tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17176035691721198062024-03-13T15:02:34.398-04:00Riding Between Heaven & EarthEquitation, Aikido, Alexander TechniqueDebrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-43458305932127138782014-12-19T10:48:00.001-05:002015-01-30T14:28:49.423-05:00so glad you asked<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n-2YN_Ak9eE" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">An old
friend and Alexander Technique colleague, <a href="http://peacefulbodyschool.com/" target="_blank">Bruce Fertman</a>, sent me this video
with an intriguing request – analyze the movement from an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzWAeksoGJo" target="_blank">Aikido </a>perspective.
Bruce is comparing how differently trained people see movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found this fascinating, and my answer
continued to grow . . . so I thought it would live well on <i>Riding Between
Heaven and Earth.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://youtu.be/isz5XVqFrFU" target="_blank">Marj</a> placed
great emphasis on observing movement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My involvement with horses and riding has given
me a new appreciation of that aspect of her teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Marj</span></span> was a horsewoman who raised and rode
quarter horses on her ranch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I
understand how significantly that informed her Alexander Technique teaching. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My riding mentors are all extremely keen
observers of movement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I have been
asked to answer through the lens of Aikido.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My response looks at how much power is generated with the least amount
of effort though use of the body as a whole and through a harmonious relationship
with the tool.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’m
noticing how much body integration each worker seems to possess and how they
are trying to maximize the effect of their effort; how energy is moving through
them and their sledge hammers; what is their relationship to the tool they are
using -- if they make it a natural extension of their movement or if they
seem very separate from it. All of them are standing in right hamni, the
triangular stance used in Aikido and in Aikido weapons training. The worker
in the green hat is using himself in a manner closest to Aikido body
movement. He is the most efficient, initiating the movement from his
center and allowing it to spiral up his torso through his arms. He is using the
dropping of his center and maximizing the movement of his hip, knee and ankle
joints, and his torso has a lot of integrity. He maintains his vertical
axis nicely -- he is not twisting himself off axis. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He allows his hip movement to swing the hammer
back and behind him, which carries through as his arms raise over his
head and he then lets the hammer drop with gravity, enhancing the effect of that
with the timing of the dropping of his center, just slightly before the hammer
strike. <a href="http://youtu.be/j56SWOqgd7Q" target="_blank">Sugano Sensei</a> had this quality of timing in his bokken (wooden
sword) cut.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">“Green
hat” also has the best ma-ai (distance) between his center and the center of
the post. The other workers’ distance appears not quite comfortable.
Possibly the different distances are necessary to coordinate the
movements of the four of them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third
worker from the right has to throw his hammer out forward to reach the post,
which puts some extra stress on his upper body. Green hat‘s efficiency
means that he does not need to reposition his grip each time he swings the
hammer. The worker to his right repositions his grip for each strike to create
leverage with his upper body and arms against the hammer, but this means his
upper body is taking more impact and also doing more work – he is actually
lifting that heavy hammer with his arms for each swing – you can see his left
elbow come away from his body creating the stressful relationship to his
hammer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other two workers are
focused on hitting with their upper bodies as well; the worker in the left
front is at least moving his center laterally and using his large joints (like
the rowing exercise in Aikido) which gives him some whole body power; however,
his upper body has an energetic break mid-chest, as he is still overworking with
his arms and upper body, so he dissipates some of the useful energy generated by
the movement of his lower body. He and the worker in the white hat are each
tensing their upper back and neck against impact of the strike which indicates
to me that they are using “hard eyes” or a narrowed field of vision, focusing a
lot of effort on the end goal and slightly anticipating each impact. I
also notice that green hat’s efficiency with his body mechanics, timing and
distance makes his striking seem slower and more spacious, even though I
believe they are all striking at about the same actual speed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">So, the
worker with the most ease, awareness and integration within his own body is
able to work most efficiently. In Aikido this efficiency translates into the
martial quality. The <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/beautiful-postive-dynamic.html" target="_blank">beauty</a> of the movement is not separate from the effectiveness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What an interesting opportunity to see four
people’s unique relationship to the same activity! Thank you, Bruce, for asking
my perspective. I suggest asking <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/members/?id=25816026" target="_blank">Gail Field</a> to give an Alexander Technique/Centered
Riding analysis, and <a href="http://www.mariakatsamanis.com/home.html" target="_blank">Maria Katsamanis</a> to talk about
movement from a Classical Equitation context.</i></span></div>
Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-90542531291870652002011-04-22T17:58:00.015-04:002015-01-30T14:30:04.050-05:00the other side<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuCSJMqw3Hg/TbH7CWhhusI/AAAAAAAAAfo/0U3sRuVzFp0/s1600/DC%2Bpats%2BTheo%2Badj.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuCSJMqw3Hg/TbH7CWhhusI/AAAAAAAAAfo/0U3sRuVzFp0/s320/DC%2Bpats%2BTheo%2Badj.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598531829622749890" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 246px;" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It has been over a year since I last shared anything here. Those who know me know something of the story but the gist of it is that I have passed through a time of deep sorrow and loss and have finally emerged to fully embrace life and learning again. Lots of knitting was accomplished this winter as I meditatively worked through my feelings, and more than a few horses have carried me as I cried -- they have taken especially good care of their trembling rider. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Springtime is bringing many riding opportunities, <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10001,10027">Centered Riding</a>® clinics, study groups, a new <i>Finding Harmony with your Horse</i> session at <a href="http://www.somersetcountyparks.org/parksfacilities/stable/LSS.html">Lord Stirling</a>. <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/12/embodying-dream.html">Annelie</a> and I are attending <a href="http://www.feldenkraisinstitute.com/workshops/?lid=nav_workshopsclasses">Feldenkrais</a> and <a href="http://www.opencenter.org/the-psoas-activating-your-inner-core-liberating-your-lower-back/">Franklin Method</a> (with Eric Franklin!) workshops, and spending time together pursuing our many common interests. and I’m fully back on the <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/10/harmony.html">aikido</a> mat and doing a lot more <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/02/moment-with-marj.html">Alexander Technique</a> teaching. My daughter and her husband have moved to New York! You can hear her lovely coloratura soprano voice on the blogger site I just created for her: <a href="http://mayasarrival.blogspot.com/">Maya's Arrival</a>.</span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> So, I’m looking forward to tending my digital garden here at RBHE again, now that I have come out on the other side – of life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Theo, the biggest horse I have ridden so far, terrified me with his ground behavior, only to show me that, as promised by his owner, he is a perfect gentleman under saddle and truly a gentle giant!</i></span></div>
Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-40907557275133936732010-03-31T22:15:00.007-04:002015-01-30T14:34:11.559-05:00on the radio<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/S7QCRYbLJ_I/AAAAAAAAAdg/tpaE7g2PRZw/s1600/debcrampton.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/S7QCRYbLJ_I/AAAAAAAAAdg/tpaE7g2PRZw/s400/debcrampton.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454987546289973234" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A few weeks ago I was down in Hickory, North Carolina for a <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10001,10027" target="_blank">Centered Riding</a>® clinic with <a href="http://www.clubequestrian.com/equipedia/US_Athlete_Bios/US_Para-Equestrians/Robin_Brueckmann_.aspx" target="_blank">Robin Brueckmann</a> and a few extra days of horse immersion at the invitation of my friend, the fabulous, fearless and funloving Miss Dana Dewey, founder of <a href="http://www.foothillsweb.com/">Foothills Equestrian Center</a>. I also visited <a href="http://aikidoofcharlotte.net/" target="_blank">Aikido of Charlotte</a> and taught a couple of classes at the gracious invitation of Sensei Dennis Main and his senior student Jonathan Weiner who subsequently interviewed me for their web radio program.
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<br />I thought I would consciously avoid incorporating anything at all about horse riding, as I know that I often get carried away with that -- but of course, I couldn’t quite resist.
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<br />Listen to the interview <a href="http://aikidoofcharlotte.com/2012/radio/DCramptoninterview.mp3" target="_blank">HERE</a>.
