Sunday, February 4, 2018. The workshop, too, reached its final day, and the whole schedule is set to finish at 3 p.m.
On the final day, 15 students each presented an Embodiment of the kind done in the Basic Training, with a time allowance of 10 minutes each (see “Bodily Sensation — What Is Embodiment?”). It proceeded in the order of four people doing Embodiment in a row, then a 15-minute break.
My turn came at the beginning of the third round. After having the 15 participants and the three Instructors/Assistants walk in front, I paired them up and had them sit back to back.
Under the condition of putting their backs together, they moved. After that, one person closes their eyes, and the person with their eyes open leads the movement.
Under the instruction to move as creatively as possible, people of various cultural backgrounds presented different movements, and it was fun. After taking turns closing their eyes and presenting movements, both people close their eyes and move. By around this time, laughter had begun to ring out, and I felt an atmosphere of everyone enjoying it from the heart.
Finally, still back to back, they stood up, and each went into walking. I had them experience how being back to back had affected the body.
There was also work where a cluttered ground was prepared and, in pairs, one person closed their eyes while the person with eyes open guided the walking; and pole work, where each person held a pole and then exchanged poles with a participant they encountered. Various creativity was brought out, and it was truly interesting.
During the 15-minute break, there was also a time to re-examine the following:
- How much were you leading/leaving the space to explore?
- What was the subject?
- To what kind of public could you bring it in to?
- How did you use the space?
- What was the pace/rhythm?
- What was the language used, images, metaphors, description?
The Instructor Rita prepares a space for the students like this every time. The good thing is that, by making a time for self-reflection, she sets aside time to digest what has been learned.
And in Phase 3, one theme is how to convey the movements learned in Rolfing to a large number of people. It feels like being shown a trailer, and I’m truly looking forward to it.
On the final day, the luggage is always placed outside the classroom, and there is a lonely feeling; on the other hand, having been in Munich for nearly 12 days, there is also a feeling of wanting to head home soon. This time, I was able to spend a rich time, so I’d be happy if, once I return to Tokyo, I can share the learning with those who are interested.
This time, because I was concentrating on the workshop, I had no time to put together blog articles; but there were several things that left an impression, so I’d like to touch on them from next time on.