Victoria II Training Segment 7

September 19 – October 2, 2010

Theme: Begin learning Functional Integration by studying use of self. For example, Moshe said that he could lift someone’s head without changing the tone of his arms. How can we (the class) learn to move ourselves (and our clients) by distributing the work throughout our entire self?

Day 1 Sunday 9/19/2010

1.1 Introduction to segment : Learning to embody what we teach. Self-usage. How to work without unnecessary effort. Kernel of thinking about self-usage came from Moshe’s comment during Amherst that he could lift someone’s head without increasing the tome in his arms. Also from the statement that one could come to standing without increasing the weight showing on a scale.
1.2 Questions: If you had to invent this way of lifting yourself how would you begin to investigate? Class discussion.
1.3 ATM: Breathing into all 6 dimensions. Standing and supine.
1.4 Practice: Both standing, partner places one hand on sacrum and the other between belly button and pubic bone. Sense partner breathing into both hands and into only back or front. Feedback.
1.5 Practice: Working in 3s. One makes round shape with arms so that their hands change shape with each in breath and out breath due to space in belly/sacrum and ribs. Partner has hands in same way as above and senses expansion of ring of arms with movement and looks for even distribution of the expansion through all internal surfaces. 3rd person observes both.
1.6 Practice: One makes round shape with arms as above. Partner places their hand on partner’s hand with thumb upward and fingers resting along and inline with arm. They give a very gentle ‘push’ or pressure and stander notes very 1st response and how they adjust to maintain stability. Do this a number of times and continue to note ongoing adjustments of the organization to maintain stability and self-corrections toward a quality of strength.
1.7 Demo: Lifting Foot
1.8 ATM: Sitting to Standing. Detail on initial movements, looking for lightness, angles and directions of pelvis to leg, sternum, head and unfolding of knee.

Day 2 Monday 9/20/2010

2.1 Discussion: Previous Day.
2.2 ATM: Edges of the Feet. AY433 Taught by Jeff Haller.
2.3 Demo: Lower leg structure — skeleton.
2.4 Demo: Lower leg structure — table.
2.5 ATM: Edges of the Feet Continued.
2.6 Discussion: Explanation of how the spiral effects widening and narrowing of sacrum/lower back with feet raised on outer or inner edges.
2.7 Practice: Standing one with hands on belly and sacrum and noting breath and narrowing or expansion of back while raising inner edges of feet (outward spiral).
2.8 Demo and Practice: Work in 3s. Partner pushing into rounded arms/hands again. 3rd person has hands on sacrum and belly and senses breath:

• Sense response and adjustments
• Sense connection with feet and have the connection come into hands too.
• Breath becomes expanded forward/backward. Where is it too far so that partner can be pushed.

2.9 Discussion and questions re: practice
2.10 Demo and discussion re: lesson
2.11 Demo and practice Works in 3s. Observe how “client” begins to stand from sitting;

• What is the 1st movement?
• What moves forward? How?
• Knees go where?
• What happens at ankles?
• Is there a slight turn?
• How does this effect knee and foot?

Day 3 Tuesday 9/21/2010

3.1 Discussion: How do we take what we have learned and absorbed in years 1 & 2 into working with others and offering them a way of working with themselves that translates into their life activities?
3.2 Demo: Table Sit to Standing

• Person Sitting on table and coming from sitting to standing
• Person Sitting on table and rolling a roller under their feet and then under their pelvis

3.3 Demo and Practice: Demo:

• Their feet on the floor.
• Their feet on the roller.
• One foot pushing/pulling the roller.
• How they sit on the roller (where weight on pelvis is and head above).
• Rolling pelvis on roller moving sit-bones over roller.
• Directions knees and legs go as they do this.
• Looking at all this with different people to see varieties of patterns.
• Roller under both feet and pelvis @ same time and note as above.
• No rollers as they sit on table and note how they sit now.
• How do they come from sitting to standing now?

Partner work: Do with a partner. Add:

• One sitting other at their feet (on floor) observing as they raise the inner and then outer edge of foot as in the ATM of yesterday and how this affects the knee
• Find the 4th metatarsal (with hand) on top and underneath, inside and outside
• Roll foot on roller with attention to the 4th metatarsal and then place foot back on floor to note/sense differences.

