I've just done the latest level 2 course with Wendy Palmer. It was a fantastic weekend as usual, with Wendy demostrating by her presence, just as much as her words what this stuff is all about and how it has the possibility of changing the world for the better.
Space is Ground
Wendy's theme this time was 'Space is Ground'.
At first glance this doesn't make sense. From personality space doesn't exist, and even when we have all three centre's united, we usually ground down. But, in these days when the ground is shifting underneath us (what with financial crisis and all) that may not be the best way. Instead of depending on being grounded we need to relate to space from our centre. Like in aikido ukemi, we can give up our ground, but not our centre.
When we are centred, we have an appreciation of space. It's really only when we're centred that we can sense the space that equally around us at all. Personality can't access it.
Space is uplifted, inclusive and interconnected.
Personality is concerned with concrete things, approval, control and safety.
The weekend was designed to give us an experience of moving more fluidly between the two.
In basic practice we concentrate on the 'field' in the 'balance' step. The field is a balancing of our attention equally around us and
Exercises
Level 2 weekends ask us to use personal material within the exercises. For example to state our intentions when we move forward with them. In level 1 courses we concentrate on getting a good experience of the forms and techniques without using our personal story in an overt manner. Wendy started each day by asking us what was presently concerning us in life and then, almost on the spot, creating exercises designed to expose the energy dynamics underlying those situations.
We used:
- Basic practice - with a small group Wendy had time to go around us all and give individual help on posture and centre. We experimented with grounding upwards - not the tradition method!, but very effective. We spent a lot of time on this, as it's the basis of everything else in the weekend.
- One of the most helpful things that were identified, was to extend our spine by using the breath. So breath up the back on the inhale, allowing uplift up your back and neck and then breathe out down your front, softening the chest and solar plexus.
- Walking, coming from 5 places. We walked towards our partner experiencing the difference in walking in holding our attention in the following places in us:
- head,
- heart
- Hara
- 3 centres aligned
- field (or space)
This was a fascinating exercise as there was a big different in the the experience of both giver and receiver and allows us to see where people in our lives 'are coming from'!
- Partner 2 Step - using the aikido 2 step exercise we investigated moving very close and then further from our partner and if / how we lost our awareness of ourselves and 'ellipted' onto our partner, being more aware of them thus disturbing our balance. Since we were moving this effect could be clearly experienced.
- Moving forward with resistance - one person puts a hand on the partners chest, who then tries to move forward. This is stopped easily. The partner then centres and moves from the hara, a deeper place than the emotional connection simulated by a hand on the chest. The partner can move forward easily.
- Randori
A great course!
It was a fantastic course and I come away with a lot of things to try and more knowledge of the patterns I'm running and some humour and spaciousness to soften and try something different the next time I notice them in 'real' life.
The weekend was sponsored by Paul King of the Beyond Partnership. He and I are presently the only CE teachers in the UK. Thanks to Paul for the organisation of the course.
