This year, I am trying to open the bodywork we are doing to be accessible to everyone, not just body therapists.
This chimes with my forthcoming book “Physical Democracy” so I thought I’d kick the project off with a blog, followed by a few courses and then the book later this year.
The first course is in Hamburg from Friday 21 – Sunday 23 February. For the others see www.seed.org/current-courses
The basic idea – integrating self and other.
– The human brain evolved to socialise so the verbal mind is easily influenced by other people, sometimes even harming ourselves
– The body has its own intelligences which have evolved to care for our wellbeing
– (The Meridian Functions are embodiments of some of these body intelligences)
-The verbal mind often overrules or ignores the body intelligences which causes internal conflict, injury or illness
– the techniques of Physical Democracy help a person to:
a) Listen to the intelligences of the body
b) Find a middle way, including both forms of intelligence
c) Allowing our decisions to be made by all aspects of ourselves
These principles can be taught to everyone using movement processes, simple hands-on techniques, theatre and voicework exercises and the framework of Inner Qigong.
In addition, practitioners of East Asian Therapies can teach clients to balance their lives using the processes of Physical Democracy in a way that integrates well with their treatments . The stages through which people learn Physical Democracy are embodied in the functions of the meridians in the following way.
Step 1: Individuation – learning to feel the body and sense a boundary between self and other.
Meridians involved: Yang Ming (Stomach and Large Intestine) & Tai Yin (Spleen and Lung)
Step 2: Listening to Inner Impulses – learning to discriminate between the motivations from self and from other
Meridians Involved: Tai Yang (Bladder and Small intestine) & Shao Yin (Kidney and Heart)
Step 3: Finding the Middle Way – learning to resolve conflict between self and other and to make decisions with both body and mind.
Meridians Involved: Shao Yang (Gall Bladder and Triple Heater) & Jue Yin (Liver and Pericardium)