Monday
Synchronizing Body, Heart & Mind
By Aaron Manier
During the final days of the don season, a determined group of warriors assembled at the Atlanta Shambhala Center to participate in a week of intensive exploration of the body, heart, and mind. This weekthun experience was led by Hope Martin, a skilled teacher of Alexander technique and the Shambhala tradition.
Down Right, Up Right
Hope has been developing a technique which she calls, “Down Right, Up Right.” This technique integrates the alignment principles of the Alexander technique with intense exploration of the body/mind relationship while nurturing whatever arises in the cradle of loving kindness. Through this practice, one becomes more and more acutely aware of the various holding patterns and tensions that predominate our general relationship to our body.
As a participant of the weekthun, I connected deeply with the relationship between the holding patterns of my body and my state of mind. Through intensive meditation practice, paired with Hope’s inspired teachings, I was able to observe the subtleties of these holding patterns: how they interconnect throughout my whole being and how they are part of ego’s mechanism to shield me from the raw, rugged, and tender aspects of my being. Continue…