the “whole gang’ of you in this together (you have a better chance of coming through whatever “this” was intact, with no parts missing.)
When the storm is over—even during the storm deep within you—you are safe. It may seem as though all will be lost, but that is ‘outside.’ That happens outside the house (the roof over your head), outside the house of your body. Inside the drop inside the whole, you float unaffected by the motions, emotions, as you once did in the womb.
The fact is we continue throughout our life span to live in our embryo, our drop, our self…
Dear reader there are movement lessons soon to be added to the group you may freely download to help remind you through movement exploration of your oneness. “From the womb to the early days of childhood.”
"Touch of Awakening" part two…
“Touch of Awakening” part two…part one is in the book…new ideas have ‘sprouted’ from awakening seed ideas.
As one descends into the level of sleep there are other levels of consciousness ‘near by’ shall we say above and below this sleep state. All of our ‘layers of self’ are present we simply devote so much time to our favorite two, sleep and wakefulness, the others lay dormant—might I remind the reader that all that is contained within levels of consciousness maintain a physical space in form. Touch of Awakening invites one to visit, interact, explore, and often correct or update all tissue and conscious layers.
Touch of Awakening is not a technique, it is an intention without agenda. Touch of Awakening is gentle, gradual, a sequence of ‘listening stations’ that emerge within the one being touched. You, the one who is “touching,” wait for the invitation to their sanctuary. The trick is—from the point of view of the one being touched (stay with me now)—YOU must awaken for you to extend the invitation!
‘Who awakens,’ and where, which level of tissue, what layer of consciousness? Think of it this way, you are deeply asleep and a sensation arises, gentle knocking at your door. Responding through the fog of where you are now, slowly layer by layer, awareness clarifies: you ‘see’ and recognize about you, and then self-healing begins that moment.
What you do when you wake, has to do with the available safety and support that you continue to sense from the touch (the knock). Curiosity, spontaneity, fluid exchange, vision come available, “hmmmm where am I, this is interesting, why is ‘this’ laying on the floor, I could trip over it.” You move the object. (Are you still with me?) Returning to waking in your own body energy self, you ‘observe,’ correct and move ‘things,’ open up, correct, clean, heal your-self. T.O.A. can be an aid in the background increasing safety/support so you can promote your own healing…
Why would you not do this on your own? When we are challenged through injury, or emotional trauma we isolate the area protect it. This also creates a barrier to our life force. We move out, leaving the storage locker and contents behind, often forgetting ‘it’ entirely. (An interesting observation of our current society is literally how many people have so much stuff, move about so often, that storage lockers are rented, and we often forget what is contained within them…).
T.O.A. is a safe reminder, a GPA on the meat (a technical term) and consciousness level, mixed with a fuzz buster. Your own inner police enforce a self-imposed zone taped off a crime scene, something dangerous, frightening. There is value on the scene if you have the safety to enter and open the container. You have a right to enter: T.O.A. can help you to make it safe, enter, learn, heal and return to whatever level of awareness you choose. Whatever layer of ’tissue self’ that may have been cordoned off can rejoin the whole.
Back to the “part two” idea: as you can tell there are many metaphors in place in “part two.” “Part one” of touch of awakening offers the step by step method; hold here, wait, listen, follow, etc.. but it is the attitude with which we are available for one another that makes this work. Please feel free to read “part one” in Ayurveda & Life Impressions Bodywork.
When push comes to shove, stop…wait…listen
When push comes to shove, stop…wait…listen…take note of who, and from where, is the pusher. It is us. We have engaged to the agenda our personal one, quite possibly a group assembly of ‘have to’s and hurry ups.”
Mechanical activity takes over when we push—acting in such a manner only tends to the tasks: you are left behind or projected forward in time. You are unavailable for learning, responsibility, change, or in some cases safety. Most self-inflicted injuries and ‘accidents’ occur when we act from the push place.
The “time” factor: often we have a mental or written list, things to do in time too short to do them…Racing through our self-allotted time, our day, our life, we end the cycle unfulfilled. We miss something—a life, a day, a moment empty of meaning. It is not whether we ‘make our mark in life’ that we later entertain regrets of while sitting in our rocking chair. It is the many, many unfulfilled, unaware empty moments of pushing and shoving past the enjoyments offered therein. Even if I have to change the diapers again, well, how about the sweet face at the other end of the diaper? Taking out the garbage, how about the fresher scent, the open space where the garbage rested before?