</span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-41900855939385082552010-02-21T11:09:00.007-05:002017-02-07T16:19:23.252-05:00sharing a center<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X134rL2NNjM" width="640"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So many titles surfaced -- you can take your pick – it takes two / two as one / seamless / <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip">mobius</a> / give and take / giving weight / pouring weight / follow the weight / the flow of weight / flow the weight / the shifting of the weight.<br /><br />Weight, momentum, inertia and what happens in relation to these forces when one moving body comes into contact with another moving body forms the basis for an art form called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_improvisation">Contact Improvisation</a>. I was fortunate to have Alexander Technique students who were teaching it when I first came to New York. Created by a modern dancer who was also an aikidoist, it is an improvised exploration of bodies in motion. Sometimes more interesting to experience than to watch, it has influenced post modern dance and the sensitivity training of young dancers for over 30 years. It is also an evident influence on the choreography of the most famous ice dancing couple ever, Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean.<br /><br />A couple of summers ago, my horse riding friend, <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/confidence.html">Annelie</a>, visited the USAF Summer Camp where she bravely got on the mat with me and had her first experiences of the art of aikido. She had a rather unique approach to learning which involved asking me repeatedly, ‘where should my weight be now?’ A lot of people want to know where to place their feet or what to do with their arms, but Annelie always wanted to know where to shift her weight. Sometimes I had to go through the movement several times myself before I could answer her – my unconscious competence carried me through the techniques without too much analysis after so many years of repetition, but her questions led me to a new perspective.<br /><br />The more I learn about riding horses, the better I understand why she approached this learning experience based almost solely on what happened to the weight in her body – did it shift forwards, or backwards, and at which moments did it change? She knew instinctively that the quality, location and movement of the weight through her body, down through her legs and feet was fundamental to what we were trying to accomplish in aikido, just as it is in horse riding. I thought about this for months afterwards and spent a lot of time on street corners and subway platforms and also on aikido mats and yes -- even on the back of a horse while riding -- experimenting with the shifting of my weight and also the accepting of weight through my bones.<br /><br />The aspect of the interaction shown above which is most interesting to me is the progressive blurring of the boundaries between the two skaters as they mirror and then match each other’s movement, gradually closing the distance and eventually each maintaining their own perfect integrity of self while both giving and receiving weight. I watch the dance over and over, invariably swaying in my seat, following the hypnotic path of the weight which they expertly funnel back and forth between them. What happens during those rare moments when two become more like one? This is what continues to intrigue me about the art of horse riding, as well as aikido and other artistic forms involving partnering.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Now in the midst of the Winter Olympics, it’s timely to share this clip and some of the myriad impressions it evokes in me. If you have the patience to watch through the rather long introductory section you will be richly rewarded. In this performance filmed during their professional career, they push the artistic envelope, having the freedom to leave some of the rules and restrictions of competition behind.</span></span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-8719851559420625712009-12-31T12:58:00.009-05:002017-07-24T13:00:45.081-04:00fascinating rhythm<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/veNXiv4kP-c" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">The giant metronome in the sky – that’s how I came to think of the incessant and precisely regular sound. It would have been maddening, except for the fact that it seemed to pulse at a tempo perfectly suited to the trotting gait of the horse I was riding that evening -- another lovely autumn night in the outdoor ring. Clear and not too cold, it was apparently also perfect for the local marching band practicing somewhere off in the distance, using an amplified electronic metronome to keep them in step.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Well, of course, I knew rhythm to be important in riding and horse training but that evening I had a very tangible experience of the effect of regularity, repetition and consistency on both my horse and myself. I found it impossible to keep from posting the trot to the beat of the metronome. So after my initial resistance, thinking ‘when will that infernal pounding stop!?’ I surrendered and noticed how happily Knickers seemed to be ticking along, dropping his head slightly, blowing out and shaking himself like a big dog, quickly settling down to trot easily around the ring. We both became somewhat mesmerized and I found that soon I hadn’t a care in the world.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">The experience stayed with me and in my musician’s heart I began to ponder the significance of rhythm – a concept I had come to take for granted throughout many years of musical training. I started questioning some of my musical friends, particularly those who play jazz and Latin music, I pulled out all of my various dressage and horse training books and began to think about rhythm – in music and in horse riding, soon finding more complexity than I first imagined. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Rhythm is a vibrational phenomenon, and it exists at many levels and across time scales. Some say that our relationship to rhythm is established in our mother’s womb as we are literally immersed in the beating of her heart. Throughout our lives we experience layer upon layer of rhythms and cycles from the rising and setting of the sun, the phases of the moon, and the turning of the seasons. From the micro to the macro level, rhythm makes time apparent to us.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">So, rhythm includes periodicity and regularity, contains the element of tempo, can create shape, is predictable -- the feeling of knowing what is coming next allows for relaxation. I have the rhythm of my work day, my week, the rhythm of an hour’s aikido class or a weekend intensive seminar. These days I also have the regular structure of a riding lesson – a similar progression from preparation, warm up, through gradually more demanding movements, including periods of greater and lesser intensity, ending with a winding down to walk on a long rein, halt and dismount. Like a musical phrase, a song or a symphony, a short story or a novel – each has a certain form and tempo, a rhythmic framework.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Our rhythmic sense should be completely natural and inherent, yet not everyone seems to be able to express it equally well, to “tap into it,” to “go with the flow.” If rhythm is so closely connected to relaxation, then it certainly makes sense that tension is the enemy of rhythm. Any method for releasing excess tension, whether through the <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/02/moment-with-marj.html">Alexander Technique</a>, <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/tally-ho-with-balimo.html">Feldenkrais</a>, meditation or <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2009/11/nothing-doing.html">constructive rest</a>, allows us more access to this quality we all seem to crave: the pulse which has the ability to mesmerize and enthrall and which in turn puts us even further at ease.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">The subject is deep and broad and all-encompassing and its application, especially in horse riding and training, so integral, I am quite certain that “I do not know what I do not know” – you know what I mean -- but it is so irresistibly fascinating that it must be explored.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>And, what could seemingly illustrate rhythm more perfectly than – tap dancing! Ring in the New Year with this over-the-top number as Eleanor Powell dances to…what else – Fascinatin' Rhythm! Fortunately, even the low resolution film quality cannot disguise the precision of her body mechanics. Note her ability to isolate body parts, the easy poise of her head and if you wonder how she can move and lift her legs without disturbing her overall coordination – it’s the psoas (core strength) muscle. Enjoy!</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></span>
Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-91514302754033893982009-12-13T09:28:00.009-05:002015-01-30T14:37:48.619-05:00the maestro<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TfiTTyi2He8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TfiTTyi2He8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Equestrian art is the perfect understanding and harmony between horse and rider."</span><br /> --Nuno Oliveira<br />Enraptured, I watched in amazement, and could only feel that this must be the epitome, the ultimate expression of equestrian artistry -- its complete embodiment. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuno_Oliveira" target="_blank">Nuno Oliviera</a> (1925 – 1989) personifies effortless elegance in this rare footage from his earlier years. Horse and rider are seamlessly inseparable – he transcends their duality, creating a palpable demonstration of oneness. Where does one being end and the other begin?<br />The creation which results is it seems greater than either could achieve alone – the horse has become a willing partner, allowing the man to experience a physicality impossible without his mount. And while a horse’s movements at liberty are undeniably beautiful, somehow the rider is able to draw out and reveal to us unimagined potentials in the horse. Their synergy positively takes our breath away.<br />The caption of the video <span style="font-style: italic;">“travail d'un cheval”</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">“work with a horse”</span> describes not a choreographed artistic performance but rather the patient, precise and utterly consistent process of communication by a master training a pupil. The addition of the wonderfully complementary musical track may enhance the aesthetic impact, yet as I watch again in silence I find it even more magical. This masterful rider seems able to place the center of himself lower than his physical body, somewhere inside the horse – creating the effect of the mythical centaur.<br />What is he actually doing, I feel desperate to understand -- he is leading and following <span style="font-style: italic;">at the same time!</span> How is he able to do this? I sense an utter absence of muscular willfulness, an infinite patience and what must be great sensitivity to every nuance of the horse’s response. And, sure enough, I perceive not just the rider’s spine but his whole head and torso being used as a tool with energy directed both upwards and downwards, and often in both directions at the same time. As I watch I feel a vague kinesthetic resonance in myself – we all must have had certain experiences -- pure and unfettered, at some point before we began accumulating our many habits of movement and reaction.<br />The riding is really just too exquisite – I soften inside, release my preoccupation with understanding how, and surrender to the sheer ecstasy of simply knowing that someone has lived who experienced this depth of understanding and this relationship with horses.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Apparently, as he worked, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maestro">Maestro</a> Oliviera often listened to arias from the operas he so loved – the Italian masters Verdi or Puccini. Watch the footage above with and without the soundtrack and you will find all the qualities of musical expression even in silence: lyricism, drama, the dynamic shaping of a phrase through accumulation of energy and its release, rhythm and tempo, and of course harmony, and even – harmonic dissonance! Do you sense it?</span>Click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF0AaUaQFf0">HERE</a> to view another much shorter video clip of this incredible master.</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-10730613675569138402009-12-06T09:49:00.011-05:002014-07-23T14:12:17.620-04:00a moving stillness<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SxvEfkUN5bI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/yd09bYaveAM/s1600-h/aabcanter.