3.4 DEMO: Float on Roller. Person sitting on roller and rolling various ways:

• Flexion/extension from pelvis
• “Floating” pelvis and low back (gliding or sliding as one piece)
• Becoming long as pelvis moves forward and up.

3.5 ATM: Breathing Internal Lengthening
3.6 DEMO and Practice: Standing Hands on Sacrum & Lower Belly

• Explore expanding quality and 3D breathing. One partner standing and two with their hands on sacrum and low belly to sense the directions of the breath.
• Add; Partners: one standing with arms in soft circle to front and other giving small pressure into arms and both partners sensing how person shifts on feet to adapt. Which foot takes more weight? How do they move? What small adjustments do they make?
• Include the breath as an integral part of this:
  • Expansion and fullness in 3D
  • What happens as air leaves and becomes full again?
  • As they ‘empty” which way do they ‘fall’ out?
  • As they are full what happens
  • What direction could they be pushed in this state,
  • Play with these qualities
  • Take the “fullness” into space and walk
  • Take the deflation into space and walk

3.7 Demo: Table Lift Leg. Exploration in 3s: One person supine on table 2nd person lifts one leg of partner on table:

• Which leg?
• Where is lifters head and spine?
• What is FIRST thing you do? Where did you place your hands? How did you breathe? Where did you look?

3rd person observes and then will imitate what they saw in the larger group. Fun exploration for observation and 1st approximation lifting.
Demonstration of organization for lifting with mobilization of the entire self including 3D breath. As if one is ready to lift away from the stool. Practice in 3s
3.8 Demo: Table Skeleton Lift Leg
Demo in detail with the skeleton and a very light weight (roller) to practice.

Day 4 Wednesday 9/22/2010

4.1 ATM: Breathing expanding your internal balloon
4.2 Practice: Hands on Belly give breath feedback
4.3 Discussion: re Breath Lesson
4.4 VIDEO: Structure of T’ai Chi Master
4.5 ATM: Kiah. Exhalations with Propulsion into different parts of abdomen
4.6 Practice: Feedback for Propulsive Exhalation
with partner standing and pushing hand away from different places in their abdomen.
4.7 Demo & Practice: Lifting leg of Supine Partner. Partner is lying supine on the table. Lift leg using the 3D sensation of widening and filling breath. Use “balloon” quality of floating breath. Practice various ways of lifting and note the differences and effects of each.
4.8 Demo & practice: Introduction to ‘pushing’ through foot.

• Placement of inside and outside hands
• Lifting
• Organize outside hand to ‘push”

Work in 3s with 3rd observing. Refinement of practice from questions arising: The “push” comes from the protrusion or exhales of abdomen not the effort in hands and arms. The smallest ‘push’ can give information as to what is available to the person. Listen to their system not try and make something happen.
4.9 Demo and Practice: Person sitting on table

• Explore around kneecap to find bones and top of tibial plateau (femur)
• Press through femur into hip joint. How do they respond to this?
• Explore each side. What do you note?
• Which hip moves forward more easily?
• Which hip moves backward more easily?

Day 5 Thursday 9/23/2010

5.1 Discussion: How old patterns/fear etc. interfere with fully being present.
5.2 ATM: Raising pelvis on standing feet (Supine knees bent feet standing)
5.2a Practice: Do observations with partner:

• Which foot has more weight?
• Is one foot more on inside (pronation)?
• What is alignment of knee, ankles, and foot on each side?

Invite partner into the process by verbally asking them questions. What do you observe with eyes and hands before you ask the questions so that the questions come from this?
5.3 Discussion: Feedback on exploration
5.4 ATM: Interlacing the Toes and exploring metatarsals.
5.5 Demo & practice in 3s: Observation of person Sitting on table and coming to standing. How this translates into observations:

• Supine
• Supine feet standing
• Raising pelvis (from supine feet standing)

With person supine on table supports under knees and ankles:

• Hand under foot to sense how it responds to small invitations
• Following metatarsals and toes as was done in the ATM. Following lines and possible movements and directions. “Help person to know all the bones and how they relate to each other”.
• Do the same observation in sitting
• Sitting to standing
• Supine feet standing
• Supine feet standing raising pelvis