Not having ‘regrets’ comes from how we change pace and bring awareness; how we stop action long enough choose, to be aware. It is not about the pace so much as it is our attitude: ‘us’ being bypassed when our awareness is left in the dust. We can move quickly and attentively. Even the time taken to wait a moment, to listen to our breath, to wait for awareness, to surround the task, may bring the ‘lowliest of actions into a new light.’
If you want to go further with this, it is often the left side of our brai— the linear side, the agenda side, the side of order—that fuels the actions of ‘push and shove’. The right side generally ‘goes with the flow,’ even finding value in the task. Both sides have their place; there is also a place directly in the middle, between the two halves, a place of rest—the place of stop…wait…listen.
Here is a technique to bring yourself to neutral a place of choice. Stop action, cross your arms bring your right hand to the left ear, and then the left hand to the right ear. Cover the ears, listen, reach with you awareness in between the two halves of your brain: meet with your listening from the crossed hands on ears there. Breath, hear your breath, close your eyes, let your sight ‘fall back’ to meet your listening. Stay there as long as you like, at least five breaths. Go back to your task. Your pace and awareness will be in harmony! Enjoy your action! Learn from it. Enrich your life from it.
For more helpful options please feel free to download any one of the Movement Explorations
Movement Explorations: what is this and why bother?
May I offer one person’s perspective on this self-exploration movement method? I will preface offering respect to the “many shoulders of great people I stand on” that have developed this type of thinking. It is part Feldenkrais, Alexander method, internal martial arts, guided meditation, and all about you! Therefore I could not call it VanHowten method: thus Movement Explorations. It is very difficult to put into words because it is about experience—each person’s personal experience.
I will call it M.E.s for short. These lessons are a psycho-physical-Spirit exploration. They are a ‘discipline,’ but in my experience the gentlest, non-invasive, enticing discipline I have encountered! By ‘discipline’ I mean that they are designed to challenge our habitual behavior—not unlike some provocative therapies.
The value of this self-imposed challenge is reclaiming the same choice and freedom one seeks in any good deep therapy. “One sometimes wants to get away…” Same with any loving, personal growth process, an inner voice arises—maybe first thrust into the air, “NO, I do not want to change, let me be!” Another voice— maybe the angel on the other shoulder (you may add the dark voice or the angelic if you care to play along in your mind): “But freedom has a price—we must look at those parts that fester, that hold us back, that are not truly us.”
You may say well yes that is true for the ‘regular therapy program’ because then I can see the characters I play, the roles that direct and support one another in hard places. Well fellow seekers of truth: our patterns, whether character strategies, social imprinting, little and big quarks, are in the body; they are in the movement, or resistance to movement, they are in the emotional posturing.
M.E.s are asking you to be your own therapist: to feel so carefully within each action you make that you can recover your-self the big one. Recovering your-self from your own impositions—your own self-made constraints, whatever you have found in your patterns that are in need of clarifying—is in your body movement. We have an advantage with the body because it is so honest! With the subtleties of the mind and emotions there is a slickness, stuff that’s hard to pin down; but body always shows you, and sooner or later ya’ got ta’ love it!
It is not easy to let go of habituation on any level; we resist with our entire self. Maybe more so when the method is so open, designed to be non-invasive, safe, supportive. This gets under our radar. In fact you are asking yourself to go into the valley of change—eyes closed, moving so slowly—when all you might want to do is run for cover run back to the way you always did things…
M.E.s are very tricky: so light, so slow, so internal, for some character strategies (for “all,” depending on the lesson) there will come a time when you might say, “Gosh (or some other descriptive word) I hate this.” You might try an escape through sleep, moving quickly to get it over already. Or simply avoiding it all together. Now having said all that, I want you to know this is not a lecture—it is more of a confession. I know I’ve tried all the above—I can be pretty slick when I do not want to do something or to change…
Back for a moment to the nature of an M.E. lesson and how it is designed. This is food for the other side of the brain, for better nourishment (equal barrier thinking)! Within each lesson there is a constraint, even if the constraint is only the floor under you. There is a part of the lesson design that gets in your way and literally inhibits you from doing “it” the same way you always do… This is often subtle and may not even be noticed at first. This constraint is in place to interrupt our habitual behavior—in fact ultimately to help you find greater freedom from self imposed restrictions.
