The practices continue as before with breath in three planes of movement, into the joints,and marma points of the lymphatic system. However, something more is possible.
Svadhyaya. Self-examination. What is there to examine? My pains? My pleasures? My habits? My biases confirmed? To examine what I think I know? My beliefs and doubts? My breath? And what am I supposed to find? or do about it? Perhaps the best way to make Svadhyaya is to cultivate stillness.
Yes, we can examine ourselves in “flight,” that is as we go about our daily routines, but
to examine oneself in a cold light and to full depth requires an isolation from daily, external influences and who has the time to do that? To retreat to a silent monastery, ashram, or abbey among like-minded souls, while most beneficial, may not be possible. To go alone to a private residence or a place out away from the habits of daily routine, even that may not be possible. Yet, wherever you may find yourself, you can set yourself a place to sit, a designated chair, or even a place on the floor. Quiet is helpful to unwind the cycles of the senses and the mind.
Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed.
What is needed for hand balances? How do they build? How do we enter and exit? Where is shtira?
Beginning again means asking familiar questions and looking for the answers in the posture, observing what doesn’t work, and what does. Learning twice, and twice again in Beginners Mind.
I recorded this last night because I must be on the road during our usual time. Here we observe three planes of functional spinal movement with breath. I invite you to recall warm-ups of this past week and to practice from whatever you can recall. If you cannot recall, then reboot yr favorite livestream recording and use that.
This week marks the start of a new endeavor at the SAMURAI INTI Martial Arts Studio in Frisco. I’ll be teaching i a group class there at Sendai Sebastian Mejias ‘ dojo on Monday and Wednesday mornings.
Here's Jeff's updated schedule (please note the upcoming change to Saturdays). Below the schedule, you'll find payment links for the in-person group classes.
Mondays, 9AM in FRISCO at Samurai Inti Martial Arts, 7410 Preston Rd., #105, Frisco, TX 75034
Wednesdays, 9AM in FRISCO at Samurai Inti Martial Arts, 7410 Preston Rd., #105, Frisco, TX 75034
Thursdays, 8:30AM in DALLAS at Carpathia Collaborative, 10260 N. Central Expressway, #210, Dallas, TX 75231
UPDATE APRIL 13, 2025: Saturdays, 8:30 AM in DALLAS *WILL BE AT A NEW LOCATION VERY SOON! Will likely either be at White Rock Lake or Carpathia Collaborative, not the Hillcrest location. Confirmation coming soon! This update was posted on April 13, 2025.
PAYMENT LINKS FOR GROUP CLASSES (you can also pay cash in person at the time of the session; take note of your subscriber and payment level):
Locals community subscribers at the free level, and the general public: $35
https://buy.stripe.com/eVadTm24V3fi77O6oD
Locals community supporters ...
This book was fundamental to body movement and awareness. Notice the three planes of functional spine.
If you ask a personal trainer, a pilates teacher, a yoga teacher, and a massage therapist about “core strength” it is likely you will get different answers.
We wish to observe the diaphragm as the central origin of neuromuscular action — activating channels of strength down through the lumbar vertebrae, hips, legs, feet. And likewise int he opposite direction up the spine through the thoracic spine, shoulders, neck and skull.
Here is an image for us to keep in mind and note how we humans hold together — feet to fingertips and eyes.