Skinner Releasing Technique 06/03/14

Before today's class began, I felt particularly tense and serious. However, as the lesson proceeded, I began to loosen and became really embodied in the tasks. 

We began with the idea of 'loose bones' which really allowed me to loosen my body, as well as my mind, and I was able to fully leave my problems at the door and concentrate on the 'now'. The 'loose leg dance' that developed from this allowed me to feel free, soft, and ready to explore. I felt like I was walking on water at one point during that 'dance' and therefore felt supple, delicate, but purposeful. 

The graphics bought my attention to places I often forget about: including their structure, weight, and assistance they apply to your body. I focused upon my skull and legs and realized through the graphics that we sometimes forget the movement these features can allow, but also how much care they deserve. 

Skinner Releasing Technique 27/02/2014

First of all in the class today, we returned to a previous idea we worked around, which was 'sponges'. 

We experienced the sponges for ourselves by holding a selection of ones Polly had bought it, i.e. their touch, texture, size, their properties etc. 

We then held these ideas whilst moving, imagining the feet, hands, spine and eventually the whole body as a sponge. 

We then lay down whilst Polly spoke about a "sea of breath".

The image within my mind was of a mermaid singing her breath into the sea, and I was concentrating so much on this image and let it consume me, so I couldn't recollect anything else she said in that part of the lesson. 

We then started to move like a river, that could have whirlpools, tipping, turning etc. It was really beautiful when the group moved in their own times, moving in and out of the 'river space'. 

The graphics which we performed followed the 'river dance' and focused upon the pelvis, ribs and skull. Once the physical graphics had been performed it was easy to imagine your partner's touch when moving independently. The 'phantom hands' made it easier to imagine the '3 spheres' we were concentrating on when transforming the graphics into dances that moved independently. 

I really enjoyed today's lesson as it provided me with new ways of moving as well as thinking, and was the first time in a while that I was able to create imagery in my head based on the poetic language used that didn't trigger a panic attack for me. 

Skinner Releasing Technique 09/01/14

The image above is an entry to my journal after the first Skinner Releasing Class.
I really enjoyed the technique as it allowed me to feel connected with the group, as well as with my own body. I feel the inner connection was due to the poetic language used that allowed me to visualise parts of my body when doing a 'scan'.
The graphics were really helpful and also allowed me to embrace that connection with myself.

After the class, I carried out some research of my own to find out more about Skinner Releasing Technique. My findings matched my experiences such as imagery being used, graphics being performed on eachother, connecting the mind with the physical body, calm atmosphere in the room etc.