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SxvEfkUN5bI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/yd09bYaveAM/s400/aabcanter.png" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412135423819244978" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 183px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 231px;" /></a><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDCRAMP%7E1.DEB%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C20%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceType" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="Street" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="address" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Comic Sans MS"; panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:script; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">When did I begin to pay attention to what being a “quiet” rider means? It seems fairly recent, but seeds are always sown well ahead of the bloom. Of course, I have heard the quality praised over and over again – this rider has a quiet seat, this one quiet hands, this one a quiet presence -- but with so much else to learn and to “do,” apparently it took some time before I was ready to reflect on what quiet really means – to me, and to my horse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Late August, <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/members/?id=25816026" target="_blank">Gail Field</a>’s annual Centered Riding Clinic out at Lord <st1:place st="on">Stirling</st1:place> Stable, my only written notes state: “DO NOTHING, learn to surrender to the horse. First do nothing – any tension or holding tells the horse <i>something</i>.” Hummmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Early October, ah yes, there was that particularly vivid experience at <a href="http://noticenow.blogspot.com/">Mio Morales</a>’ weekend intensive Alexander Technique workshop. Sitting “still” in our seats, we practiced what became a kind of meditation – we gently and repeatedly brought our attention to the possibility of ease in our head/neck area. The ease ebbed and flowed with our awareness, and I was freshly reminded how much subtle movement is really taking place as we simply sit on our chairs. How interesting and refreshing it was to turn down the extraneous “noise” of excess tension and unnecessary movement. Hummmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Next, a wonderful article by Elizabeth Reese, “<a href="http://web.me.com/elizabethreese/Site/Dressage_and_Basic_Equitation.html">The Alexander Technique and Classical Equitation</a>” really got me thinking about what I have been telling my horse as I sometimes fidget around, trying to find just the right organization of myself as I ride. A few choice quotes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>* “. . . any action that the rider does make can [should] be both intentional and momentary.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>* “We must first find a place of quiet listening in order to act. Without listening, all of our actions are really reactions.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>* “The rider needs to discover a neutral place where she or he is not interfering with or disrupting the horse’s balance.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">November, <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2009/11/turning-inside-out.html">Aikido Winter Camp in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:state></a>: the image of Shibata Sensei’s “calm-before-the-storm” way of being. We quickly came to know that without any discernible movement or clue he could in a split second somehow draw an unsuspecting attacker into the center of the action. This produced a profound sense of aliveness on the mat -- magical in a way. You never knew where he would appear and you never quite knew what to expect. He captured our attention, with his quietness. His movements seemed to carry even more impact as they emerged out of a calm stillness. Hummmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">And periodically throughout the autumn I visited philosophical realms with “Dressage in the Fourth Dimension” written by Dr. Sherry Ackerman, a professor of philosophy who is also a dressage rider. An excerpt on sacred geometry:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>“All movement begins with its antithesis, immobility. The dot, in ancient cosmologies, represented universal consciousness – the source of all things . . . in . . . dressage, we participate in the dot through the fully engaged halt. We sit, perfectly motionless in poised collection . . . as long as we do not disturb the collection, the horse remains prepared . . . for instantaneous movement in any direction . . . we sit in a stream of consciousness: the motion of immobility.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">So, lately when I get on a horse, or step onto the aikido mat, or find myself in a crowded subway or on a congested <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">New York City street</st1:address></st1:street>, I am very interested in the component of stillness within the activity -- how to be still without becoming tense. How does my presence affect my horse, or my training partners on the mat? Do others become more manageable or react differently to me when I stay quietly in touch with my center? Where is the neutral place where harmony begins? Hummmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>Shown above, <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/02/fitness-without-stress.html">Annelie</a> sits quietly connected to the canter of one of the largest horses I have seen her ride, an enormous <st1:placename st="on">Cleveland</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Bay</st1:placetype> she rode at his owners request at the Centered Riding Clinic at <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-living-through-imagery.html"><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Thorncroft</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Therapeutic</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Riding</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place></a>. She recently attempted to describe to me the sense of stillness that is possible on a beautifully moving horse; apparently you feel that you are doing nothing, but in reality there is a lot going on!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-87694241680156796652009-11-29T20:23:00.021-05:002015-01-30T15:35:08.868-05:00tuning the body<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oOPxJp9e6qs&hl=en_US&fs=1?rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I began to research the history of a movement art which has excited my imagination, the roots of what is today known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythmic_gymnastics">Rhythmic Gymnastics</a> proved to be intertwined with many aspects of my personal past: artistic gymnastics, music and dance of course, but more surprisingly I found that it grew from musical pedagogies such as Dalcroze Eurythmics, Orff and Kodaly methods and the Eurythmy developed by Rudolf Steiner. Further connection is made to even more esoteric influences such as the <a href="http://gurdjieff-movements.org/history/" target="_blank">Gurdjieff Movements</a> and various types of sacred dance considered a form of yoga in India, created to act out events of a cosmic nature.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The idea that the human body can mirror a cosmic perfection, precisely trained and tuned to express universal principles is quite fascinating. Exposure to the systems and ideas noted above, as well as practical immersion in the discoveries of <a href="http://www.alexandertechnique.com/fma.htm">F.M. Alexander</a> has given me a taste for the potential of movement practices to expand self-knowledge, consciousness and awareness. These are also the aspects of <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/10/harmony.html">aikido training</a> which continue to enthrall – the pure physics involved as well as the opportunity to open my perspective and refine the use of myself.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Initially I was somewhat surprised at the depth of my obsession with this incredible art form, called a sport by some – but as I delved into its development it began to make sense, as it grew from various methods designed to teach the principles of music through expressive movement, or gymnastic exercizes to develop grace, flexibility and good posture. If only I had known about this when I was a young gymnast I thought -- however the first world championship was held in Budapest in 1963 and its first Olympic appearance was not until 1984 -- so my childhood gymnastics career was premature.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The artist who has completely captured my attention is Anna Bessonova, still apparently reaching her peak at the ripe old age of 25 (most others stop competing by their early twenties). She is a world super-star as you will soon discover if you take even a cursory look on the internet, and her statuesque power, dramatic range and breathtaking precision are utterly captivating. Yes, these are superhuman feats she is executing, but we can all learn something kinesthetically by enjoying her artistry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">Anna Bessonova is shown above competing with the hoop, one of the five (yes count them, five) different apparatus which must be mastered. By viewing close to one hundred of her performances, I have chosen a favorite routine in each discipline, should you care to observe more of her expressive range: the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj9BYu5ucrM">ball</a>, the <a href="http://youtu.be/yujib2Ud7fE" target="_blank">clubs</a>, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsvb8dgPEzU">ribbon</a>, and the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-0LIsA1wOs">rope</a>. In aikido we use wooden weapons to extend and clarify our body movements and our “open-handed” techniques; I find her self-mastery awe inspiring, and when you factor in the external objects whose laws she must also incorporate, it’s almost too much to comprehend!</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-4864256571293607272009-11-23T17:22:00.006-05:002012-08-14T16:39:11.094-04:00a thing of beauty<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J-BNw0dtZzs?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My process in learning to ride has eerily paralleled my beginning years of aikido training. Idealism held sway over practical matters, sometimes resulting in rude awakenings. Tears often took me off the mat in those first years, but not once did I ever consider giving up on my training. For my first riding lesson, I was placed on a 17-hand Percheron cross who decided to get rid of me midway through the hour, and while shaken, I was quite certain that it would take more than that to keep me from learning to ride horses.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now in my third year of riding I am very thankful that my background and idealism led me early on to the pedagogy of <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10025,10043">Centered Riding®</a> where I have received incredible benefits from learning its principles. However, I have become aware that my understanding of some of the basic concepts of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equitation">equitation</a> is lacking. It would be as if studying the Alexander Technique could produce a fabulous violinist without ever taking violin lessons, or that someone could learn the art of aikido without mastering ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, etc. -- the techniques through which the art is taught.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So recently, in order to continue my equestrian education, I have been applying myself to the study of “The Principles of Riding” – The Official Instruction Handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation. Initially, I believed that this book might be a bit dry, and would lack the integrated and creative approach I find so appealing in the Centered Riding® methods. To the contrary, I am currently captivated as I find answers to many of my questions using this clear, time-honored and systematic approach. Now that I have accumulated some riding experience of my own, I seem finally ready for a good dose of technical information.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just as it has taken many years of often strenuous and repetitious aikido training to allow me to experience the finesse and expression I craved from the very beginning, I sense that the aesthetic qualities which draw me to the equestrian arts are also quite far from my grasp and require years of dedicated practice to even begin to approach. Interestingly, this doesn’t seem to curb my enthusiasm in the least – a feeling not experienced since those early years in aikido.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the end of one of my favorite sections of the book entitled ‘The Co-ordination of the Aids,’ which builds on the previous detailed descriptions of rein, leg and seat aids, I was very pleased to find the final paragraph which emphatically states: <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">“When a rider has developed the seat as described, it is easily recognized for its artistic and aesthetic beauty.” </span><span style="font-style: italic;">(emphasis mine)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">Enjoy the video above which demonstrates great artistry through nearly invisible technique in the partnership of Steffen Peters and Ravel.