Example; sitting on the floor your knees bent feet on the floor, palms on the floor behind you. Your arms and legs are fixed in place. The request; move, turn yourself left and right…you are compelled first of all to figure this out (your first assignment Mr. Phelps should you take this mission…sorry could not resist) which in itself can be frustrating because we have so very often been told how you must do it! You are being given freedom to choose with the constraint of fixed limbs and your own ability to learn. This dynamic can bring up curiosity, creativity, frustration and more. We have been trained long and hard to do it right; well no one is there to tell you how to do it and what is right— how does that make you feel?
Even if you hear the words “you do not have to do it right,” there is another hidden constraint in that we have often been told: “This is how I want you to do it.” For so long as we have expected it; so we miss the guidance—maybe we feel abandoned or other such surprises…!
In this method there is no right way (although there is a general parameter one needs to at least be in the ballpark to play). There is your approximation built on your own learning with a huge amount of awareness. This method works because of the mistakes you make in your attempt to do it your way! There is a built-in soft frustration factor as we are all put upon at a very early age to do it my way, the way, follow the system, be a good unit in society. It may be irritating to be given this freedom…think about that…
I must interject here I am speaking to the possible inner challenges: for the most part they are small a short term… “What is he talking about?” When you get it in yourself you are in fact quite delighted. Also, the end product is lightness—a freedom of your own making—your own fault if you will, that you feel so well…
Some of this M.E. method is about How good can you stand it? And how long can you stand it good? Why interrupt habitual behavior? We were getting along just fine. One becomes boxed slowly in civilized, socialized, robotic. It settles over us; soon we walk like mom or dad. We hear our phrases like they offered them. We walk like a Midwesterner, we hold our chin up like an Easterner, we swagger like a Texan, we slouch like we are bored, we look very attentive as we were told to…the list goes on endlessly. These functional barnacles have become hard, encrusted, familiar, to such a degree that even when you ask yourself to be free of them, you resist self! (Make no mistake here; not a lecture I am firmly in the mix).
One last story about my wife, as sweet a natured person as you will ever encounter, who had a model childhood, always cheerful, caring, healthy, and so on. I am very luck…but on with the story. I had been adding these movement lessons into my classes, “something new,” oh no, not that. That is where it gets most people, it slides under the radar until you catch yourself looking for escape…from…your own patterning.
I often taught these classes in our home—a challenge in some manner for my dear wife, as you will see. A little background here to flesh out the story: I had found, since my Feldenkrais training, much unrealized potential in myself. More freedom in movement, back pains gone a lightness of body mind and spirit. Naturally I wanted to share it. I began to suggest that Corina take the training, and “No! I don’t need that…” Feeling such benefit, I persisted but to no avail.
In my classes at home, she, being part of the class, was expected to participate. She found many creative ways to escape (worthy of watching in ourselves). She would get up to tend to this, to that, to the cat, the phone…or simply wiggle, or speak to anyone near her. This continued over many classes. Time marches on…I continued to see the positive changes in myself, not without my own dramas! But steady progress in the shadows of darkness and the unbearable lightness of being…
At last I said, “Corina I will not bother you again about this if…there is a Feldenkrias training beginning here in Santa Fe, if you just do the first one-month phase? If you do not like it I will never bother you about it again.” She agreed, if only to shut me up. After one week of class she came to me and said, “Van I have no pain any where, I feel like great…”
Corina is now a Feldenkrais and Life Impressions practitioner…just so you don’t assume this is some great lovely fairytale as the years of the training went by we both went through very hard challenges. And are here still together to tell of it. More to come only if you can tolerate it. I hope I have not given more that you might want or can digest…food for thought!
Unrealized potential: a reservoir of ease of movement and energy held in life impressions
At this moment we all have a reservoir of unrealized potential of more ease of movement and energy. Often we refer to our “tight sore hip,” foot pain, neck stiffness or some other such label. These contained ‘potentials’ also relate to interpersonal patterns: inner longing, fear, insecurity. By the way, one’s body and interpersonal patterns/potentials have a direct connection.
We withdraw to hold or protect a vulnerable feeling event or belief using our energy and membranes to do so. All tissues have their own ‘job description’ when asked to remain static: in holding, they act as a stone in your shoe at first…a gentle reminder that ‘I have other things to do…’ Not heard, tissue packages, or “life impressions,” make more noise—which we label as pain and as stronger emotions.
