Thursday, November 28, 2019. The third day since entering Munich. The training reached its second day (I wrote about the first day in “How Does the Class Proceed? Feedback + the Atmosphere of the Class“).
The training that began yesterday entered from a simple practice (Practicum) by Rita Geirola (hereafter Rita) on what kind of care is needed when incorporating Movement into a session.
About an hour of practice.
On the second day, taking out a table (the treatment table), sitting in a chair, and placing both hands parallel on the table. Being aware that the feet receive support from the floor, and after loosening the sit bones and the pubis, gradually move one hand toward the front of the table. At that time, how to be aware of and move the spine? The head? The pelvis? Herve Bernard (hereafter Herve) advised that, by being aware of a single central axis, the body moves with ease; for a person with scoliosis, practicing this movement is hard, but this movement apparently helps.
While including practical content like this, today too moved on to four people’s 50-minute Embodiment presentations.
With a time allowance of an hour and a half per person, in each person’s own expression, one student and two assistants (a group of three) present to the remaining 15 people plus the three teachers.
And at the last slot, 4:45 p.m., my turn came around. The fourth on the second day. With the two assistants, I led. The content focused on the integration sessions, sessions 8 to 10 — a class for those who have already completed the ten-session Rolfing series, or who perform integration. I explored the relationship between the spine and the limbs.
First, I had each person express, in their own way, the movements from session 1 to session 10. While posing the basic keyword for each session, the class proceeded with explanations such as: what was recalled at the time of receiving the ten-session Rolfing series?
Session 1 is breath, relationship, widening the ribs; session 2 is the feet, foundation, support; and so on. Because individuality was being conveyed, people who at first were standing and walking gradually divided into those lying down on the floor, those expressing it leaning against the wall, and so on. In sessions 8, 9, and 10, perhaps because each person performs the session in their own way, the degree of freedom in the way of expressing the body was high and interesting.
Since there was laughter and the energy of the class itself had risen, I changed the plan. Next, I had them get into an all-fours posture, and nearly 18 people moved around the wide space, slowly bumping into others, exploring a non-verbal expression of how to activate the movement of the limbs and the spine.
Finally, standing up, I closed with partner work back to back.
Because the class got lively, the presentation changed plan partway through. It finished in 35 minutes, shorter than planned.
There were many impressions saying it was fun, but among them, there was also a person who said they had recalled an unpleasant memory from when they received the ten-session Rolfing series, and an impression that they had nearly come to tears. I was made aware that, when holding a class, it is important to offer it while keeping in mind that there are unexpected reactions as well.
Rita, Herve, and France Hatt-Arnold each gave their own feedback: how to lead the class toward the goal? Rita gave concrete advice such as making the goal clear, and France that it is better to tighten up where it should be tightened, and that, if possible, it is better to take a little time and incorporate a part for looking at each person’s inner self.
Three days remain. There are four presentations on Friday, four on Saturday, and two on Sunday, and individual interviews are held for those who wish, on the Saturday and Sunday in between.
Before giving the presentation, I had been taking on the class while thinking about how to build it, so once it was over it was in a flash. There was a good sense of tension, so over the last three days there is something to puzzle over in how to take on the class; but I’m thinking it would be good to learn even one thing that becomes a hint for yoga classes.
Next time, I’d like to write about the certification ceremony reached on Sunday (12/1) (see “Training Completed: The Difference Between the Turtle’s Mind and the Rabbit’s Brain, and the Meaning of Learning Slowly”).