Being by Adrian Kirk

Author:Adrian Kirk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2021-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

Doing the exercise once may be enough for you to now recognise where and when you have tension and be able to let it go. I first encountered the exercise when at drama school in the late 1990’s and it has stayed with me ever since. You may want to do it several times, or re-visit it every now and then; it’s certainly a good way to learn more about your body and help maintain a relaxed physical state.

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Now that you’re aware of tension creeping in to your body and are moving towards being able to let it go, it’s time to re-familiarise with your body’s wonderful design. We’ve already covered this in the Physical chapter, but for the sake of sequential flow, here it is again.

Just as you’ll benefit from doing the tension-relaxation exercise a few times, you’ll also benefit from working on physical alignment until you are familiar with what you have available at any moment: the superbly engineered, refined instrument that is your body. Initially, I’d like you to do this exercise standing as it helps you connect with your piece of earth and give you a right to be in your own space. However, once you are familiar with it you’ll be able to practise it anywhere: standing, sitting, walking or lying; in your car, in the gym, at work, at the supermarket. This body is wonderful; learn to connect with it and use it more efficiently. It is, after all, always with you.

Exercise:

1.Assume the hip width apart standing position, feeling gravity’s downward energy connecting you to your piece of earth.

2.Collapse your spine so you stoop: your back curving forward, head drooping toward chest and arms hanging loose as they dangle; let what is above the belt feel floppy and loose. Notice the general concave nature of your chest area, as if it has retreated with the shoulders coming round to protect your chest and centre.

3.Stay in the position for around ten seconds.

4.Notice how you may feel it harder to breathe; the neck may also feel constrained and the throat tight.

5.Now, imagine energy coming up the spine and allow yourself to lift, slowly. A good way to do this is to visualise each vertebra rising to sit slowly on top of the one beneath. Start with the vertebrae in your lower back, pretty much where you belly button would be at the front; when one vertebra is aligned let the next slowly rise to sit on top, then the next and the next. Importantly, do not move anything but your spine, one vertebra at a time; let shoulders, arms and chest simply fall into position as you rise. When the time is right, the head will sit on top of the last vertebra. Some useful tips:

oEnsure your knees don’t become locked tight as you rise up; keep your knees ‘off lock’.

oLet your shoulders fall in to place before allowing the head to fully come in line on top.

oAvoid introducing tension in the muscles around the spine; you do not need to hold yourself tight.

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