I had the immense privilege of attending a workshop with the venerable Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen last weekend at the University of San Diego. For those of you who are not familiar with her work, for over fifty years, Bonnie has been at the forefront of the mind-body movement. With the detail and finesse of a hybrid between a medical professor and a dance teacher, she teaches embodied anatomy, guiding students to a deeper connection to our neurology and physiology through mindful movement.
This particular workshop, "weaving and tonifying our central core," addressed how our "core" is more far-reaching - both in space (anatomically) and in time (from embryological origin) - than is often understood. We explored the dynamic interweaving of the structures of the diaphragm/s, vis-a-vis Bonnie's hypothesis that the diaphragm's crura extend both lower and higher than most western anatomical texts attest. And we explored the effect that this hypothesis has upon peripheral joints through movement, novel schematic paradigms (largely of an embryological bent), and touch. As a result of this new information, I am slowly exploring motions for new awareness and connectivity - both personally and in my clients, motions that are so commonplace to pilates instructors, like knee folds, squats, and leg circles. I am finding that both Bonnie's emphasis upon the diaphragm's crura and her explanations of its embryological origins radically affect how I conceive of and initiate motion, which has far-reaching implications upon how I teach movement, but also upon how I conceive of musical expression - both as a musician and teacher, and even upon how I move through the world. Personally, this has been a lot to take in. While I have known of Bonnie's work for several years, to study with her in person led to much greater depth of understanding, physically and intellectually. It honestly feels more like the very beginnings of understanding. My previous confidence in my anatomical knowledge seems almost liminal. And, while that's scary to admit, it's also ok. For, as I mentioned in my previous post, being unsettled makes us more deeply aware and attuned. And that's a great thing. copyright © cicely nelson 2016
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I'd heard of Glennon Doyle Melton but not really followed her, as I didn't really consider myself her target demographic. But she's recently published a memoir which is getting a lot of press and I'm realizing all of humanity is this wonderful woman's demographic. I caught a caption that enticed me to watch most of the above interview (recommend!). The caption was something to the effect of pain and reactiveness being a sort of "hot potato" that we are eternally shunting off to somewhere or someone else. That we so rarely sit with feelings before we react, deny, or suppress, and thus end up kind of backed up and blocked. I sometimes catch myself and my students (both music and Pilates/Yoga) holding our breath, which results in constricted lungs and diaphragm and increased physical tension in general. And, in the context of GDM's hot potato metaphor, it is clear that this is the somatic (bodily manifestation) effect of shunting off not just pain, anxiety, and shame, but even simple moment-to-moment awareness and presence. It's so easy to get ensnared in doing, going, and getting throughout our days, thinking of our next task or reflecting on a past conversation, even in moments where we truly can pause. It's often in these moments - washing the dishes, for instance - that I realize my mind is still going a mile-a-minute, planning, rehashing, and the physical effect is that my breath is shallow and thus that I am not truly inhabiting my body, in which this lack of awareness manifests as tension and/or counter-productive movement patterns. This somatic signal of breath awareness can be not only a canary in the mine of our emotional life, but also an anchor. By heeding our breath more often, and holding the hot potato, we can be more present both physically, emotionally, and spiritually, which allows our bodies and minds to heal and remain healthy. At the very least, our bodies will be less constricted, which has pretty profound implications for mental and physical health and conditioning. Thank you, Glennon, you have a new fan! copyright © cicely nelson 2016 If yoga is self-soothing church, then Pilates is work church. This is how my personal ecosystem works, but may be it's more universal than I realize that we all need those times of turning inward and self-nurturing but, hopefully, that culminates in strong drive to put on work boots and effect some change. For me, that's what Pilates is, in my physical practice. It's smart, pragmatic, frickin tough, and effective. Up today: fixing a nagging psoas/hamstring imbalance with some hip articulation and back work. This one addresses the role of the QL.
copyright © cicely nelson 2016
TVA (transverse abdominal) engagement can be abstract and tricky. Practicing TVA disengagement (let the contents of your abdomen fall towards the ground, as in the bottom picture) can sometimes help confused students identify its function, as they feel their organs and their spine lose this vital support, and then, having identified this heaviness, they're better able to find the gentle "drawing-up-the-belly-button" feeling that supports these organs (top pic). We just all have to be careful not to make the motion spinal, but keep it purely muscular. You'll feel it! Bonus points: initiate from pelvic floor. copyright © cicely nelson 2016
Cat stretch on the mat is nice. But kneeling cat on the cadillac and, even better, on the chair, that's yummy. I love the elements of spinal articulation and scapular stability. And the fact that you have this added element of potential free-fall (use your abs or lose your nose!) makes this one a barn-burner. I have to be careful to keep my lower legs glued to the mat (a connection that I lost a bit in the second pic) and to not overload my lats by overly extending - so you should too. Do try this at home! copyright © cicely nelson 2016
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