5.6 Demo
5.7 Discussion, table demo & practice: Continuation from AM with elaborations:
5.8 Demo with person re: How they support themselves to turn to each side. How they use their feet.
5.8a Add: Gliding of ankle joint, how it works and use of hands to do.
5.9 Partner Exploration: Gliding of ankle joint
5.9a Discussion: Gliding of ankle joint

Day 6 Friday 8/24/2010

DVD ‘A’
6.1 ATM: Feet Up The Wall 1. Jeff teaches first half of the ATM. Partners teach each other for the second half.
6.2 Demo: Table with Travis, Metatarsals
6.2a Discussion: Previous Demo ‘Feet’
No Video for:
Demo: Table: Skeleton demonstration in answer to question “How is it different with feet on the floor as opposed to feet on the wall?” Distribution of ‘push’, angle of force
Practice: Form groups of 3-4 explore and come up with a theory/explanation. Looking at this in detail with attention to head and how the uprightness of head at top of the spine is directly affected by the direction of force through skeleton. If the head is ‘stuck’ on the floor head will go into flexion/extension with push. In order to hold head in centre there may be holding in knees and more curve in the spine for balance. This understanding of shapes of the spine is what is operating when ‘pushing’ through legs to head. How the trajectory goes through legs, hips, and spine to the head in different placements of the legs.
Demo: Observations of person:
• Sitting and the adjustments necessary for them to come to standing.
• Standing and how they move onto each foot.
Practice: Do in same groups of 3 from yesterday. Person supine on table roller under knees and ankles so no unnecessary stimulation on feet.

• Listen for cardinal movements of feet
• Explore ‘shaping’ foot to follow the movements (metatarsal movement up and under foot)
• Create standing through each foot
• “Taking up slack” to connect up leg to hip joint
• Lifting sensing and connecting.

6.3 TALK: Irene Physiology of Muscle Cells
SPLIT TO DVD ‘B’
6.4 FI: Jeff works with Bill
6.5 FI: Jeff works with Lynn M.
6.6 FI: Jeff works with Sharon R.

Day 7 Monday 9/27/2010

7.1 ATM: Tan Tien Lesson Breathing and Moving
7.1 a Practice: Pairs: With hands on Tan Tien and sacrum sense rise, fall and fullness of breath.
7.1 b Practice: Add lifting the inner edges of the feet and note the effects. Also widening and narrowing of stance.
7.1 c Practice: Partner has palms together and “practitioner” has 1 hand on outside of their hands in line with arms. They give a small invitation to turn by ‘pushing’ and partner finds how to maintain through the floor or they can be pushed. How do they adjust and maintain contact? This is tiny and not an attempt to destabilize them but to enable them to find and maintain connection and ‘ground’.
7.1d Demo: Push Straight into Heel Thru Wrist
7.2 Practice: in 3s. One supine on table. One lifts person’s leg as 3rd checks breath and Tan Tien with hand on Tan Tien and sacrum. Give invitation for movement up and through by gentle pressure lifting and in if necessary reminder. Is it easier for person on table to have leg ‘pushed’ or ‘pulled’?
7.3 ATM: Finding Sit bones Sitting On Table
7.4 Practice: 2 people sitting. One on table and other on stool facing partner. Hold Right hands and person on the table ‘pushes’ into partner

• Which side of pelvis goes forward more?
• What is their FIRST inclination?
• What do legs do?
• From where is Movement generated?

Try using Left hands. Now that you have explored the up/down direction (lifting) how would you
7.5 Demo: explore Right/Left? Use the same movement from the sit bones. Movement at the ‘point’ of the sit bones.
7.6 Demo: Practice push thru wrist to help find sit bone
Arm acts like a piston to drive the leg: Left arm to the Right and Right arm to the Left.
7.7 DEMO: Practice without and with partner with the 3rd providing pressure against your hand.

