Month: November 2006

As you work or practice to lear, have in mind what is it you are getting for the work. This is a question about principle and purpose. Check if you are doing something everyday to keep from falling (addressing the form of another as given fact and giving it power) Are you doing something out of habit and going through the motions without getting something new each practice. If that is the case, change. Do something if it feels true and you get something from it.  Push ups or staying with a team becasue it is your team has no growing value and as Alice says in Alice in wonderland if you are standing in place you are moving backwards.

exhale completely and hold. While you ae holding (standing up) relax your throat and shoulders, try to pull the stomach in a little to check where the tension lies using shifting and twisting. Relax.

I did 20 pull ups today as I do everyday using a towel draped over a pipe to mimic rope climbing. At the last one the towel tore apart and I fell about two meters down on my back. I got up laughing and had to reassure the people in the building all is well. This just goes to show you how we sometimes neglect to see the small things in life. Have a good night.

Another drill with a knife is to simply walk by a person (in class) with a knife on you somewhere. If you display the knife or draw in a dramatic way than he will shoot you or run away and so on. Learn to approach with a clean heart and no bad intension. Draw the knife as if you are going to cut bread or something similar and do what needs to be done. After one person does the drill help him by telling him how he was telling you he was about to draw and so on (don’t draw every time it takes the game away). 

A good drill to gain some freedom is to learn to move each finger seperatly. This is fun and can happen aywhere. Through relaxation learn to bend and extend each finger without tension in the others. Learn to play with a few coins and move  them in your palm one over the other and over the knuckles. You can use th chineese balls (metal balls) to move around in your hand is various ways and so on. Another option that may not always present itself is to do the same with your toes. The whole balance of the body lies in the feet so before you start to play with the toes play with the balance in the feet. Sway and see how and where the balance point go. If you are careful you can sense how the mass shifts from the simple move of the eye balls. This is one way to gain awareness to your movement. You can do it in a suit at work too. Not all work is sweat. The purpose is what matters.

A good drill to learn both hitting and taking hits. One person closes his eyes and the others push him anywhere with their fists and feet (for the beginning, later use everything) and his job is to move with the pushes and stay upright and light oon his feet. Use moving with the force to avoid getting the hit inside or getting tangles with feet or arms. The people who push learn to move with bodies who do not stand still and learn how to relax themselves in this changing enviroment. it is very different to hit someone stationary and someone who is moving on his or someone elses will. Take this into account and learn. you can do this with eyes open to to learn the effects of expecting a hit for the person who sees it and tenses up instead of choosing to let the wave pass. Think about it and practice.

A friend asked about systema benefits for people who have lived more than we have. For one we can ask them how did they swing that and learn from them.

A few drills: In the morning streatch and roll from side to side in bed using the breath as rythem. Get out of bed and start To walk as you shake the rigidness of you by shaking and moving the tissues and joints. For example hug yourself and pull apart your shoulder blades and hold as you inhale and exhale. Now move the torso looking left and right to limber the middle of the spine and so on. Try to touch all the points in your back with both your hands and use the other hand to aid you in your reach. Scratch your feet together and than rub each leg with the other using the foot and the knees. Next sit down and lie on your back and press each part to the ground as you relax everything near it. Pay attention to the lower back and even to the backs of the Knees. Reverse your position and do the same thing again for this part. Once you are loose start to roll on the ground using your breath as a guide and check from there how to proceed. At night I suggest hanging from a bar or something for about two minutes to free the spine and let the cardlidge breath and take the fluids it needs. If you want a vid of this let me know.

Take note of the white space. Look at a page you are reading and see how much free space there is. It is not wasted becasue it frames and has its own purpose and purpose matters. Now take note of your steps for starters. How much distance do you travel in each step and how much ground you pass over. It is not the same question. When you are on the floor check where there is distance between you and the floor and where do you blend. Now work with this.

Responsibility: If you break the work down as I do in english classes you see Response and ability. The moment you take charge of your actions you gain an ability to change them. If your training has brought you somehting you wish to leave behind as a bad back or frustration from your time being “lost” change it now and that is all. It is ok to break down as long as the feet keep moving uphill. Don’t stay somewhere because it is safe or you cannot change it. Move 

Stand up and squat down till your fists are on the ground. Move the feet a bit forward and start to sway on all fours in circles. Relax your body as much as possible and take a few steps here and there. Notice how moving forward is different than moving backwards. See how you can move freely with your hips and shoulders in this position. As always let your breath lead you.