</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-6933174147200683292009-11-22T20:40:00.016-05:002016-09-28T16:57:25.829-04:00the tao of silk<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3OiBPeG-94o" width="560"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Ten years ago, a close friend of mine took a trip to Japan with a group of aikido students led by <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/beautiful-postive-dynamic.html">Yamada Sensei</a>, and ever since I have been hearing tales of an aikido teacher they encountered there. Apparently all of the women students were particularly smitten with Endo Sensei, recognizing in him an elegance, subtlety, and sophistication of technique sometimes lacking in the martial arts. His teaching style is also somewhat uncommon – he lets everyone feel what he is doing, by moving around the mat and working with each student. The consensus opinion seemed to be – he’s so smooth – you really have to feel it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Over the years I didn’t pay much attention to her periodic ravings -- I felt she certainly must be exaggerating, carried away by the exoticism of Japan. Finally I decided to take a look for myself and found the video above. My first impression was a very visceral response to the magically soft and enveloping quality of the interaction he creates with his uke. Somehow smooth doesn’t fully describe it – silken, might come closer.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">In addition to its luxurious sheen, softness and luminosity, silk also has incredible tensile strength and structural integrity, as well as insulating properties and the ability to return to shape even if stretched up to 25% of its original length. Silk is apparently not only seductively soft, it’s strong and resilient as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Watching Endo Sensei over and over again, I began to sense how powerful his softness must feel to those receiving his techniques. There is really no discernible “moment of contact” as he draws his attacker into his own sphere. We experience it in good aikido training as an undertow, a feeling of the rug being pulled from under us, being sucked into a vortex. He certainly retains his structural integrity – he remains quietly imperturbable. From an Alexander Technique perspective he doesn’t interfere in the least with his own ease of coordination as he initiates movement from his center. Seductive (from Latin, literally ‘to lead astray’) is also another way to look at the quality of his movement.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Even more fascinating to scientists than the silk from silkworms is the silk produced by spiders. Visit the link to see an amazing <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113223398" target="_blank">Spider Silk Tapestry</a> woven in Madagascar from the drag-line silk of a species of golden orb-weaving spider. According to it’s creators it’s a very unusual material: <span style="font-style: italic;">“we never broke a single strand, yet the tapestry is as soft as cashmere.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-style: italic;">“For its weight, spider silk is stronger than steel, but—unlike steel—it can stretch up to 40% of its normal length.” </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">from the exhibit description at the American Museum of Natural History.</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-style: italic;"></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-11700398949284630552009-11-20T14:53:00.012-05:002022-07-01T09:27:13.132-04:00a fine romance<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/Swb9wC0KneI/AAAAAAAAAdI/G5jtSGc8K1w/s1600/dc%26abby4.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406287404536077794" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/Swb9wC0KneI/AAAAAAAAAdI/G5jtSGc8K1w/s320/dc%26abby4.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 287px;" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 85%;"></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She handed off the little red horse to me, all the while cataloguing the litany of his sins and faults: ‘stubborn, you’ll have to crop him, then he’ll try to buck you off, he only wants to follow the others, then he will settle down – he likes to jump [whoa! – my class isn’t jumping yet!], his canter’s just ok’ . . . all this had apparently made for a very frustrating previous hour’s class for her. I smiled and thanked her and led Junior back to center ring to make our fresh start.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Somehow, I knew that there was another side to the story and I sensed that we were going to be able to “work things out”, me and Junior. After all, I was now in Intermediate Level 1 and our level is all about becoming independent, the leader of your horse. However, as soon as I mounted young Junior (he’s only 9 -- young compared to most of the horses I’m given to ride, 20 or so on average) I felt him settle into a determined stillness. Undaunted, I asked with my leg, repeated, spoke firmly “walk on” as I asked more insistently, eventually adding crop to leg. Junior remained absolutely immobile and then, as predicted by my predecessor, he kicked up his heels and somewhat halfheartedly tried to buck me off. For some reason all of this amused me and I sat quietly on him, asking again, willing him forward with all my best intentions.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My teacher Martha mentioned that I would need to use everything I had ever heard in the <a href="https://www.centeredriding.org/page/WhatisCR" target="_blank">Centered Riding®</a> clinics to be successful with Junior; she also mentioned that I was already doing much better with him than the previous “advanced” level rider! I felt myself swell with pride, but pretended to take it in stride. That type of comment, properly timed, can certainly build confidence, and since Martha is not known to hand those out routinely, it enhanced the effect and I took it to heart. Center, breathe, soft eyes, ease and release the neck, don’t react, just repeat.
In fits and starts we began to walk. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still determined to show my independence and leadership, I asked him to circle away from the group in the large outdoor ring. A dead stop followed and we began again. Hummmm, she <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> mention that he liked to follow the other horses, so I decided to let him see the others as we picked up a trot; once we established our rhythm and he was fast approaching the rear of the horse ahead I guided him to cross the ring, determined to keep my clear intent. And cross the ring is just what we did, blending smoothly in to trot merrily along the rail.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With a matchmaker’s skill, Martha casually dropped a few choice comments: he’s always been one of her favorites, he’s just a big teddy bear, and the not-so-subtle wouldn’t you two look great galloping around together . . . love was in the air. Seriously, once we got moving, Junior was a very nice little horse (little is a relative term where a few hundred pounds here or there define the gradations). I felt very comfortable with him, felt his appreciation for my sensitive yet firm approach, my compassion for him, and my good-natured acceptance of his just being a horse, testing me because that is what they do!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This week, after our second class together, I began to wonder about my beloved – is he a chestnut, or maybe a sorrel, yes that sounds romantic – he could be a sorrel. (No, Martha says he is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_coat_color">chestnut</a>!). Memories surfaced of the curiosity that comes along with courtship . . . it is a kind of love affair, isn’t it?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">No, that is not Junior shown above, but another redhead: <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/confidence.html">Annelie’s</a> chestnut mare Abby who I had the pleasure of meeting during my first year of riding. Easy-going Abby knew I was a “pushover” at that point and took advantage of my green-ness to eat all the grass she wanted as I delicately attempted to persuade her otherwise!</span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 78%;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 85%;"></span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p></div>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-60629371442765384542009-11-17T21:40:00.010-05:002009-11-18T09:23:15.028-05:00always saddle your own horse<object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6P6aJ7h8uLc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6P6aJ7h8uLc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="">My aikido and horse riding friend from Boston, Midge, emailed me a very tempting video -- somehow I had a feeling that it would be better to wait and watch it in the comfort of my own home. So tonight I sat down to enjoy the trailer of the American Cowgirl, and cried like a baby through all three viewings so far.</span><br /><br /><span style="">Really touching is the profile of 101-year-young Connie Reeves, who at that age was still riding every day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“The past is dead unless somebody records it…my life’s not important to very many people. But, what I have done may be something that will motivate someone else. I hope so.” - Connie Reeves</span><br /><br /><span style="">From the story “<a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2003/09/07/Floridian/A_cowgirl_s_final_ride.shtml">A Cowgirl’s Final Ride</a>” in the St. Petersburg Times Floridian, published at her death:</span><br /><br /><span style="">"Initially she meant just that: 'Saddle your own horse, develop a relationship with your horse,' said Meg Clark. But as with everything that Connie said, it had a much greater meaning, just as her life did. Ultimately, what she meant was: 'Take responsibility for your life. Saddle your own horse and live that life the way you choose to.'"</span><br /><br /><span style=""> <span style="font-style: italic;">Enjoy the trailer embedded above and visit the American Cowgirl website to read the many wonderful <a href="http://www.americancowgirl.com/blog/category/cowgirl_stories/">stories</a> and see the great <a href="http://www.americancowgirl.com/blog/category/cowgirl-photographs/">photographs</a> by creator Jamie Williams. </span></span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-4315082597840621052009-11-16T16:02:00.025-05:002015-01-30T15:46:21.225-05:00nothing doing<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SwG-bIdEPPI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Vg240FSKfkg/s1600/mu1adj.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SwG-bIdEPPI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Vg240FSKfkg/s400/mu1adj.png" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404810401156447474" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 238px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 199px;" /></a><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDCRAMP%7E1.DEB%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Comic Sans MS"; panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:script; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">As soon as I finished telling my student that the Alexander Technique does not prescribe specific exercises, I realized that he might be very interested in something called “constructive rest.” Sometimes called an “Alexander Lie-Down” and often used by AT teachers, it came originally from the world of <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-living-through-imagery.html">Ideokinesis</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Constructive rest, in its purest form -- simply lying down once or twice a day for 5-20 minutes in the described position and allowing gravity to do the work of releasing holding patterns and excess tension can be quite revealing, refreshing and restorative. The addition of simple suggestions, such as to allow the neck to be free, can enhance the procedure, as long as we do not add a component of trying to accomplish something -- nothing doing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>Basic procedure:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">“Lie on your back, bend your knees to about 90 degrees, and place your feet on the floor in line with your hip sockets, 12 to 16 inches from your buttocks. Be careful not to flatten or exaggerate the curves in either your lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) spine. Rest your hands and forearms on your rib cage or on your pelvis. In this position, you don't need to perform any muscular action. Gravity will do the work. Shift your awareness to the support of your bones. Begin by sensing the weight of your bones sinking down toward the floor. Take note of any part of your skeleton that feels as though it is suspended, any place where the muscular contraction prevents the bones from surrendering to the pull of gravity. Gradually, the distribution of weight will start to feel increasingly even throughout your body.” <i>--Adapted from <a href="http://www.coreawareness.com/about/">Liz Koch</a>, the psoas expert</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Try it for a few minutes a day and see what you notice. I’ve found constructive rest useful in bringing me a more refined awareness of my back and the space behind me (horse riders, you understand the importance of that!) and also for showing me the positive effects of gravity while sensing the skeleton as the body’s active support (in contrast to our habitual patterns which usually attempt to hold the body with muscular effort).