DANCING YOUR SYSTEMS
Experiential Movement Course
for Body Workers, Coaches, and Massage therapists
Have you ever seen a cat lying in the sun, totally relaxed?
And how fast the same animal gets on its feet when the moment asks for it? That is a switch from rest-and-digest mode into the fight-and-flight mode, or in other words: from a state of complete relaxation (Yin) to being ready, alert, and inaction (Yang).
We, as humans, have the same ability, and we constantly do it: from subtle changes in conversation to bigger actions, such as running to catch a ball or save a baby from falling. By building awareness of these energies, we can learn to direct them skillfully and apply that to our massage treatments and daily life too.
Our body, mind, and spirit are like a symphony of systems: bones, muscles, fascia, and the nervous system. You can compare it to a symphony in music: all the different instruments playing together create a genius piece of art. The aim of this course is to create harmony within our systems: to let them operate in the most efficient and organic way possible.
We adapt and respond to the world around us, and what we call Yin and Yang energy is the result of the systems reacting to different stimuli around and within us.
As a massage therapist, you encounter Yin and Yang energies on various levels, which might be themes of yourself and/or of your client, such as:
- The effect of too much Yang energy
On a physical level: You can get injuries from being very hard on yourself through too extreme training, for instance, by having thoughts like these: “It can’t be good if it does not hurt or burn”. The nervous system is thereby constantly in sympathicus activation, and you might experience being stuck in survival modus through the fight, flight, and freeze mode, causing adrenaline overproduction and kidney exhaustion.
On an energetic level: You can be too demanding on yourself on goals and achievements for yourself and others. From the aspect of the mind, if you bring too much Yang (ambition/fire) to the practice or a project it can work against you and cause you to get burned out.
Both scenarios can result in you or your client arriving at the session: tense stressed and with an overactive, racing mind.
- The effect of too much Yin:
On a physical level: If you operate too much in Yin-state, your ligaments can overextend and muscles can lose their strength. Energetically it may result in feeling low energy, having a hard time to take decisions, and in the worst case: feeling stuck, procrastinating, being emotionally unstable, and immobile in body and mind. Substitution actions might be: emotional overeating, hence gaining weight or even becoming very obese. Low self-esteem through comparison with others may also occur.
In the emotional mind-body, you may notice that you become so sensitive and perceptive that you feel easily overwhelmed or overstimulated by a Yang environment: your nervous system “can’t take it anymore”. You might feel detached from your own calling and direction because you are being easily influenced by outer stimuli, people, and others’ opinions.
You see it’s about balancing the Yin and Yang levels – and that balance is dynamic: it might me a sudden switch, it might be a sliding scale. The point is to balance and regenerate the energies: preserve and cherish your sensitivity and be able to act fast or be resilient in a fast-paced and hectic environment. Experience the best of both worlds!
In communication
The intake conversation with your client literally sets the tone for the session: as a good therapist, you listen beyond the words: body language, tone of voice, and “energetic emission” often give more information than the words themselves. The level of information goes beyond cognition and intellect. The treatment starts already with listening and talking in an embodied way.
Here the Intelligence of the Body Systems comes into play
Some examples:
- Bones, Muscles, and Nerves are more in the Yang spectrum: encouraging, enthusiastic, directive, energetic, assertive; Active Outer Focus
- Inner Organs, Fascia, and Skin are, as organs of sensory perception, more in the Yin-spectrum: listening, empathetic, silent, soft, understanding, absorbing: Receptive Inner Focus
In the treatment
Varying the approach to suit your client’s needs is the secret to each fulfilling session.
Every day, the body and also you as a therapist feel different. The techniques are the tools, and they are only as effective as what kind of energetic and physical embodiment you transmit to your client.
Two examples
If you give the whole session in a light touch, yin way, your client will feel very relaxed, but maybe also spaced out and floaty. If you vary the treatment with some rhythmic strokes, shakes, and deep tissue interventions, your client will feel calm but also deeply grounded and replenished to take new actions.
The Movement qualities of the Body Systems are the keys to composing treatments on the spot that serve the client in what they need most and are also inspiring for the therapist.
What you will learn:
Dancing Your Systems is a fusion of various body-mind disciplines, such as Body-Mind Centering BMC, Laban Bartenieff Fundamentals, and Tensegrity.
With the help of the body systems (bones, muscles, fascia, nervous system, organs) we will explore:
- Experiencing the movement qualities of the body systems
- Yielding, reaching, push & pull
- Somatic exploration
- Rooting – expansion – elongation
- Integrating the effect into the massage treatment
- Center and Periphery, navel radiation
- Gentle contemplative moving to explore and discover as well as dynamic energetic moving to let go and expand
- Diving deep within to radiate out!
Practically – way of working
Part of the course will be devoted to experiencing the qualities in your own body, sometimes in partner or group exercises. Part of the course will be devoted to integrating the findings at the massage table/giving sessions to each other. Giving specific and clear feedback is part of embodied learning. The reflection and integration practice will include writing and drawing. Each session will include and encourage verbal sharing in the group at the beginning and end.
Benefits of this course include
- Insight into the systems of your body
- Introduction to the principle of Tensegrity (= Tension & Integrity)
- How to apply the principles in massage/bodywork and movement: in connection with yourself and in service of the client
- Support to oscillate and balance your yin and yang energy
- Create varied treatments, tailored to your client, emerging from your inner intelligence
- Safe embedding in the same committed group
- Practical ways to integrate the findings at the massage table and your daily life
What a Committed Group Offers
A committed group offers the possibility to grow trust together and to explore deeper than in a single event, like a workshop. Sharing our experiences helps us to reflect and exchange on the process. The themes of the course build on each other, not in a linear way, they are interconnected.
If you step in at a later point, you might miss some pieces of the puzzle.
For Whom
Massage therapists and body workers who would like to go beyond form and style to discover the sliding scale between Yin and Yang presence and how to apply that to their practice and their lives.
What to Bring
- A book for journaling and drawing
- An open and curious spirit and mind
- Readiness to enjoy yourself!
DANCING YOUR SYSTEMS
Practicalities
Date: To be announced. 6 evenings a 2 hour classes
Time: 19.30 – 21.30 h
Trainer: Claudia Kratzheller
Location: To be announced.
For whom: massage therapists and body workers who would like to go beyond form and style
Price: € 295,00
If you’d like to have a talk to figure out if this course is for you:
book a call with me
