The recognition and treatment of trauma is something I'm really into at the moment. Its effects on the mind and in the body can be long-lasting, surprising, diverse, disruptive, confusing.
Here are a couple of links to get you going:
Peter Levine on YouTube
Interview with Peter Levine
(You'll have to use the "back" link to return to this page)
I did some sessions of Peter Levine's therapy, Somatic Experiencing, in the last few weeks, and will be starting the three year training in May 2010.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Meditation
Meditation's a funny old thing. So many different ways to do it, and so many people assuming that their way is the only way. Not true! Most people seem to claim to have tried it, however half-heartedly, but few persevere.
I've several times been told that being on my massage table gives a client their first experience of what it's like to be without thoughts. That they've tried meditating, and failed; the monkey mind continues to trouble them and does not relent.
Is that the point, though? Here's a great brief guide to, and advertisement for, meditation: http://www.mentalworkout.com/guides/guide-to-meditation. I think it's great, and I'm very happy to pass it on as a reference. When I read the list of benefits to meditation, it's hard for me to see why people don't want to try it.
Another bit of advice I found useful early on in my own practice was that people have to find their own way into meditation. This was stated in a book, and it immediately made sense to me.
So, why not give it a try? If you live locally to me and would like to join a meditation group, please get in touch, as I've been hoping to get a small group together for some time and it would be a delight to get started.
I've several times been told that being on my massage table gives a client their first experience of what it's like to be without thoughts. That they've tried meditating, and failed; the monkey mind continues to trouble them and does not relent.
Is that the point, though? Here's a great brief guide to, and advertisement for, meditation: http://www.mentalworkout.com/guides/guide-to-meditation. I think it's great, and I'm very happy to pass it on as a reference. When I read the list of benefits to meditation, it's hard for me to see why people don't want to try it.
Another bit of advice I found useful early on in my own practice was that people have to find their own way into meditation. This was stated in a book, and it immediately made sense to me.
So, why not give it a try? If you live locally to me and would like to join a meditation group, please get in touch, as I've been hoping to get a small group together for some time and it would be a delight to get started.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Slow down and reconnect
I had some new leaflets printed this year, with the following slogan on the front:
Make 2010 the year you slow down and reconnect with your self
World Slow Day apparently missed the UK, but it seems to have been celebrated with gusto in Italy, according to this article. If you've not read Carl Honore's book "In Praise of Slow" I suggest you do so - it's a good wake up call. As an introduction, you might like to listen to his talk on TED/YouTube. There are chapters in the book on complementary therapies (including massage) and exercise (including Tai Chi/Chi Kung).
Food for thought!
Food for thought!
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Can you "fail" at Chi Kung?
The press are saying that Prince Charles "failed" at Chi Kung (see, for e.g. Daily Telegraph or Daily Mail articles). I'm not usually one to follow the news, but this hot topic was brought to my attention when I was invited to talk on BBC Three Counties Radio as a Chi Kung "expert" earlier today. It was fun and I'm delighted that the presenter apparently enjoyed our chat as heartily as I did!
So, can you "fail" at Chi Kung? And, more specifically, did Price Charles "fail"?
Naturally, Price Charles dropping his energy balls was always going to be a great line for the press ... the media love to pounce on failure when it comes to celebrities, even better royalty, and the dodgy anatomical reference must have been a great bonus. Accordingly, the photos they've used of him aren't exactly flattering; the poor guy is in a double-breasted suit, which doesn't give him much freedom of movement through his chest and shoulders, and in some images he even appears to be grimacing.
Nevertheless, the guy did it! He moved. He played along. And for him to have dropped his energy ball, he must at least have made contact with it in the first place. Considering that he was on an official visit and would have had most of his focus on the people around him rather than on his internal awareness during what must have been a very short taster session of Chi Kung, I'd say he did OK. The restrictions he described in one arm following two fractures a few years ago can't have helped. And he may have got the giggles ... but what's wrong with that? Many find the slow and mindful movements of Chi Kung strange or even disconcerting to start with (and any awkwardness also potentially embarrassing if others are watching you). People may react in a variety of ways to this, and laughing would certainly be preferable from an energetic perspective to tightening up or becoming inhibited. I think it's great if people get a good belly laugh in class! If it isn't fun or enjoyable in some way, nobody is likely to pursue Chi Kung for long.