Day 8 Tuesday September 28

8.1 ATM: Sitting Soles of Feet Together: Microcosmic Breathing. Breathing into different circles of inhalations and exhalations into 6 dimensions (front/back. Side/side, up/down using different divisions of horizontal and vertical.
8.2 Practice: Standing with partner with one hand on their chest using your breath to build and move them.
8.3 Practice: Lifting leg and moving Right/Left and taking this into circles using the sense of contact of sit bones to stool and breath.
8.4 ATM: Cardinal Directions of the Head
Demonstration: Holding a person’s head.

Day 9 Wednesday September 29

ATM: Sniffing Up The Armpit
Discussion: Questions
Demo: Holding a head. Landmarks: mastoid bone behind ear. Ways to bring the hand into contact with head. Play with ‘shapes’ and how you can find ways for hands to ‘fit’. Roll head. How early can you detect a change in the quality of the roll? Why use the mastoid area: More definition/differentiation in movements. More control at pivot or ‘shear’ in lifting. Contrast and support and how to bring other hand in to change hands for using one under head and other somewhere else. Pelvis shifts to make small movements at head. Hold for a moment to provide traction for each hand.
Demo: Clarification of holding head at mastoid plus lifting, lateral flexion, and rolling the head all through small movements of pelvis.
Practice:
Demo: Clarifications of directions of pelvis in relation to direction of head or leg.
Demo (Anat): Observation using dowel to see organization/alignment. Just to note so person can experience what they do.
Using fingers on the mastoid to explore head movements. Which way head rolls more smoothly? Which side more side-bend? From which vert. do they move each side? Touching the spinous processes of the cervical spine with finger tips to sense how they move.

Day 10 Thursday September 30

Homework Assignment Presentations: In groups of 5. Each person takes 5 minutes to talk about what they chose and why. Who were they addressing? What ATMs did they chose? What they wanted folks to get from it? Then group asks questions in order to help their learning and understanding
Homework Assignment Presentations: Form new groups and do the same, improving the questions for learning and refining.
Form new groups again and this time include: What did you learn and how will you implement your plan?
Discussion: Feedback on the morning. How was it useful to students and to staff? New homework: Implement the lesson series. Teach
Practice: With partner sitting on roller rolling backward and forward. Raise arms forward and roll backward and forward with ‘prac’ holding arms.
Demo: with skeleton arms forward pelvis backwards to come up.
Practice: Partner sitting on table no roller lifting head and moving pelvis backward so arms come forward = rocking head. Practice with partner. To get sense of how use of self is mover.

Day 11 Friday October 1

ATM: Rolling the head Included exploration of cervical vertebra to discover patterns of movements and possibilities.
Discussion re: lesson and its underpinnings. Also the philosophical learning basis of doing small movements with awareness for new pattern formation rather than reinforcing habits.
Demo: Person (Bacha) on table. Review of lifting head by engaging sit bones. ‘Listening’ to her ability to ‘rock’, floating up, sinking back to have sense of this coming up and through her.
Demo: Adding translation of head. Finding which way she could move more easily.
Refinement of possible hand placements to move her.
Practice, questions arising from the practice and to refine it:
ATM: Sitting Soles of feet together. Head Over Spine, Spine Under Head
Demo: (Verdell) Continue adding to practice of AM: Lifting and translating head into a circle in this plane. Up/down, Left/Right. Practice with a roller to get the circular movement and then with partner.

Day 12 Saturday October 2

Practice: Review of all FI practice done during the segment with the idea you are moving toward helping your partner ‘push’ feeling pressure through from head to feet

• Watch person move themselves from each foot and explore
• Watch person ‘push’ from both feet and explore

Partners take an hour
Practice: Continuation of practice: One partner supine feet standing and other at their head holding partner’s elbow above their head:

• Ask partner to push to elbow
• How could you work with them to have the pressure come more directly through?
• What questions arise?
• How do you use yourself?
• Take the earlier practice and create a lesson for them, using verbal cues and touch cues.

(Partner’s arm held from top of ulna where it ‘talks’ to the upper arm and then into shoulder)
Demo: Person supine feet standing with partner sitting at head:

• Feel push from feet to head with feet at various angles distance
• Push from each foot and both feet
• Partner takes over a bit of the work. One hand lifting just to break friction with table and other hand under for support.

Party: Congratulations to Anna Lisa for now being officially a practitioner!
Practice: Push but not pushing using the floor to move away- up and through. From head and feet.

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