My arms began to spiral in primal patterns to extremes I had never imagined possible, then reversed and stretched me in the opposite direction a little further each time.
my physical organism, not just in the reciprocal rhythms of my heart and breath, but in my body through space as well; contracting and expanding, twisting, turning to and fro as my body unwound further and further with each new movement. While not discounting the undoubtable benefits of consciously directed movement practices, I was experiencing something inherently different as I was moved from within. I was connecting with an impulse deeper, older, and wiser than my conscious ego ever was or ever will be.
MOVEMENT IN SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES At that stage, I had no idea cultures such as Quakers, St Vincent Shakers, Native Americans, and both Christian and Indian mystics (to name just a few) had been deliberately accessing this reorganisational impulse for health and well-being for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. I was yet to learn that one of the oldest cultures on earth, the Kalahari Bushmen, prided themselves as the ‘Keepers of the Shake’ and carried this ‘oldest medicine on earth’ as a key part of their cultural identity.
When it comes to freedom of movement however, few come close to the ancient Samurai warriors with their graceful beauty yet seemingly super-human strength. What I had never known was, in addition to their relentless physical training, one of their key practices to achieving these magical ‘flow states’ was ‘seiki jutsu’ (roughly translated as ‘universal life force yoga’). Seiki jutsu was a process in which they let go of all preconceived movement forms and meditated into a state that allowed their bodies to ‘be moved, trembled and shaken’ each and every day.
TRAUMA RELEASE EXERCISES A few years after my initial Vipassana experience, I was fortunate to be introduced to TRE, one of the most recent (and simple) techniques to invoke this evolutionary impulse using basic postures and movement, therefore not requiring mind-altering substances, conscious effort, hours of meditation, specific rituals, or religious beliefs to awaken it. My regular practice of TRE (initially
named Trauma Release Exercises for its use in trauma recovery in war zones
and the Third World) soon helped to create a depth of release and ongoing reorganisation well beyond anything I could have ever consciously achieved. Best of all, I could use this technique (as simply as lying in bed) to restore my body to health and vitality each and every day – just like the ancient Samurai! What’s common to all these different
practices, regardless of their origins, is that they all deliberately access and utilise the human body’s innate capacity to literally move itself towards health and harmony. It doesn’t really matter what we call it or how we explain it, as long as the story makes enough sense for our ego to let go and allow it.
BACK TO WHOLENESS So the next time your body begins to twist and turn or move on its own, explore it. Whether that’s rocking and swaying during meditation, jerks and jolts during a treatment, or a full-bellied laugh or an uninhibited cry, follow it. If you start to shake and tremble after shock or trauma, let go and surrender – your body already knows how to move you back to wholeness. n
Connect with other readers & comment on this article at
www.livingnow.com.au
Richmond Heath empowers people and practitioners to maximise their health and well-being using TRE. He runs TRE workshops and
professional training Australia wide.
Clinic and consulting rooms for rent he covillage at Currumbin alley
The Healing Ground at the Ecovillage in Currumbin Valley offers clinic rooms for therapists on a permanent basis or daily hire. Clinic rooms are 4m x 4m, furnished with own locked entrance and access to shared kitchen and client waiting areas. The rooms exude warmth and character and the extensive gardens and grounds provide a sanctuary of tranquility and healing. Plenty of client parking and only ten minutes from Currumbin, Elanora and Palm Beach.
Contact the owner directly eter • Mobile 0419 20 19 • mail paconsulting
me.com MARCH 2017 63
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