What is "failure" anyway? It's just a judgement. So many of my students seem to come to class with an in-built double bind; that they ought to be able to get it right, but they will inevitably be getting it wrong. I go round offering corrections and they wince and whinge in anticipation of condemnation, yet I can't really imagine what they could possibly do to fail. It's all in their head. Even someone whose inner critic is so harsh that they feel unable even to attempt a movement has not failed; they're succeeding in being honest and authentic and I'm happy to coax and support them along.
Chi Kung is often seen as just a practice for physical health or well-being. For sure it makes you healthier, more supple/balanced/coordinated/calmer/less emotional etc. - but I reckon it has the potential to offer a whole lot more - something much deeper and more fundamental.
There's a vulnerability that we open ourselves up to in learning and carrying out a new movement. "Stuff" can come up. Because Chi Kung classes are predominantly non-verbal and minimally interactional, they give us a real opportunity to face our tendencies to either over- or under-rate our own performance, and to experience whatever emotions arise in response to these judgements. We can just be with what is; nobody is asking you to be other than as you are. You do what you can, from wherever you find yourself, and that's all you have to do. There's nowhere to hide! This is simple but very powerful. Each person works on his or herself. From one perspective, we are all attempting to master the same form, to do the same thing "correctly" ... but from another, we are all just being ourselves. Just be, relax, move, flow and enjoy.
It will always remain my intention that "failure" does not play a part in my classes.
So, can you "fail" at Chi Kung? And, more specifically, did Price Charles "fail"?
Naturally, Price Charles dropping his energy balls was always going to be a great line for the press ... the media love to pounce on failure when it comes to celebrities, even better royalty, and the dodgy anatomical reference must have been a great bonus. Accordingly, the photos they've used of him aren't exactly flattering; the poor guy is in a double-breasted suit, which doesn't give him much freedom of movement through his chest and shoulders, and in some images he even appears to be grimacing.
Nevertheless, the guy did it! He moved. He played along. And for him to have dropped his energy ball, he must at least have made contact with it in the first place. Considering that he was on an official visit and would have had most of his focus on the people around him rather than on his internal awareness during what must have been a very short taster session of Chi Kung, I'd say he did OK. The restrictions he described in one arm following two fractures a few years ago can't have helped. And he may have got the giggles ... but what's wrong with that? Many find the slow and mindful movements of Chi Kung strange or even disconcerting to start with (and any awkwardness also potentially embarrassing if others are watching you). People may react in a variety of ways to this, and laughing would certainly be preferable from an energetic perspective to tightening up or becoming inhibited. I think it's great if people get a good belly laugh in class! If it isn't fun or enjoyable in some way, nobody is likely to pursue Chi Kung for long.
What is "failure" anyway? It's just a judgement. So many of my students seem to come to class with an in-built double bind; that they ought to be able to get it right, but they will inevitably be getting it wrong. I go round offering corrections and they wince and whinge in anticipation of condemnation, yet I can't really imagine what they could possibly do to fail. It's all in their head. Even someone whose inner critic is so harsh that they feel unable even to attempt a movement has not failed; they're succeeding in being honest and authentic and I'm happy to coax and support them along.
Chi Kung is often seen as just a practice for physical health or well-being. For sure it makes you healthier, more supple/balanced/coordinated/calmer/less emotional etc. - but I reckon it has the potential to offer a whole lot more - something much deeper and more fundamental.
There's a vulnerability that we open ourselves up to in learning and carrying out a new movement. "Stuff" can come up. Because Chi Kung classes are predominantly non-verbal and minimally interactional, they give us a real opportunity to face our tendencies to either over- or under-rate our own performance, and to experience whatever emotions arise in response to these judgements. We can just be with what is; nobody is asking you to be other than as you are. You do what you can, from wherever you find yourself, and that's all you have to do. There's nowhere to hide! This is simple but very powerful. Each person works on his or herself. From one perspective, we are all attempting to master the same form, to do the same thing "correctly" ... but from another, we are all just being ourselves. Just be, relax, move, flow and enjoy.
It will always remain my intention that "failure" does not play a part in my classes.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Tips on presence?
I've started receiving daily Enneathoughts from the Enneagram Institute. Some of them are pretty cool! They give pointers to exploring that I habitually do to distract myself from being simply present in my life - and therefore a potential route out.