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Turns out, my catchy title is also the name of the last book of poetry by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cid_Corman">Cid Corman</a>, Nothing/Doing, in which I discovered this apropos piece:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 78%;">just resting</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 78%;">letting the</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 78%;">something of</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>The concept of non-doing, so foreign to our goal and achievement-oriented culture, is expressed in the Japanese calligraphy ”mu” above: “Nothingness is not an absence of being; it is the fullness of existence that brings forth all things. One meaning of MU is not to be captivated or beguiled by this or that; the way of Zen is found within the interplay of "no" and "yes," "nothingness" and "fullness."<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-41566894272760345392009-11-13T09:12:00.016-05:002016-09-28T17:08:51.966-04:00turning inside out<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/Sv1pZ46unvI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/DKG-OWIzGEI/s1600-h/insideoutmalibubaja.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403591021410819826" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/Sv1pZ46unvI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/DKG-OWIzGEI/s400/insideoutmalibubaja.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDCRAMP%7E1.DEB%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Comic Sans MS"; panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:script; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> --><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">“Look same outside, different inside . . .” Sugano Sensei has been known to say, as he attempts to convey to us that there is a lot more to aikido than meets the eye!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Last weekend, as we once again gathered together for the annual <a href="http://www.usaikifed.com/">USAF</a> Winter Camp sponsored by <a href="http://www.floridaaikikai.com/">Florida Aikikai</a>, we could not have been blessed with three more unique master teachers (shihan) than <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/beautiful-postive-dynamic.html">Yamada Sensei</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTmzl1tisyo" target="_blank">Sugano Sensei</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6zKHb4NRf8">Shibata Sensei</a>. As the three days of training unfolded and one class blended into two or three or even more each day, I was struck not only by the obvious similarities of technique but particularly by the individuality of each Sensei’s style -- both teaching style and “personality” -- all so different, but all with a larger-than-life quality shining through as they demonstrated aikido’s underlying principles to us in a seemingly endless array of variations. It was a banquet of beautiful aikido created using high-quality ingredients and I wanted to devour all of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">I chuckled to myself, remembering Sugano Sensei’s favorite phrase. We might be effecting a tolerable imitation of their demonstration but how thoroughly did we really understand the interaction, how often were we able to embody the movement? Even when we managed to look pretty darn good, what was happening on the inside? These are questions I kept asking myself as one class after another reinforced the same themes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">My personal impressions: Yamada Sensei – large sweeping movements, classicism and dynamism; Sugano Sensei </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">– </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">explosive timing, precision and philosophy; and Shibata Sensei - extraordinary improvisation, bending time and setting the tempo at will, as the various ukes became the instruments for his jazz riffs on technique. Each Sensei fully embodies the principles of nature which under lie the art and that seems to allow them tremendous freedom of expression and spontaneity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Hour after hour we stepped back out on the mats, savoring all that our Senseis were offering us, not wanting to miss an opportunity to receive it directly from them. I resorted alternately to icing my knee and visiting the Jacuzzi, eating extra protein, falling into bed early, waking up each morning ready for more. By Sunday afternoon we had passed beyond fatigue to that place where training continues somehow, after class has ended.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Our three master teachers who manifest aikido so differently are ironically, I reflected, actually “different outside, same inside!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>As usual, a truly amazing array of aikidoists attended the Florida Winter Camp this year and one new friend from California – an eye surgeon who loves to surf – described to me how photographers capture some of those incredible surfing pictures: the hard way, by hanging out, floating in the waves, possibly getting “turned inside out” in the process of getting the shots! The <a href="http://pleinlesyeux2.ifrance.com/ocean/image5.htm">atmospheric photo</a> shown above was discovered as I “surfed” the web for inspiration on “inside out.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-4311028727847935482009-11-01T07:25:00.011-05:002009-11-02T06:29:48.777-05:00the weaker sex<object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj15lvQhoSI&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj15lvQhoSI&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Entertaining as it may be, this film clip from the 1930’s actually demonstrates beautifully the fundamental principles of the martial arts. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morihei_Ueshiba">O’Sensei</a> synthesized elements of ju-jitsu, judo and traditional swordsmanship, and incorporated his spiritual outlook and practices into what he called the art of aikido.<br /><br />Ms. May Whitley has style and grace -- balance, timing and proper distance, she uses her lowered center of gravity, she works with whatever attack comes her way -- all the while holding her purse and keeping her hair in place. I love her matter-of-fact approach. She is not full of ego or grand gestures, but has a kind of quiet and natural composure which can be “dis-arming” in and of itself. She also demonstrates a refreshing economy and simplicity of movement.<br /><br />As a senior woman on the aikido mat I often have to find creative ways to adapt myself to my male training partners who sometimes assume that they are entitled to boss me around, for any number of reasons, which you can probably well-imagine even in these terribly enlightened times in which men and women are supposed to be living!<br /><br />Usually I choose to let my actions speak louder than words -- the iron-fist-in-the-velvet-glove kind of approach, meaning that I focus, soften and clarify my technique, leaving no room for superfluous comments. Aikido is really an art where women may excel and the feminine, receptive, flexible and intuitive parts of our natures serve us well – if we allow them expression and trust in their power.<br /><br />Make no mistake, proper aikido training will make you “strong”, but it is not external, muscular force which confers its power. Timing, distance, calmness, expanded awareness, softness on the outside with reduced internal tension all allow access to the expression of contained inner energy – these are the qualities which set it apart from common forms of physical training and exercize and which also make it an art.<br /><br />Proper aikido training will also I believe strengthen in each of us the aspect we are lacking in our masculine/feminine balance. Soft strength, power without force, subtlety of timing, expanded awareness – these are qualities I value and why <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/10/harmony.html">women are particularly valuable as aikidoists</a>, when we begin to be able to express the powerful qualities of “the weaker sex.”<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This one is for Aleksandra, of course not because she belongs to the weaker sex, but because I promised to share this video with her almost a year ago. Aleks happens to be the most enthusiastic aikido student I have ever had the pleasure to know. She is not only energetic, she is truly passionate about learning and extremely open and receptive. Her infectious enthusiasm always brings a breath of fresh air to the dojo.</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-32475693769296060132009-10-17T08:19:00.014-04:002017-09-22T10:04:12.564-04:00alchemy<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SuOFwKAQ4PI/AAAAAAAAAcI/w2tOfpYjZNE/s1600-h/silvergold2.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396303840885661938" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SuOFwKAQ4PI/AAAAAAAAAcI/w2tOfpYjZNE/s400/silvergold2.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 288px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:35.3pt; mso-footer-margin:35.3pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1233152811; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-67717522 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} </style> <br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>1. a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy . . . concerned principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and with finding . . . an elixir of life.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><i>2. any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Somehow my imagination has been captured by the magic of the precious metals – silver and gold, silver and gold…they seem to be everywhere! </span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">I even woke in the night hearing in my mind the repeating round known to every Girl Scout:</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">‘make new friends, but keep the old – one is silver and the other gold.’</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">Over and over, silver and gold . . . what does it mean?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Autumn is always a bittersweet time of the year for me, and now especially so -- a foretaste of endings and promise of new beginnings to come -- eventually.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">I’m enjoying the last days of lingering light, fluttering golden leaves in Central Park and the final touches of warmth here in New York – and, to my astonishment, I’ve somehow fallen in love with the City again after months of wishing to be elsewhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Such an unusually challenging year has passed since my last entry “<a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/11/called-back-to-basics.html">called back to basics</a>” and I’ve been recently yearning to share and write again, particularly as the past month has been so full of important experiences -- aikido seminars and Alexander Technique immersions, and of course, horse riding. </span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">Much is shifting in my concept of riding, my awareness and in my own body mechanics -- the synergy between all my passionate pursuits feels luxurious right now.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">As always, the passage through difficulty has transported me to the present, where, in contrast, my current circumstances seem especially rich.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">This year, I’ve also experienced the shadow side of power, in politics and manipulation.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">And as long as we are human beings living on earth the shadow will be contained in all our experiences, all of our so-called elevated endeavors and enlightened groups.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">Silver – could it represent the shadow side, the silver of reflected moonlight contrasted with the true and direct golden light of the sun?</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">I have usually chosen to ignore the shadow side of life, in others, and in myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Now I have begun to see the power and beauty of embracing both aspects, shadow and light, silver and gold.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">One is silver and the other – gold.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">How could it be otherwise?</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">They are most fully appreciated in relation to each other.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">They ebb and flow, the proportion of one to the other shifting and changing.</span><span style="font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 78%;">Acknowledgement of the shadow, and non-resistance, begin the process of transmutation.