We complain about our packaged events, experience pain, label them: bad hip, my good arm versus… These ‘titles’ overlay the contained event with attitude. With the new label more energy is devoted to holding, more tissues are drawn to the scene, adding more to the unrealized potential. (Just wait till you reclaim your juice and the glide of tissue!).
Maybe we intend to get back to this—the contained event—later. But more often it is forgotten, left in storage. These contained events and feelings interrupt the natural flow of life force expression and movement. The result is they begin to ‘rub us’—irritate to be heard; if not heard, they speak louder—more pain, stronger feeling…
When we “have a look”—create support or feel safer—our tissues that hold and protect the event receive a message from the motor cortex of the brain. “You can relax—we have reinforcements!” This message arrives as the sensory cortex responds to the support. This neurological messages inspires change—a greater wholeness of function. Tissues unravel, releasing the demand for your energy locally; you have more energy; life force flows freely; and your movements are lighter and more efficient. This letting go process could be called “tapping your unrealized potential.”
One more example: you have a fall, catch yourself with your right arm, it compresses into your shoulder and neck. The body response: it holds and protects against further invasion using a natural membrane, a semi-flexible ‘cast.’ Here’s an intelligent method of releasing such a chosen pattern: think of one of those touch release cabinet doors. You press ‘in’ to get the door to open. Supporting the shoulder arm and ribs, holding them, and offering very slight inward compressions, you then ‘get’ from the outside, giving PERMISSION from your inner protective response to release the contained area.
What else can you do to reap your unrealized potentials? May we consider potentials stored quite some time ago:
- Movement lessons of a nature designed to listen and learn, not produce results
- Very gently exploring non-habitual activities
- Very slowly exploring and noticing to feel differences
You can download movement lessons free to explore your “unrealized potential” in the blog soon…check the media page.
Part 2 Bones second most supportive component in our life
How did we lose, or forget, the value, the power, and strength of using our bones? When we began to function from agenda; when we out-paced our core structures; when effort versus integration was taught to us…
The tone of our entire organism is held in the brain and nervous system, which may be/’should be’ governed by our Spirit, our inner wisdom. When we traded in curiosity and spontaneity, we were forced to use greater effort to “keep up” with the agendas proposed by society, family, school system, life; then we physically changed the tone in our system: a message was sent from our brain based on some erroneous belief that we were not good enough, fast enough, whatever enough.
The tone of the superficial musculature—the ‘fast twitch stuff’—got more attention to rise to the task… Over use of the large muscles cancels out inherent inner support from bones. The big muscles literally get first in line functionally, act too soon. and leave the bone behind unused. This can and does become habitual; we forget more often, to a point where this become habit.
When the habit of such behavior locks down our own ability to choose, then our Spirit, who is behind all choice of action, is forgotten; we are then functioning from the past habits, thus limiting choice. We form a life impression hardened in flesh, isolated from awareness.
How do we reclaim our whole function, bones, and personal choice? We must begin to think differently about who we are and how we choose to function. Old paradigm would suggest more effort, but that is just how we got into this pattern! We try to stretch out of our pattern. Generally we over-stretch as this is the habit pattern once more, setting off a dynamic of recoil which requires more stretch to get back to the same place.
Here is another way to think differently: to quote one of my mentors, “It is not about more flexible bodies, it is about more flexible minds.” Moshe’ Feldenkrais. Thinking from inside out, take a moment to have your choice, be less automatic. Invite your bones (see first blog entry on Bones) to lead in your actions—all of them—as a system. We have begun to think and function in parts. We—body, mind,and Spirit—are totally related. If we do not interfere with ourselves, communication and responsibility come naturally.
Read more in Part 1:
Part 1
When we can sense bone, functioning from the inside-out, we have great power, stability, and safety. To use our bones we must have access to them. To have access, we must feel them. One way we inhibit our feeling is by directing our attention outside too much. Activities that overuse big muscles to excess—utilizing too much effort—when simply taking more time, getting help, or rolling something could allow us to do the job with ease.
Habituation—repeating the same activity the same way, whether physical repetition or in attitude—hardens us on the surface. We encase ourselves with effort; and in time an unnaturally hard surface will isolate us from others we would like to contact or who would like to contact us. Also a hard surface inhibits our own entrance ‘within.’ We cannot feel, and therefore cannot function from our second most supportive component when we hold ourselves too tightly.