But, if you don't know what the Enneagram is, this isn't going to mean much.
Briefly, the Enneagram is an ancient symbol which describes, within the three shapes it is made up from, the notions of a) unity, b) what makes up life, and c) how life flows. In the last century it has been developed and applied to psychology by various teachers (notably Don Riso and Russ Hudson from the EI) to describe nine personality types.
The reason I like the Enneagram (and have mentioned it to several of my clients) is that it is taught not as a way of enabling me to say "Oh, do I'm a [particular type] ... that's why I do X and Y and Z, and that's the end of it; I'm stuck!" No, the Enneagram is taught based on the understanding that we are not our personality types. We are something more fundamental than that - Essence, Presence, Consciousness, our Essential or Authentic Self - call it what you will. Our Enneagram type masks our real self. Our type description shows us all the ways in which our ego routinely operates to take us away from presence - from reality. How we mis-interpret situations, how we over (or under) react, how we view the world, how we avoid intimacy and connection.
So ... if this appeals, I suggest you go explore the Enneagram Institute web site, read some of the type descriptions and/or do their on-line type-identification questionnaires.
But, if you don't know what the Enneagram is, this isn't going to mean much.
Briefly, the Enneagram is an ancient symbol which describes, within the three shapes it is made up from, the notions of a) unity, b) what makes up life, and c) how life flows. In the last century it has been developed and applied to psychology by various teachers (notably Don Riso and Russ Hudson from the EI) to describe nine personality types.
The reason I like the Enneagram (and have mentioned it to several of my clients) is that it is taught not as a way of enabling me to say "Oh, do I'm a [particular type] ... that's why I do X and Y and Z, and that's the end of it; I'm stuck!" No, the Enneagram is taught based on the understanding that we are not our personality types. We are something more fundamental than that - Essence, Presence, Consciousness, our Essential or Authentic Self - call it what you will. Our Enneagram type masks our real self. Our type description shows us all the ways in which our ego routinely operates to take us away from presence - from reality. How we mis-interpret situations, how we over (or under) react, how we view the world, how we avoid intimacy and connection.
So ... if this appeals, I suggest you go explore the Enneagram Institute web site, read some of the type descriptions and/or do their on-line type-identification questionnaires.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Mindfulness
Here's an interesting article that I discovered while browsing on Facebook (of whcih I confess to being a bit of an addict:
How Mindfulness can Make for Better Doctors (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/health/15chen.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
The article focusses on a change of mental attitude - the intent to practise mindfulness - being fully present to and aware of (or even immersed in) what you are doing. In this state, things become almost effortless, helping to prevent burnout.
However, this end result can also be an outcome of regular bodwork - either hands on bodywork which brings you into your body (like my biodynamic massage therapy) or some form of exercise in which you are encouraged to really feel your body (like my Dragon and Tiger Chi Kung), whcih is not so much the case with many Western forms of exercise (running, football, tennis, cycling etc.). Achieving this kind of mindfulness is effortless - it just happens - life flows.
Anyone interested in a radical discussion of mindfulness might look at Zen Buddhist Brad Warner's musings on the topic. Be warned that he doesn't spare readers from strong language, however!
How Mindfulness can Make for Better Doctors (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/health/15chen.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
The article focusses on a change of mental attitude - the intent to practise mindfulness - being fully present to and aware of (or even immersed in) what you are doing. In this state, things become almost effortless, helping to prevent burnout.
However, this end result can also be an outcome of regular bodwork - either hands on bodywork which brings you into your body (like my biodynamic massage therapy) or some form of exercise in which you are encouraged to really feel your body (like my Dragon and Tiger Chi Kung), whcih is not so much the case with many Western forms of exercise (running, football, tennis, cycling etc.). Achieving this kind of mindfulness is effortless - it just happens - life flows.
Anyone interested in a radical discussion of mindfulness might look at Zen Buddhist Brad Warner's musings on the topic. Be warned that he doesn't spare readers from strong language, however!
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Changing the way you move
I just wanted to share this inspiring article about how bodywork and movement can dramatically change the way you experience your body. Wonderful stuff! Biodynamic massage and Chi Kung have changed the way I live in my own body in a similar but less dramatic way, and this is what underlies my motivation to do what I do.
Learning his body, learning to dance (New York Times)
Learning his body, learning to dance (New York Times)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)