Following the practice of Skin Release Technique

23rd February 2011

Polly Hudson session

We continued working with supple and soft body, softness, especially in the joint sites. This time the beginning was similar as we started working with Florance Peake, on our feet, finding the supplement and softness. I have noticed, that this time I found that supple feeling quicker than some weeks ago, that probably shows the development and some kind of result already. I think it is because I am really getting into this technique and I really like it, it works on purpose for my body and even mind. 

Later on we experienced some new thing, when the back of hands helps. We tried to find kind of edges reaching with the back of our hands, what reminded me my personal work related to circles and some IPP1 workshop  about bubble of ourselves with Glen Noble. Another step forwards still working with the back of the hands was in contact to other people, when the touch of this part of body gave the impulse to move. It helped me notice which body parts I move least and reminded me these places, which gave a different quality as the supplement comes after the touch. It was really beautiful contact improvisation work with purpose, giving and responding. 

Laying on the floor and releasing the body, this time I needed a little more time to get the released state. At the beginning I wasn't able to concentrate, because I could hear someone out of the room talking, making some noise, it really annoyed me. But as soon as the music came, my state, focus and even mood changed somehow. In addition, maybe because I was quite awake before getting into this state, it took a bit longer to release as well, but I got some unusual feeling on my releasing journey- this time instead of heaviness before released state I felt something like being lifted without any of my efforts. It was so interesting and strange so I   kind of miss the words to explain it. 

We did "River" work again. The basic thing before working further is sliding. The whole foot sliding takes basic here. I found really difficult to start sliding fluently and continuously, and then I've tried to speed up, and quick moving helped me sort this out, my feet probably adapted or got used to. Then I was able to work with tipping,  falling, flowing... in supple movements. Doing similar thing I usually was concentrating on, for example, lifted leg, or other body parts that do biggest changes of natural shape, but this time I was focusing on my supported leg. I noticed, that the more supple and soft it is, the more free my movements are, and I can do more with the rest of my body, even like it is the lifted leg. The support we take from the floor is really important for a better quality of movements.

Concentrating on that back line, that I've explained in my previous posts (similarities between human and horse tail), the pelvic position also helped to improve the movement's quality, length and alignment in my body.

We also had the discussion and notice of shoulders' alignment, because some lifting or tense sometimes comes when we hold our ribcage. It is quite tricky but important to keep our shoulders released when we keep ribcage holded. And the lower part of ribcage as well, because we don't want to be in tense, we just want a nice posture. I found it nice to feel someone tip-topping under the bone in the chest that are one of the most important ones in shoulder movement. A new experience of getting know your own body structure. After that I moved my arm in different ways, to notice how this bone gets involved in movements, and I found it very active.