Session 4: Mind, Body and Movement

A truncated version of the practice to help teh group settle.

Opportunity for group to share.

Group stand in a circle holding hands with one partner. If the group is an odd number, then the one left behind walks around the inside of the circle asking each pair - “Do you understand this game?” Each pair must refer the questioner to the next pair along in the circle. “Ask them."

(If the group number is even then the facilitator takes the initial questioner role).

Meanwhile, behind their back, anyone making eye contact with someone in the circle swaps places, running across the circle to switch partners. Once they have let go of their partner’s hand to reach the new partner they cannot return.

The questioner tries to intercede and take the hand of any partner in the circle who is without a partner. They cannot intercept a person mid switch, but must grab the hand of the ‘discarded’ partner.

Whoever is left without the partner must become the questioner.

A rule is added mid game, when the facilitator shouts out ‘Chaos’ then everyone must find a different partner. They must do so as if they are extras in a disaster movie.

They must imagine what is the most terrifying movie disaster for them (e.g. Godzilla, tsunami, aliens) and act as if they are being pursued by such a disaster.

The game ends when the facilitator calls a final ‘Chaos’ but instructs taht it should be done in extra slow-motion.

This is the only proper game that is played in the course, but it illustrates the rollercoaster of constant and mystifying change and how letting to to it can be fun.

Artist, dancer and cranial sacral therapist Simon Whitehead first introduced this exercise to me.

When a human (or any vertebrate) egg is fertilised in the womb the cell multiplies into a strip of cells that constitutes the spine. On the top of this strip of cells that becomes our spine there forms a special cell…the heart.

This strip then bends over so that the heart attaches to the spine in the precise place where we find it in our bodies today.

Our face and head is then formed inside the heart and detaches as the spine unfolds, lifting the head up. The hands and arms are also formed in the heart before they too unfold and open out.

The participants remember and reenact this movement of the body’s creation.

In pairs they take turns to be protagonist and witness.

The protagonist sits or kneels on the floor and practices moving from the enfolded position to the unfolded, slowly raising the head and opening and extending the arms. Pausing a moment in this image of openness before returning slowly to the enfolded position in preparation to unfold again. Their eyes are closed

For participants who are uncomfortable on the floor then sitting in a chair is fine. Though the ideal is where there are enough cushions and mats available to make it possible for the exercise to be performed whilst kneeling on the floor.

The protagonist bares silent witness to this repeated movement.

This opening and closing are practiced for some five to ten minutes. The other partner in the pair serves as a silent and respectful witness to this re-membering.

The facilitator can choose whether to play music for this exercise, though it is more powerful when done to moving music.

Once the song or practice period has ended, the witness shares what they witnessed with their protagonist - what it is that they noticed, perhaps even what they admired or took them by surprise.

The protagonist then shares with the witness what it is they noticed as they were doing the movement. The pairs then swap roles and proceed as before.

This week there is a second Creative Challenge. It comes from image theatre which is part of the armoury of the Theatre of the Oppressed, but is adapted for our purposes.

The participants are invited to find a position in the space in which it is comfortable to both move around and lie down.

I”n this exercise you are going to go through 24 hours in the space of 10 minutes.

Create an image or a mime of what you are doing on a usual day at 2am in the morning. Now, with every added minute go forward an hour. What are you doing at 3am, 4am, 5am all the way through to 2am the following morning.

If it helps you to imagine, close your eyes.

While doing this take note of what you are doing and why you are doing it. Remembering the First Movement practice, how much are you opening to experience and how much are you closing. Notice how this doesn’t necessarily relate to what you are doing but more to the attitude you take towards it.

The facilitator calls out the hour of the day. Individuals can interact or not during their imaginary day, it’s up to them.

At the end of the 24 hours, while the group is lying down ‘sleeping’ (there might be some night owls which require you to go to 3am or 4am) the facilitator asks the group to reflect on their day and when they are opening and when they are closing to their experience. What are the thoughts they have around the things that they do?

A poem I also like to read at this point, while people are in resting repose, is ‘A Summer’s Day’ by Mary Oliver, which end with the line - “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Or alternatively, Philip Larkin’s ‘Days’ is shorter and apt.

Participants are then invited to ‘crawl’ or maneuver over to the partner they had in the previous creative challenge and share with them what they noticed in the practice.

In one version I sometimes ask them to identify their top 5 thoughts that think they are facts. They often present themselves as ‘I am… or I am not..’; ‘I have to…’; ‘I should…’

As per guided practice.