IN FOCUS: 'Teacups'
Breathing-forms
•
9m 29s
THE WHAT:
Taking an 'In Focus' look at an ancient & fundamental arm-pattern, the 'Teacups'. This movement can be incorporated indefinitely into daily practice, serving as a 'constant' against which to as how you are feeling and moving at this point in time. A as rhythmical, breathing form, it can also serve to calm, focus, and activate autonomic qualities of the parasympathetic nervous system.
On a physiological level, the global extension & flexion serves to mobilise the spine and helps "pump" vital fluids through the body. The shoulders are taken through their full ranges of internal & external rotation, and with it the scapulae express their natural movement though elevation, depression, protraction, retraction, and everything in between.
A recap of the fundamental focus-points shared:
- Soft in knees, soft in hips. Do not "block" yourself.
- Keep weight CENTRED. Avoid leaning forward/backward.
- Coordinate arm-pattern with global ext. flex. of spine.
- Palms face UPWARD at ALL times. Do not spill the tea!
Adjust your arm-pattern to accommodate this constant.
- Keep arm pattern RHYTHMICAL: no one phase of the movement
is faster/slower or bigger/smaller than another.
- MOVE with your BREATHING. Externalise you breaths.
- Use Teacups as a 'constant' to notice day-to-day changes.
PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDAETIONS:
The 'Teacups' are a fundamental global spine/scapular-care & breathing form which also help to rebalance the parasympathetic & sympathetic nervous systems. This means it can be used at any time to "center" oneself, whether as part of a daily morning practice, to commence a dedicated 'Spine & scap' practice, or as part of general preparation/warm-up for a main session of practice.
Essential, it is a form to practiced DAILY. Begin with just 10x repetitions in each direction (medial & lateral), performed with awareness & full intention toward all of the nuances outlined. Revisit the resource after some time for further insights & to maintain curiosity over both the form, and to better answer the question: "how am I feeling today?"
Once strong experience has been developed, work with up to 15x, rhythmical repetitions in each direction.
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