How to change this dynamic? Begin to think from inside out, yes it is as simple as that. When you lift your arm, take time to feel, imagine your core, your infrastructure, bone. Send your bone up first—your muscles will follow as directed. Your bones shall follow as directed from YOU, the ‘indwelling being.’
Which brings us to the first most supportive component (maybe there is a better word here, ‘attribute’…?)—Spirit. The first and most supportive attribute in our life is our Spirit. May I offer a few titles for the most supportive attribute: life force, your highest self, your chi—my favorite though is Spirit…whatever term you use for this most holy, most sustainable part of self, this is what intends the aforementioned movement of the arm.
Back to our bone. When we move from the depth of bone we move with power, grace, lightness and support. Imagine now you move from the greatest underlying layer of all your Spirit! All that is required for this experience is taking the time, redirecting your focus from inside-out to outside-in for a short time (closing your eyes could help but may not be necessary).
Try this if you like. There is a world of inner experience within you. See for yourself how you can change yourself.
Read more:
Contact your original blue print by adding safety, support: the 'embryo' is a hidden key to releasing healing and self awareness
How I interact is to help you (the client if you will) contact your original blue print by adding safety, support, etc., to enter your own embryological patterns. This embryo stuff is a micro step away from Spirit; in fact it—the embryonic juice (a technical term I am sure!)—began to vibrate as the “breath of Life” passed through it…that vibration became life growing into the being we are now.
We are still contained in the embryo…this is a hidden key to releasing healing and self awareness. When you are ready, your own receptivity will not only help you further integrate your learning, but provide more clarity for personal growth.
Catching yourself moment to moment…having been in this field for many years I have entered into many self-awareness programs and found my mind trying to figure it’s way out. Invariably I find myself adding another layer of belief, saying such things as, “Ah, now I understand how I was before…,” and, “Aha I got it!” Then behind the scenes a whisper from that same mind, “But what about this, and what about that….” On and on goes the merry-go-round, until another construct is made—believed if only to maintain “sanity,” then swallowed, plastered in the flesh hard copy, and on we go…
In my humble opinion the only way off the merry-go-round is pulling the golden ring of our Spirit outside the mind… well that is a large subject…perhaps not to be encompassed here in a single sitting!
On another front to the journey for the true self…a hidden advantage exists within this hard copy print out, the body. The body is such an amazing tool: often poorly utilized, hardened with habit, de-sensitized with substances, until it gives only the response expected, sent in from the same old mind-born beliefs. Every movement has meaning, and we can stop this action and have a look, a feel for it. The body is more honest than the mind! It may be wrong, but it is honest, solid (relatively), and, here’s the good part: ‘it,’ our body, can be “melted” down with awareness and reshaped to announce to ourselves and the world at large a new story line.
All this being said, we must realize we are not the body, or the mind, but the Spirit. If we are to choose a horse to ride through the wasteland of old beliefs, the body is better grounded and more honest than the endless stories we can tell ourselves about who we think we are…or worse yet who someone else tells us we are or should be.
I find as I look around that cutting edge psychotherapy is directed toward healing the nervous system and avoiding the storyline (the story line equates ‘going mental on yourself’) through contact with the body. Maybe I am rambling, but I do find the merry-go-round has to stop when we physically get off the horse. One way Spirit gets our attention—when we no longer listen to the small voice within—is to offer the body a pain response.
Do we ever take notice? We can do this same awakening gently, pleasantly, to reach for the golden ring of Spirit…the mind alone cannot reach it…I hope this makes sense.
Helping others find the 'knowing' within
I am writing this to clarify the always-changing nature of our work. This body of knowledge (Life Impressions Bodywork) is a bit different and may be hard to convey to others, clients, friends, potential student. I feel in essence it is an experience something slightly beyond words. But in our culture we are often expected to share on the intellectual level that which we intend to offer…so, here is one way of thinking and possibly sharing with others.
There are challenges with this style of interacting with another person (notice I did not use the words treatment, therapy or some other such term). That is part of why I write this post. I had for many years taught other forms of body work more aligned with therapy, “fixing” problems.
It was probably easier to follow the impulse “to fix,” to have a clear recipe for treatment. It was probably something you could better understand, something linear, something easier to convey and to feel…I do appreciate you hanging in there when maybe this more current method seems mystical, intangible.
