Spine

Travelling Across The Floor

Spine felt independent to the rest of the body

Curling and uncurling of the spine

Head and tail leading

Space inbetween bones

Imagry of the spine moving as a snake

Rolling and curling on the floor

Head moving in different directions helped to take me in and out of the floor

Used breath to move into each moment

Could start a new journey each time I moved in and out of the floor

Finished each time with a rolling up of the body

Used the head to lead more than the tail

Brought more awareness to my spine than I would have on a normal basis

When the body uncurls, head hanging over the body it puts extra pressure on the knees and feels uncomfortable if the knees are not fully bent.

On Alert

I have a close friend who is a Vietnam veteran. He described to me how he often chose to "walk point" when he was in the field. This lead position for a foot solider was a likely place to be killed or injured by a mine or a surprise attack. He worried that someone would get killed, so he preferred to be in the position himself. His spine never relaxed in nine months of active duty. Now he has severe spasms in his back. His work with vet groups and in therapy has begun to release the tensions from the experiences of war. Yet even a small disturbance can result in a feeling of being on guard and a rigid spine. The more his capacity for relaxation increases, the more extreme the spasms. He is feeling the pain.

Axial Skeleton:Skull to Spine

The axial skeleton includes the skull, the spine, the "rib-cage" and the free floating hyoid bone.

The weight transfer from the skull to the spine is key to postural alignment.

It travels down the bodies of the vertebrae, spreads around the bone of the pelvis through the sacrum, and is transferred to the ground through the legs and feet.

The spinal cord hangs like a tail from the brain, the skull sits on the atlas, transferring its weight anterior to the cord.

The atlas is the only vertebra which can be moved independently from the rest of the spine. The skull can rock forward and backward around its horizontal axis making a "yes" nod.

Like a snake, movement of the spine travles collectively and rhythmically through the whole structure.

Our spine is a progression of alternating curves.

In postural alignment, balance of the spine lives in the mobility of its opposing curves.

Our goal is to have a responsive spine, not a "straight" spine.

The structure of the spine allows 3D mobility so that we can move through the three planes of movement

Thoughts on Frame Task

I chose to work with the frames of my desk in my bedroom. I began lying on the floor with my eyes closed, but quickly came to move around the floor until I was next to the desk.

I slowly investigated how the desk fet by using my sensoury awareness of touch. The four leg stands felt cold on my hands and feet, but it felt refreshing against the warm temperature in my room and provided me with a creative boost of energy to explore the frame in more depth.

The desk seemed inviting as a result of its smooth surfaces, amd therefore I found many ways to enter in and out of the frame through rolling, crawling and sliding through the bars frontwards and backwards. The room seemed bigger from under the desk and brighter too.

I came out of the desk and began to look at it from different angles: downward dog, on all four's, upward dog. I sat with my back against one of the legs and acted as a support for the desk. I was surprised to find that in giving my weight to the bars they actually supported me.

Frame Task Score

Frame Task

Create a frame for yourself

Find a place to view from

Observe entrances and exits

Like a camera:Zooming in, zooming out, in focus, out of focus, playing with the depth of field

Record experience in some way

Body, Space, Image score

Sound Score

Bench Task Observations

I found myself reluctant to close my eyes, so I put my head down instead

Contrast between busy atmosphere and quiet nature

Sense of a community

Voices and conversations trailing off into the distance

Sound of different rhythms creating by people walking up and down the steps

Felt an urge to get involved in other people's conversations

opening and closing of automatic door

Industrial building vs Nature surrounding it

Bench Task

Bench Task, a photo by c_27 on Flickr.

Bench Task

Solo task:

Find a bench loaction-take a 15 minute timed rest-with eyes closed.

Keep attentive the musicality, the 3D sound score as well as notice the curiousity, the distractions, your stillness and your restlessness. What resonates for you?

Create a musical impression in words, pictures, symbols, song etc that can capture/record this moment in time

Witnessing Movement Score

Witnessing Movement Score, a photo by c_27 on Flickr.

Possibility to move from a circle into a weaving line