I attended a workshop with Phillip Beach a couple of weekends ago. Phillip Beach suggests that we tune our bodies through spending more time on the floor in what he calls Archetypal Resting Postures (squatting, kneeling, cross legs, half lotus, long sitting, assymetrical sitting, cowboy sit). He suggests that if we explore the process involved in rising from the floor to upright, and practice it, we will be using our whole body in a very functional way, and he suggests we pay attention to the state of our feet.
People who came to the workshop were osteopaths, pilates teachers, massage and movement therapists, and a few of us were yoga teachers. We all have ways that we use and move and balance strength and flexibility. Phillip suggested that the fundamental ‘tuning’ through spending time on the floor and getting up and down was essential to all the other things that we do.
Phillip Beach says, “The word ‘tune’ implies proper for purpose, harmony, accord … tune … is the harmonious interaction of thousands of named anatomical structures.”
The dictionary says: Tune is to adjust (a musical instrument) to a correct or given standard of pitch (often followed by up) … to adapt (the voice, song, etc.) to a particular tone, to the expression of a particular feeling.
When un-tuned, or out-of-tune or mis-tuned there is a dis-cordance, a dis-ease.
What are we tuning to, and how do we attune?
Earth, Sky, the seasons, something greater than ourselves, the heart, breath.
Recent Comments