Breathing, Mudras and Meridians - Elizabeth Larkam's Movement Book Club

Elizabeth Larkam's Movement Book Club -Breathing, Mudras and Meridians - Direct Experience of Embodiment  by Bill Harvey

4 Sundays June 2024
Time:  9:30-11:30 PDT
Dates:  June 2, 9, 16, 23

Book:  Breathing, Mudras and Meridians - Direct Experience of Embodiment by Bill Harvey 
(see below for book details & discount)

Suggested readings:

June 2 Chapters 1-4
June 9 Chapters 5-8
June 16 Chapters 9-12
June 23 Chapters 13-17

Note: Reading the recommended chapters in advance is not required. You will benefit from the movement practices whether or not you prepare. 

Each two-hour class meeting includes guided movement practices that integrate
*  fascia-informed movement sequences to support standing balance and gait
*  fascia-informed rhythmic movement sequences for oscillation, spring and elastic recoil
*  fascia-informed movement sequences that  focus attention on the movement relationships of tension and compression
*  breathing practices to facilitate physiological states
*  mudras of the hands
*  mudras of the tongue
*  movements of the eyes to counter screen-limited focus
*  drawing figure eight mandalas with each hand to develop spatial awareness and proprioception
*  discussion of the book chapters and their applications to personal exploration and professional experience 

Recommended props:  
*  Blank pieces of paper - 6 per class meeting.
*  At least 8 and 1/2 x 11 inches or larger, 2 colored drawing implements - pens, pencils or crayons
*  Sturdy vertical wall 
*  2 Aligners from Balanced Body are recommended but not required

Recordings will be posted within 24 hours of classes and will be available to view until June 30, 2024.

****************

Summary of Breathing, Mudras and Meridians by Bill Harvey

The word "embodied" is one of those terms, such as "grounded" or "centered" that can be discussed forever without being experienced.

Defining embodiment, though, can be quite tricky, because much of what is taught in western societies about the body devalues the felt experience.

The categories of formal learning, particularly anatomy and physiology, are taught with the fundamental source being cadavers (dead bodies), and conceptualizations that do not include our own vitality, or life force. Without the felt experience, embodiment is just another concept that can be discussed ad nauseum. The felt experience (or "phenomenology" in academic-speak) is the path away from these endless discussions and conceptual befuddlement.

This book provides a basic training on how to become aware of our physiological functioning and our sense of vitality. A part of this training comes from becoming hyper-aware of how we breathe. This awareness makes it possible to feel our own organs and how they function and interrelate. To help us refine our awarenesses of our own organs we are entirely fortunate to learn and practice methods, developed over thousands of years by Indian and Chinese cultures.

With these fundamentals this book leads us through a series of connected experiences using mudras to feel our organs, the flows of our life force (Qi) and the flow of that life force through our meridians. From that we learn to feel our own chakras and sushumna (central channel), and our ability to perceive our connections with our environment and ecosystem. This then provides the basis for a body sense of our spiritual existence and development. Thus the definition of embodiment evolves into deeper awareness within our bodies and deeper connection to the world.

BOOK Ordering options:

$179 USD (Early Bird Pricing)

Change payment method

In short, I understand that Elizabeth Larkam is a guest contributor for Be Well-Stay Well™, and not only will I be responsible for my own body, but I'll also be respectful of her intellectual property.  Read FULL TERMS here.