First of all let me say it is not intangible or mystical (well maybe a little or I would not feel the need to write this). It is in fact more clearly relating to the indwelling being and less to the belief in anatomy fixing (though they/we have no true understanding of how/why/if they should be fixed).
We as a world, as a society, have forever wanted to fix things into a likeness of something, into some ideal, some symbol of what we, as a group, feel is correct! Maybe we were wrong, or at the very least too fast to judge against what was being presented without first understanding what was behind “it:” the need for a pattern, whether physical, emotional, or psychological.
That is what Life Impressions is challenging in this current style. We are choosing to wait and to listen and then to follow (basically our Touch of Awakening) so that the inner self, the very intimate personal relationships to life on all levels, is being heard. This is a hands on method of simply adding support and safety so that the awareness of the person on the table can notice, evaluate, understand, resolve old history—in other words self correct! This part is very hard as a therapist since we have for our entire lives been under the assumption that we must know what to do. WE DO NOT NOR EVER WILL WE KNOW ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON’S NEEDS BETTER THEN HE/SHE DOES!
But we can help them find these answers, through the Touch Of Awakening and it’s offering of safety, support, and awareness.
With the Touch Of Awakening the recipient can respond to patterns and safely self-correct to ‘their own specifications’. We can help them integrate and deepen the learning. This is the essence of our method; I call it ‘our method’ because, if you are still with me, you are a Life Impressions practitioner regardless of pieces of paper from an institute or a state license on the wall. I share all of this because I really care about this work and I think many of you do also; but we all, myself included, are constantly being bombarded from the current paradigm of ‘fix me,’ ’you must have the answer for me,’ ‘why do I come if you can not fix me?,’ or, ‘why do I practice this method if I do not have the answers and if I do not understand every movement and “know” what I am doing?’
It is not our knowing we are after: it is helping others find the knowing ‘within.’ This does not relieve us from deepening our understanding of body, mind, and spirit patterns…but it takes a lot of trust; —trust in the person’s inner wisdom, trust in yourself, trust that there is something someone greater between, around, and within both you and the person on the table, and finally trust in the method.
May I offer an example of where trust may be found? One of my students in Poland said after a 6-day class, “I am not sure I understand anything. I feel great my partner had wonderful results but I don’t know what I learned.” Months later she was working with her mother and “this work” came forth, spontaneously from her and her mother. The work is already in the person: our trainings are mainly designed to help you learn to listen.
It takes time to trust; it takes experiences like this one I just mentioned. It takes practice; use this as much as you can make it prove to you that something good can happen – trust! There is nothing so much to learn as far as technique. It is more about learning how to listen, follow, etc., inside the person you are working with and yourself. This takes great trust, “trust in that which is unseen”—something in this world we are not supported in doing. We are taught to rely on the system the way it has always been.
Here is a news flash: “it” is not working and has not for a very long time. We see “it” in every aspect of the world: political, economical, environmental and interpersonal. I feel our work can work: if you “trust” in inherent wisdom of the Divine yourself and those you interact with you can help change occur so deeply that we may eventually WAKE UP! After all, what is this life about? Fixing a sore back? Well, that may help, and it may occur in one of our treatments, but how about the big picture?
In conclusion, I am “trusting” that you will hear this plea—my yearning from my heart for this/our work to grow within each of us, and maybe in the larger world. Yet I fully understand most of the world is not ready; we are on the edge of a great and necessary change on our planet and, in a very much smaller scale, in human interaction this method can help. These are fairly bold statements (although if you read the book nothing new about how I think) I’m trusting that you will not think, “Well finally Van has gone over the edge! Such grand illusion! What was he thinking. I cannot go there…it is too far out.”
I hope you can see it is far “in.” It is an invitation for us all to enter our inner kingdom and once more trust beyond the norm, make a leap of faith in the nature of inner wisdom.
One last thought: new methods and techniques are abundant out there and many are very good. We have a method here that can be flexible enough to help those other techniques and methods, that can help the person reach much deeper. Not to say we are better—this method is better—but meeting the person inside is essential for sustainable learning and improvement. Without this method we will simply repeat the process over and over again until “it” is the next belief that will become our next stumbling block in personal growth.
So yes, learn new methods but find a way to bring it home to the person. Life Impressions is one way.