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;">A photographer friend pointed out that colors seem so much more vivid on an overcast day.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;">The gilded artwork depicting O’Sensei was radiant and the autumn leaves outside the window equally so on the cool and gray weekend we spent with <a href="http://www.aikido-sanleandro.com/aboutsensei.html#hendrickssensei">Patricia Hendricks</a> at her recent seminar at <a href="http://www.aikidoschoolsnj.com/">ASNJ</a>.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;">Pat is a real treasure – powerful yet soft, her teaching is infused with warmth, compassion and humility.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 78%;">She fully demonstrates martial application while incorporating larger philosophical concepts using her mastery of the Japanese language.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-69741909086394137002008-11-11T12:35:00.015-05:002009-11-01T10:07:42.239-05:00called back to basics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SRnCw6RaVII/AAAAAAAAAaE/uWMohVYMxpk/s1600-h/office1.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SRnCw6RaVII/AAAAAAAAAaE/uWMohVYMxpk/s400/office1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267455384718300290" border="0" /></a><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Comic Sans MS"; panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:script; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><i style="">Above is a photo of my home office showing the place where I (used to) sit each morning, catching up on emails, sipping coffee, watching the sunrise over lower Manhattan. . . If I had been sitting there yesterday morning around 9:00 am, I am not certain I would be writing this now.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">My experiences at the Centered Riding International Educational Symposium in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Brattleboro</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Vermont</st1:state></st1:place> this past weekend confirmed my feeling that it is time to expand the structure of this cyber “space” I have so enjoyed inhabiting. <span style=""> </span>Although the events of yesterday put a slight kink in my plans, stay tuned for two additional spaces with links here (to follow).<span style=""> </span>One will present information and capture reflections specific to the Alexander Technique and another separate space will do the same for Aikido.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">In the meantime, below are links to pertinent entries on this blog regarding the Alexander Technique (you can also view the blog by category – choose one from the sidebar, or you can search using the box in the upper left-hand corner).<span style=""> The </span>Alexander Technique bibliography provided at the Symposium, as well as the visual essay I used to illustrate the concept of "use of self" are available <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/mayasway/RidingBetweenHandE/FileSharing14.html">HERE</a> . See Website Links in the sidebar for some Alexander Technique-related websites of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">This morning, I awoke before dawn and drank my coffee sitting on the floor of my study, reflecting on the scene before me.<span style=""> </span>The debris had not been touched and I was trying to glean something from the juxtaposition of the books (formerly from the top three wall-to-wall shelves above my desk which had come tumbling down).<span style=""> </span>I saw it as a kind of casting of the Runes.<span style=""> </span>What message might I decipher by meditating on how the titles had arranged themselves?<span style=""> </span>Their subjects differed, but they were all <i style="">somehow</i> related:<span style=""> </span>Albinus on Anatomy, Light on Yoga, The Ease of Being, A Course in Miracles, Beelzebub’s Tales to his Grandson, Vibrational Medicine, The Practice of Freedom, to name only a few.<span style=""> </span>It struck me that this could have been a close call -- or maybe it was a wake-up call.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">The Symposium was so very rich with inspiration and information and supportive friends, new and old.<span style=""> </span>I was extremely honored (and more than a bit intimidated) to be sharing the Alexander Technique portion, along with an amazing group of presenters on other bodywork modalities, consisting mainly of senior Centered Riding instructors – all incredibly knowledgeable and highly creative and seasoned teachers.<span style=""> </span>I learned a lot and, in addition, for me it was a call back to basics – a call to get back on the mat and renew my Aikido training which has been interrupted by a stint of PT rehab for a shoulder injury; a call to continue to deepen my understanding of Centered Riding and an impetus to continue to grow in my teaching and expand my relationships with my Alexander colleagues in the wider world.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Comic Sans MS"; 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mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size:78%;"><b style="">Entries with an Alexander Technique perspective:</b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/02/moment-with-marj.html">a moment, with Marj</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/02/fitness-without-stress.html">fitness without stress</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/10/mind-like-water.html">mind like water</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/09/weaving-in-threads.html">weaving in the threads</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/07/axis-mundi.html">axis mundi</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/07/imprisoned-splendour.html">imprisoned splendour</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/06/swing-time.html">swing time</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/05/better-living-through-imagery.html">better living through imagery</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/buoyancy.html">buoyancy</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/greater-than-sum.html">greater than the sum</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/first-things-first.html">first things first</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/10/poise.html">poise</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2007/10/harmony.html">harmony</a> – </span><i style=""><span style="font-family:verdana;">includes video of aikido women instructors (myself included!)</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10px;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-14870856986649813072008-11-01T19:49:00.013-04:002012-09-12T17:52:34.192-04:00gypsy in my soul<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SQzrOITW27I/AAAAAAAAAUA/Njmw1ILebhg/s1600-h/Pauline1.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263840692468636594" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SQzrOITW27I/AAAAAAAAAUA/Njmw1ILebhg/s400/Pauline1.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 345px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Around Halloween especially, I fondly remember my Grandma Pauline, who always took such great joy in preparing us for this particular holiday, with its pagan roots. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">She was certainly a colorful character in my life, in stark contrast to my other grandparents who will have a dedicated entry with a photo which should be titled "American Gothic." When I shared this poem with my mother several years ago, she commented, "well, you know, it's all true!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Last night, as I traveled home on the subway after working late, the car filled with an amazing assortment of creatively costumed New Yorkers of varying ages, I recalled my poem of remembrance and the photo of her shown above, inherited on a recent trip to the Midwest.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc9933; font-size: 85%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pauline</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />my father’s mother loved to dress us up as gypsies</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">traveled with the carnival, hair always permed and red, toenails too</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">first husband alcoholic, second husband flew hot air balloons<br />but was killed in a car accident</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">wore Tabu and costume jewelry with rhinestones and plastic feathers</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">sewed her own clothes -- I remember that chartreuse polyester blouse</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">a zipper up the front, a gold metallic fish dangling from the tab</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">watched religiously The Edge of Night and As the World Turns</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">barmaid by profession, smoked and drank beer</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">had a series of Pekinese dogs, each one bad with children</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">and always named “Ty-Gee”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">lived in a trailer surrounded by her garden</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">philodendrons in donkey-with-cart planters</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">were trained to grow around the entire inside</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">of that place</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">gold plaster elephants up on hind legs trunks curled</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">matte finish with tiny shiny drops all over them</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">lived on either side of her couch</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">a framed print torn from a calendar:</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">dogs around a table playing poker</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">she often wore a two-piece bathing suit</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">once a year we put on the red tiered skirts</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">with pink and turquoise rickrack trim</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">draped in scarves, hair flowing free</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">we became her gypsy band</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">husky voice, laughed a lot</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">she lived her gypsy life</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">and she told me I had rosebud lips</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">as she painted them bright and deep</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-59868307202635736822008-10-24T11:31:00.015-04:002009-10-08T13:21:22.187-04:00like the wind<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SQHqlpy0fCI/AAAAAAAAAT4/SXzEw1SkxG0/s1600-h/claire-gallop2.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260743772340517922" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 310px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SQHqlpy0fCI/AAAAAAAAAT4/SXzEw1SkxG0/s400/claire-gallop2.png" border="0" /></a><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceType" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><object id="ieooui" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D"></object><style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style><style><!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">~ Arabian Proverb </span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">~</span></span><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />“How did you ride last night? Someone will invariably ask me this on a Wednesday, since many of my friends know how much I cherish my Tuesday evening rides at <a href="http://www.flssnj.org/">Lord Stirling Stable</a>. Sometimes I laugh and report that I drew “Garfield” the pony and he really got the best of me – say no more! But sometimes I answer with “I rode like the wind”, only half-joking, because when you first learn to canter and you join with the horse’s motion taking you ‘round and ‘round the big outdoor ring in the crisp autumn air – that is really how it feels. And never more so than last night, riding my favorite paint horse, “Amigo.” A cold front moving through with a brisk wind gusting from the north roused the horses out of their usual subdued states and we had an especially lively class, yet without incident.<br /><br />It was a ride where things “came together” and everything simply felt good. I seemed to have chosen just the proper clothes, the right number of layers to keep me cozy, yet still able to enjoy the freshness and the exhilaration of the wind. My stirrups seemed the perfect length, my hip joints flexible, my pelvis relaxed, my center low and my attention easily re-centering me when necessary. Time and space opened up and I found I could play with noticing how soft my joints could become on the down of the posting trot or could remind myself to free my neck, soften my eyes, breathe – and smile! No worries intruded and I found myself to be very present. No fear welled up, as sometimes happens -- old scares triggered by a fast trot or sudden movement of the horse. Last night I felt calm and fearless.