After the Summer Workshop Series
Last Saturday we finished the two-hour Basic Workshop Series. I was concerned how people would feel experiencing two hours of an unusual body method. The truth of the matter is, I think it was harder for me than it was for them. They loved the extra time to actually understand the directions and then experience how their body would respond. The clarity of the easy-going directions, carried over into their week and made doing the method more beneficial.
The Body Dialogue I speak of is something that is going on within all of us, all the time. It’s that back-and-forth communication between body and brain to put it simply. We are not conscious of it, just like many things that happen in our body like blinking, a cut healing, or digestion. The Miracle Ball Method takes that back-and-forth communication and puts a language to it. It’s very simple, but specific. It allows your body to reverse course over time, which is such a relief if you’ve been “holding” on in areas of your body. This can cause the chronic backaches, sciatic pain, or stiffness in the neck and shoulders. That is exhausting. Most of us feel stuck and unsure why this or that is stiff or hurting. A lot of methods want you to “let go”. I get that. But you can’t let go of something you are not aware of how you are holding.
Two hours too long? Not enough time?
The extra time made the difference for people to understand that we are not relaxing and letting go and releasing alone, but actually allowing the body to give us information. (there are two things that happen, different from other methods.
- FIRST, we feel what our body is doing, where it holds, tightens, and where the breath may or may not be. Its very unique to each person and not as easy as it sounds. In fact, it’s such a surprise when you feel things, we think this can’t be right.
- SECONDLY, we use that information. That information is the genius of our bodies. It even knows the best places to go! Through our senses it can realign, balance, and adjust. The extra time allowed us to feel all these things. The better you feel different parts, the easier the body coordinates big movements, for walking, stretching, dancing, and recovering more easily from day to day living.
The Feedback from Your Body
For me, the most amazing thing to realize is that I didn’t need to do anything. I had to stop doing so much so I could listen. It was under the surface, not very obvious. The expression “still waters run deep” is always in my head. We don’t see it on the outside, but the clenched jaw, the tight muscles of the buttocks, locking the knees, perpetually, holding our breath or our shoulders, just seem normal to most. We don’t even see these things happen, but they are. Once you feel it, your body will begin to give you feedback on what to do. That is very different than us trying to fix it. It does take time, and a bit of being open to a process you may not understand at first and then you will. The balls are a great way to facilitate this process as they give an obvious sense of feeling how gravity and breathing make movement happen.
Movement is simply shifting weight in space.
Taking the classes
I am spending more time in the classes, taking the feelings that you get on and off the ball, into bigger movements. those moments where you allow your weight to shift when you walk, when you hit a tennis ball, swing a golf club are just fun and possible without pain. The beauty of choices when you stretch and while listening to the feedback of your body in the moment is truly miraculous.
I hope you join me in some of the workshops or classes at whatever pace works best for you.
The Fall Workshop Series “Are you a Tight Ass” begins Sept 23rd at 1pm ET. Learn More