This is the first lesson back in the Cottage for the winter.  This is one of a series. You'll see two versions of it at least in the blog!
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Part of a playful series that incorporates being on hands and feet. To make this more accessible, let your knees be bent, and have two solid chairs for an option under your hands, so that you don't need to worry about bringing your hands to the earth. You may find that over time, your choices will expand. 

"Always inspiring, the titles!" We commented on this during the lesson.​ 

Equalizing effort in the muscles that flex (front body), that extend (back body); equalizing the work in the muscles between the ribs; hips and shoulders come to lie in same plane. Changes in the tone of the whole self occur. 

Watch for tension in the jaw, eyes, face and neck, while you do this lesson. You might learn something about some habitual work you have there. Once you notice it, rather than giving it up right away, try doing what you are doing more. How does it serve you? How does it impact your breathing? Once you know more, then try the movement without the extra work and see if that has a global impact on your sense of your self. 

Remember to read the How-to
Less is more. If you have any current concerns, or aren't sure on the instructions, try imagining the moves first, and do so little you barely sense movement. 

Direction is always in relationship to you. That means, up, is in relation to your head--lying down, up is towards the wall above your head. In standing, up is towards the ceiling/sky.

Two links, this week, since I paused the recording and restarted. I'll combine them again for you later.

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Use everything, try everything in a slow, playful way. Get confused. Breathe. Don't worry. 
In the transcript of this lesson, Moshe watches everyone jump to do what they are told, which they apparently do without feeling how. He says: "Whoever [does] it immediately can go home because it is a sign that he doesn't know what he is doing" --what we are really doing here is learning to be in a process of learning. Doing the movement is not the point. Being in the process of learning is the point. Learning how you work, learning how you are with yourself, learning what is available for you--that's the point.

Remember, the lesson isn't about the feet, exactly. Or is it? And how do you keep the whole sole of the foot on the Earth, while you circle? Must be something to do with the feet relative to the lower leg (ankles) and the leg relative to the hip joints, and....what is happening in the spine and ribs and head? 

This begins with an exploration of Brian-the-skeleton and the shoulder. The shoulder is connected to our neck, jaw, ribs, spine, from tailbone to skull. Perhaps this is why so often trauma to the rest of us shows up in the shoulder?

This is a very quiet, one-sided lesson. Feel free to do a small amount, or even explore in bed. 

 This may be a challenging lesson. Try on an attitude of curiosity, rather than going for a goal. The end point is not important, it is the learning along the way that matters. 

The magic comes from letting the head be HEAVY. Not lifting the head...

The recording at times is not the best, which probably is when I'm working with students in the room. 

Walking scan, and then a lesson lying down. How do you transmit force down through your legs, how do you sense the rebound from the Earth? How does this lesson impact your movement after the lesson? For one student who mostly imagined, he began with a tremendous limp from a lumbar injury; at the end of class, no limp. What changed for you?

This is a partial recording of an amalgamation of many lessons and much playing. A lesson in standing, feel free to take time to rest seated, or lying on the ground. 22 minutes only, available. 

Recorded on June 4th, at Wise Orchid Tai Chi in Seattle, this lesson is a beautiful exploration that helps us to reorganize the way we use our hip joints. Being able to access and use the hip joint effectively can decrease lumbar pain simply because for many of us, we use our low backs and other parts of ourselves, instead of using this most important part of ourselves. 

Go slow, go small. The greatest improvements come from the smallest explorations.