<br /><br />When you sit astride a 1,000 pound creature and sense the power and grace contained within, you know you are interacting with a “force of nature” -- an expression sometimes used to describe a gifted athlete or a person of great charisma. You begin to realize the wisdom in cooperative leadership -- blending with, going with, joining with or becoming as one and then exploring how to assert influence and give direction without disturbing that connection.<br /><br />The dust swirled in miniature tornadoes and stray fallen leaves danced around cheerfully. My mood seemed to feed on the energy and I savored the experience throughout the hour, hoping to prolong the special time, sensing the ephemeral quality. On the walk to the car before the drive back into Manhattan, I usually take a look around and appreciate the peace of Lord Stirling Park. This week my gaze wandered somewhat wistfully out toward the lights in the distant ring where others had taken our place and were now riding . . . like the wind.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“Air is not one of the traditional five Chinese classical elements. Nevertheless, the ancient Chinese concept of Qi or chi is believed to be close to that of air. Qi . . . also ch'i or ki (in Japanese romanization), is a fundamental concept of traditional Chinese culture. Qi is believed to be part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of 'life force' or ‘spiritual energy’. It is frequently translated as ‘energy flow’, or literally as ‘air’ or ‘breath’. (For example, ‘tiānqì’, literally ‘sky breath’, is the ordinary Chinese word for ‘weather’).” – From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_%28classical_element%29">Wikipedia</a></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >Searching for a photo to capture my feelings, I found an image from the website of a family living in the San Francisco Bay Area -- here one of their teenage daughters lives my dream of galloping down an open beach (photo cropping and enhancement mine).</span><br /></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-86883370932851185862008-10-07T15:38:00.016-04:002008-10-09T10:09:57.157-04:00mind like water<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SOu9IWh48YI/AAAAAAAAATw/DfGuG_J7-RE/s1600-h/water2.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254501341442142594" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SOu9IWh48YI/AAAAAAAAATw/DfGuG_J7-RE/s400/water2.png" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" >For many years the background image on my Alexander Technique business card has been a beautiful “water drop” photo, suggesting the expansion of awareness and energy which takes place in a person who applies the principles of the technique in their activities. By taking a split-second to notice the possibility of ease where the head rests atop the spine, at the moment just before a movement is initiated, the quality of the movement can be substantially improved.</span><div style="font-family:verdana;"><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />“Mind like water” is also a metaphor used in the martial arts to describe an ideal state of quiet readiness. It is similar to the Chinese concept of Wu Wei, which was discussed here under “<a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/04/power-of-connection.html">The Power of Connection</a>,” and speaks about appropriate levels of effort and proper timing as well. David Allen uses it in his next-generation time management method which has achieved a near-cult-like following, “<a href="http://www.davidco.com/">Getting Things Done</a>” (aka GTD). His system holds the promise that it is possible to both stay relaxed and accomplish meaningful things with minimal effort. GTD provides tools and concepts which, when practically applied, help keep our minds empty of extraneous detail so we can function from that calm, still place. From the book:</span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><em>“Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm. It doesn’t overreact or underreact. . . . Anything that causes you to overreact or underreact can control you. . . .Most people either give more or less attention to things than they deserve, simply because they don’t operate with a ‘mind like water.’” </em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />I have long known that Alexander’s discovery brings us the possibility of choice – how will we respond to a stimulus? According to habit? Or will we remember to take a moment and allow the possibility of a different response to emerge? Will we react out of habit and will that cause us to have an over-reaction, an under-reaction or make an appropriate response? Learning the Alexander Technique is a process of finding the moments of potential which occur immediately before a change in activity and developing the dexterity to take a split-second and notice ease before making our response. </span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:100%;">Those of you who are involved with horses will recognize that learning to make the appropriate response at the proper moment with just the right level of energy forms the basis of the interaction we have with them which is called “riding.” In the best moments of my aikido training, I find that calm place where I can blend smoothly with my attacker. Many years of re-training my initial reaction to an oncoming aggressive movement allows me to choose a calm, appropriate and effective response. Time spent on the aikido mat reprogramming reactions carries over into my daily life. Having a practical foundation in the Alexander Technique has certainly influenced my martial arts training and I am hoping, and beginning to find, that creating space for an appropriate response is teaching me a lot about horses.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><em>In the above photo, taken with my iPhone last autumn from our kayak on the lake at </em><a href="http://www.mohonk.com/"><em>Mohonk Mountain House</em></a><em>, the still water responds with subtle rhythmic movements and a lovely reflection of the stunning surrounding foliage. </em></span></div></div>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-42279209763039633162008-09-11T13:46:00.016-04:002008-10-07T16:18:12.511-04:00look into their eyes<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SMlZu7jyyAI/AAAAAAAAASE/SRlMIkJZE94/s1600-h/maya2.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244821903846328322" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SMlZu7jyyAI/AAAAAAAAASE/SRlMIkJZE94/s400/maya2.png" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" >The platform and the cars of the subway were eerily empty this morning – quite a contrast to yesterday’s crushing commute when New Yorkers exhibited not-their-best behavior, pushing into the packed train and tossing rude comments back and forth. This morning, before I left the house, we exchanged a few words: “you know it’s 9/11, yes, I’m running late, the subway has been a nightmare, not looking forward to that, call you later" etc. My preoccupations kept me from kissing him goodbye.<br /><br />As soon as I hit the street I felt it. The past few years I’ve tried to pretend that this day could be just like any other day again. But it never is and the tears welled up, as they invariably do, and I headed down into the subway, wondering what I would find. Wouldn’t you know that I found I missed them, all of those New Yorkers. Where was everyone today? Were they afraid to ride the train, right at this time, the time the first plane hit? Were they home watching the ceremonies at Ground Zero on TV? Were they grieving loved ones lost?<br /><br />As I took stock of the other riders I wondered if we should be nervous. Was I imagining the mood to be somber? Remember, after 9/11, when you could sit on the train and cry, and know you wouldn’t be alone in that -- not have to feel awkward or know why you were crying. We were all crying in our own way. And during that time we actually looked at each other. You felt you could speak to people and you knew you could ask for help if you needed it. You knew you would give help, if asked. The world had changed and New Yorkers started looking into each others eyes.<br /><br />“Shouldn’t we be doing something special today?” my co-worker asked this morning, her eyes reddening as she turned to her calculations and spreadsheets. I said I might meet a friend for coffee – someone I had watched the TV with at work as the second plane hit that day. We had left the office together and bought flip-flops for the long walk home. She talked about her best friend from high school whose brother died in the Towers, seven years ago. He would have children by now she mused -- he had been engaged to be married. We all know someone. Each year we hear the stories, old and new.<br /><br />Tonight at home when I stand quietly at a south-facing window and look downtown, I’ll see the gap in the skyline, filled this week with the beautiful and symbolic tower of light. I’ll remember the heavy smoke and the long-lingering odor of that dark time. And I suspect, like many New Yorkers, the day will have been marked yet again by a very personal mourning and reflection and possibly a remembrance of the softening and opening of our hearts, and our eyes.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The photo above was taken to promote a recital <a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/buoyancy.html">my daughter</a> sang in June, 2002. We were not trying to capture the flag which appears on the subway car, but somehow it seemed appropriate – a full year had not yet passed since 9/11 and a certain special patriotism was still very much apparent here in New York.</span></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><em><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:100%;" ><br />Hear her album "Maya's Idyll" <a href="http://mayasidyll.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</span><br /></em> </span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-36063041409155872132008-09-04T06:37:00.012-04:002017-11-06T16:28:01.246-05:00weaving in the threads<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hlbIcnvjXhc" width="560"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Right about this time last year, I was still quite intoxicated from that first </span><a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10025,10043" style="font-family: verdana;">Centered Riding</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">® Clinic, which was attended when I could almost still count my riding lessons on one hand, and I had to think about how to hold the reins each time I got on the horse. I knew that Centered Riding would change my life, but could never have imagined the depth of the process which was initiated over those four days.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Many of the patient teachers I met then have become my instructors at </span><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/welcome-to-middle-earth.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Lord Stirling Stable</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> and the clinician, </span><a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/instructors-show.asp?int_id=124" style="font-family: verdana;">Gail Field</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">, has become a friend, Alexander Technique colleague and riding mentor. The early entries on this blog document my meeting with the infamous </span><a href="http://ridingbetweenheavenandearth.blogspot.com/2008/01/confidence.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Annelie</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">, now my dear friend, horse riding idol and most recently, aikido protégé. More than one fellow aikidoist has been inspired by my stories of learning to ride. One has started Centered Riding lessons herself, riding again for the first time in over 30 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Last year, one of my aikido women role models, Karen De Paola (</span><a href="http://skylandsaikikai.com/index.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Skylands Aikikai</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">), visited me at the Lord Stirling clinic and immediately saw the correlations between the groundwork tools and aikido principles and began making connections to specific aikido techniques. She gave me the timely opportunity to teach at her dojo that evening – a precious hour to take some of what I had been so eagerly absorbing in the riding arena onto the aikido mat. And so the year continued -- with synergy and synchronicity abounding.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">It has been a year full of new friendships, renewed relationships, reconnecting important pieces from my past, and integrating parts of myself. I have been very fortunate to attend a variety of Centered Riding clinics and to meet the founder, </span><a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/default.asp?pageid=10021" style="font-family: verdana;">Sally Swift</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">, last November at the International Symposium in Vermont. So, it was a very happy anniversary last week as I once again attended Gail’s annual clinic at Lord Stirling. This year she asked me to assist her with some hands-on Alexander Technique, I traveled back and forth with Annelie and hosted her at my house, we spent each day in an arena which has come to feel like home and I rode a now-familiar horse.