Body-Mind Centering® and Yoga

EMBODIED DEVELOPMENTAL MOVEMENT AND YOGA
with Amy Matthews & Roxlyn Moret

Workshop Descriptions

Basic Neurological Patterns and Yoga: Prevertebrate Patterns

In this workshop we will explore the fluid patterns that underlie our movements in the womb and immediately after being born.

The prevertebrate patterns in humans are expressed as patterns of internal, non-locomotive movement. They establish fluid pathways that underlie the organization of the nervous system and are a key to opening our awareness, desire and motivation, and sense of comfort and ease. Because these patterns underlie cellular tone and fluidity, they play an important role supporting the more complex movement of yoga.

Basic Neurological Patterns and Yoga: Vertebrate Patterns

In this workshop we will progress through the patterns that develop after birth as we learn to move and change levels in relationship to gravity and space. The emergence and integration of these responses have an enormous effect on our movement, on how we relate to ourselves, others and the world, and on how we organize and process information.

The vertebrate movement patterns fall into four main groups: spinal patterns, which give us an integrated vertical axis; homologous patterns, which help us differentiate upper and lower body and establish midline orientation; homolateral, which differentiate and integrate both sides of the body and establish lateral line orientation; and contralateral, which differentiate and integrate the diagonals of the body; blending attention and intention in three-dimensional space.

The Basic Neurological Patterns (BNP) are movement templates that first appear in the womb and continue emerging and integrating through infancy. Their emergence in humans parallels the evolutionary development of movement through the animal kingdom (prevertebrate and vertebrate). The BNP form the words of our movement and have extensive application in movement and psychophysical expression. Done in sequences, these patterns can also form the basis for a deep and ongoing personal movement practice.

Senses & Perceptions and Yoga

This workshop explores how we filter, modify, distort, accept, reject, and use sensory information to bond, defend and learn. The senses are our organs of receiving information from ourselves and from the outer world.

Perception is the psychophysical process of interpreting sensory information. This process begins as potential and develops in response to experience. Embodiment of these principles informs the continuum of our awareness (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and contemplative practice moment by moment into the fullness of emptiness (samadhi). Deepening and expanding awareness of our senses and perception opens the windows of transformation within our yoga practice and within our lives.

Reflexes: Gravity and Space

In this workshop, we will focus on the movement elements that give us the ability to yield into the earth and open our awareness to depth of self. They allow us to expand into space and discover what is other. They are at the base of experiencing relationship through reaching, gathering, taking hold and letting go. In yoga, they provide us with rootedness and the ability to be upright upon the earth in any asana.

Underneath ALL successful, effortless movement are integrated Reflexes, Righting Reactions, and Equilibrium Responses (RRR). The RRR are the fundamental elements, or the alphabet, of our movement and they establish our basic survival patterns. They develop in response to the interaction of our internal state of being with gravity, space, and other (people, objects and nature). The RRR combine to build the Basic Neurological Patterns (BNP). This is the first of two courses in the RRR.

Reflexes: Planes of Motion

In this workshop, we will explore the differentiation and integration of the planes of motion to help us find balanced movement in all directions. The sagittal plane supports forward and backward bending postures; the vertical plane, triangular and side bending postures; and the horizontal plane, spirallic twisting postures. Together they bring three-dimensionality to our movement and our mind and bring a fullness to asana practice.

Ontogenetic Development and Yoga

In this workshop, we will explore ontogenetic development, how movement develops chronologically from intrauterine life through approximately 12 months of age. This period is an extraordinarily formative time for humans. It is then that we build the groundwork for our movement and perceptual skills and pass through the milestones by which we mark our development. These milestones are the templates for our future functional movement and form the patterns for the development of asanas. As the RRR are to letters and the BNP are to words, the Ontogenetic milestones are the sentences of our movement.

Embryological Development and Yoga Parts 1-2

In this workshop, we will explore the embryological developmental process, where we can discover the primal roots of our structure, perception, respondability and presence. The understanding and integration of these aspects of development give us a doorway into inner and outer processes (self and other); the embryonic disk and development of the front body (endoderm), back body (ectoderm) and middle body (mesoderm); development of our central vertical axis (notochord); and the development of fluid rhythms. Embryological development establishes the ground for cellular unity and breathing (pranayama).

Asana Practice from a Developmental Perspective

In the previous workshops in this series, the theme has been the developmental material and how it can enrich yoga practice. In this workshop, the focus is on asanas and how to choose, build, organize, adapt, sequence and execute them based on developmental principles. Some of the aspects covered are: building basic elements for ease of execution; balancing and recuperating through associated counterpostures; thematic sequencing of a common thread that weaves the asanas into a unified whole; establishing a beginning, a middle and an end; adapting postures based on individual needs; encompassing three-dimensional space within the context of the three basic planes; utilizing asanas at different levels in relation to the earth and heaven.

Integration & Synthesis of EDMY Parts 1-3

In the developmental workshops in the program, the emphasis is on establishing a foundation for personal embodiment of the principles taught. Integration is a professional-leveI workshop that builds on the skills gained earlier and applies those skills to facilitating others in their yoga practice.

In order to take this workshop, you must first complete a minimum of five developmental workshops and the Asana Practice from a Developmental Perspective workshop.

Professional Issues & Competency Parts 1-2

What does it mean to teach Embodied Developmental Movement and Yoga and how do you transition into this role? This course includes a review of skills and an evaluation of competency as well as ethics from a yoga perspective (yamas and niyamas).