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";">This process of learning to ride seems to be weaving together all the various threads of my life. It has reminded me of long-forgotten childhood experiences, reconnected me to old colleagues and friends and enhanced and reinvigorated my aikido training. A recent email from a new Alexander Technique mentor, </span><a href="http://www.easeofbeing.com/" style="font-family: verdana;">Tommy Thompson</a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">, spoke to me about “following your thread carefully” – it's a metaphor which has particular meaning for me now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-style: italic;">Karen De Paola is shown in the video above. Karen has always been a great inspiration to me – she embodies the qualities of calm, relaxed concentration and stillness within movement which are so important in martial arts, horse riding and living!</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-14618858360159393082008-08-22T08:00:00.013-04:002009-10-23T16:35:48.451-04:00welcome to middle-earth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SK4fTzI-_sI/AAAAAAAAARk/_F-d5dFcUhs/s1600-h/middleearthforest.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237157841684332226" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SK4fTzI-_sI/AAAAAAAAARk/_F-d5dFcUhs/s400/middleearthforest.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:78%;">photo © <a href="http://www.asni.net/">Asni</a></span><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >It is dusk on a perfect evening in late summer, a full orange moon is rising, and we are leaving the confines of Lord Stirling Stable, heading down a broad grassy path, past the outdoor riding rings, towards the trail system at the far edge of the property. It’s getting darker by the minute.<br /><br />The night is balmy, the humidity is down and so are the bugs, except for a couple of “bombers,” the huge flies which like to plague both horses and riders. We have our orders: let them land on your horse, smack them with a flat palm, and then, if possible, squish them -- luckily, only our instructor executes that maneuver! We turn our attention to the bats which flitter above us. A screech owl calls from the distance and rabbits stop frozen in their tracks.<br /><br />We shift our weight forward to make it easier for the horses to climb the steep hill which leads up into the trees. As we enter, I am surprised that we can see anything at all inside – am I still in New Jersey? My eyes adjust and suddenly transported, I find myself in a fern-carpeted forest – majestic, yet intimate. The horses seem content but not overly-impressed – after all it’s not <span style="font-style: italic;">their</span> first trail ride.<br /><br />We approach a tangle of trees, following our instructor as she weaves through them – a rustic obstacle course. My horse trips, stumbles deeply, but regains his balance. As a slight squeak of surprise escapes my lips, the teacher reminds us that we must always keep our eyes up on the trail, shining out like car headlights on high-beam. And we must keep our awareness of our center low and close to the horse.<br /><br />Lord Stirling Park borders <a href="http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatswamp/">The Great Swamp</a>, a 7,500 acre wildlife preserve. Our instructor makes sure to let us know that we are approaching the area known as the hiding place of the Devil of the Great Swamp, and some of the younger set of riders express an uncharacteristic hesitation to continue on -- usually they want to do nothing but canter like mad around the inside arena. However, soon we are trotting, up the trail, through the dark, ducking the low-hanging branches and marveling at ourselves -- at least I am! And I am incredibly relaxed despite it all.<br /><br />Riding a horse out in nature – somehow this feels just perfect. Then I realize it is also distantly familiar, reminiscent of the ponies we used to rent from the neighboring farmer for 50¢ during those childhood summers at <a href="http://clearlakeindiana.org/">Clear Lake</a> -- we would ride them through the woods bareback, by ourselves, on the unkempt trails, before the era of helmets or waiver forms. Sometimes they would brush us off against a tree and simply trot back to the barn.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Tolkien said that "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-earth">Middle-earth</a> was not at a physically distant time, but rather 'at a different stage of imagination.'" </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Now, just as I celebrate the one-year anniversary of that first clinic, which introduced me to both <a href="http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10025,10043">Centered Riding</a>® and Lord Stirling Stable, I begin to imagine a whole new dimension of riding.<br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The lovely photo above captures the mystical quality I experienced when we first entered the forest. “It was just like something out of Lord of the Rings” I told my friends. Sure enough, I somehow found the image </span></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">I was looking for </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:lucida grande;" >in the work of <a href="http://www.asni.net/shop-photoorder.html">Asni</a> -- harpist, photographer and Tolkien aficionado currently living in New Zealand (photo above taken in Germany and used with her permission). Please visit her <a href="http://www.asni.net/">website</a> to see her other beautiful images and listen to her magical music, including her new album "Travels in Middle-earth."</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-89255630103325891622008-08-21T10:39:00.015-04:002022-07-01T09:41:55.293-04:00tally ho with Balimo™<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SK2HBGWFtVI/AAAAAAAAARc/L-J9td7EIpQ/s1600-h/Balimo2.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236990394654635346" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZzoL8mLDMGk/SK2HBGWFtVI/AAAAAAAAARc/L-J9td7EIpQ/s320/Balimo2.png" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">What a great opportunity I thought when I noticed the clinic announcement on the Equestrian Education Systems (EES) website early last spring – and it was! For the past week or so I have been digesting some of the rich experience of attending the “Seat Symposium” which was held at Gleneden Dressage in Bedford, New York and conducted by<a href="https://www.balimo.info/ueber-uns/?v=d3dcf429c679" target="_blank"> Eckart Meyners</a>, German sports physiologist and professor at the Institute for Leisure Research, Play and Movement Education (sounds like fun!) at the University of Luneburg, Germany.<br /><br />Mr. Meyners is also the inventor of the Balance in Motion or “Balimo™” chair, a fascinating balance and flexibility training tool. However, I discovered over the course of the weekend that learning to use the Balimo chair is only a small part of his method for working with riders. Drawing upon the work of <a href="https://feldenkrais.com/about-moshe-feldenkrais/" target="_blank">Moshé Feldenkrais</a> he uses deceptively simple movement sequences to re-program habitual patterns of body use. The process creates more fluid, supple and responsive riders – evidenced both in the improved movement of the horse under saddle and the increased harmony between rider and horse.<br /><br />Having now experienced Mr. Meyners’ work in person, his books are proving evermore useful and inspiring. Here is a passage which so captured my attention that I missed my subway stop! It’s another piece of the puzzle which has challenged me – how to feel grounded and stable atop the horse:<br /><br /><i>“The rider’s inner eye . . . should feel the weight of the head traveling down through the center of the body, gaining weight from the body as it goes downward. When this weight reaches the rider’s pelvis, it splits and continues down both legs and out the heels. While the body weight is traveling downward due to gravity’s force, the rider appears to be carrying her upper body upright and flexible, like a puppet with strings in the clouds. Meanwhile the pelvis is following the motion of the horse.”</i></span></span><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif"><i><br /></i>As the above information sinks in, I am finding that my experience of standing on the earth is changing, as is my sense of connection to the ground while riding. In addition to paying attention to the poise of my head, I also notice that its weight is quite tangible – I call it ‘heavy in a good way.’ I don't have to interfere with the poise of my head to allow its weight to sink down through my bones, all the way to my feet, through my heels, down into the earth. A circuit is established, like plugging in a light, because as the weight flows down, an energy also rises back up through me. Paradoxically, the acceptance of the weight of the head, allows the bones to fulfill their function of support, yet also confers a sense of buoyancy and ease. It is intriguing to feel light and heavy at the same time!<br /><br />Upcoming posts here will share more of the invaluable insights of Eckart Meyners.<br /></span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif">The Balimo™ or “Balance in Motion” chair is shown above with lines drawn to illustrate the type of movements possible while seated on it (virtually limitless planes of motion). Even a short period of use brought substantially increased awareness of the “seat” bones, balance (or lack of it!) and movement potential of the whole pelvis.</span></span></i><br />
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</div>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717603569172119806.post-72933093018152601152008-08-01T19:15:00.015-04:002012-08-10T11:43:17.683-04:00beautiful, positive, dynamic<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nezfUKqwH0s&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nezfUKqwH0s&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://www.aikidosphere.com/yamadasensei.cfm" target="_blank">Yamada Sensei</a> paused during his Tuesday morning class at the <a href="http://www.usaikifed.com/">United States Aikido Federation</a> Summer Camp (taking place this week at Stockton College near Atlantic City) to share with us what he feels are the most important aspects of the art.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br />Here is my interpretation of what he said:<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was only moderately surprising to me to hear him say that, first of all and most importantly, Aikido must be </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">beautiful</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. That’s my Sensei, I thought – and he has been for nearly 25 years. The grace and symmetry of the movements and a fascination with the interaction have certainly been primary for me, with interest in the martial application developing gradually and a bit later. Now I see that the quality of beauty is not separate from the martial aspect. The elegance is pure physics, probably much the same as when mathematicians refer to certain proofs as “elegant.” Economy and purity of motion produce martial effectiveness.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Aikido must also be <span style="font-style: italic;">positive</span> and this Yamada Sensei demonstrated for us very clearly. By contrasting proper extension, expansion and forward movement with the opposite effects of pulling in with the arms or moving backwards, he looked for a moment like a mere mortal rather than the larger-than-life figure we are used to experiencing on the mat. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally he reminded us that Aikido must be <span style="font-style: italic;">dynamic</span>. He emphasized that each technique must have a memorable beginning and a clear ending. As a musician, I know the importance of dynamic variation, and as it happened, Sensei gave the example of a Beethoven symphony he had been listening to that morning – it begins with a strong statement and it has a shape. A trip to the <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dynamic">dictionary</a> reminded me that the term “dynamic” relates to energy or to objects in motion, is characterized by <span style="font-style: italic;">continuous change</span> (emphasis mine) and is marked by intensity and vigor.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Although English is not Yamada Sensei’s native language, I believe he succinctly and completely described his Aikido – I can only imagine how eloquent his thoughts might be in Japanese.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">The video clip above is from a series of instructional tapes by Yamada Sensei with <a href="http://www.aikidocentercity.com/27.html">Donovan Waite</a> taking ukemi. It fully illustrates the beautiful, positive and dynamic qualities of the art of Aikido.</span></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333679319695824890noreply@blogger.com2