How deeply can you listen?
Beginning on the first day of summer, June 21st, we will embark on a journey into the depths of listening.
We will explore how to listen… to our surroundings, to each other, to our bodies and to ourselves.
Through the use of listening techniques from Ortho-Bionomy, sensing games from naturalist trainings, and the madness of Shiva Nata, our ability to truly hear and understand each other and ourselves will be enhanced – effortlessly and magically!
Listening – the 5-week Series.
The basic structure: new exercises, concepts and game will be explored throughout the first half of our time together followed by flailing and free-writing – to help us really get what we are discussing.
Week 1: Games and exercises to enhance our ability to tune into and hear what is happening in our environment without becoming overstimulated. Also: learning and/or reviewing the 8 Shiva Nata hand positions plus flailing and free-writing.
Week 2: Beginning to tune into our bodies – learning how to Speak Sensation, the Language of the Body.
Week 3: Using our ability to listen to ourselves (our bodies) to help us deepen our ability to listen to others.
Week 4: Playing with Body Radar – how to allow our bodies to guide us to the right place at the right moment. Plus, playing with how to let our bodies help us make difficult decisions, find lost objects and avoid obstacles (both literally and figuratively).
Week 5: Review of concepts covered throughout the previous 4 weeks plus more games and more flailing!! Yay!
Pertinent Details:
The When: 5 Tuesdays beginning June 21st (through July 19). 10:30-noon.
The Where: Peninsula Park (N. Albina and N. Ainsworth, Portland, OR). We meet in the gazebo overlooking the sunken rose garden. It’s perfect! :)
The How Much: $75 for the full series. $20 drop-in available with prior notification (drop me an email or a DM) and at least a basic understanding of the Shiva Nata hand positions.
The What to Bring: Your lovely self :), a notebook and pen. Water and a jacket are good ideas as well.
The “I’m so IN! What do I do now?” part: email me by Sunday, June 19th, to let me know you will be joining us. Bring your $75 (cash or check) to the first class. OR, let me know if you’d prefer to pay by credit card and I’ll send you a paypal request.
That’s it! I’m so excited to flail with you in the park!
Note: although drop-ins are definitely welcome, I highly recommend the entire series as each week will build on the skills and exercises explored throughout the previous weeks. If you want to come but know you’ll have to miss a class (it’s summer, after all!), just let me know and we’ll work it out.
Want more information about Shiva Nata? Keep reading. :)
Shiva Nata (or Crazy Monkey Dancing as per my boyfriend) is this amazing system for training your brain and your body. Using only 8 arm/hand positions, the challenge lies in connecting these 8 positions through following increasingly complicated spiraling patterns.
The point? To use our body to challenge our brains so that new neural pathways are formed.
The point of that? Over time, you will find yourself reacting quicker physically and processing (thinking) faster and more clearly. Plus, it is amazing for increasing physical coordination and making it easier to learn new things – physical or otherwise.
In short, Shiva Nata improves:
- Mental concentration and focus,
- Reaction speed, dexterity, coordination and balance, and… our
- Ability to learn about ourselves and to notice our patterns*.
*To learn a bit more about Shiva Nata and the importance of noticing patterns, read this post.
Shiva Nata is performed standing. After learning the basic positions, you simply attempt to mirror my lead. After a while, your brain will get tired of trying to figure out the patterns and your mind will become quiet.
At this point, we will do some writing. I’ll pose some open-ended questions and give you time to write.
It’s really amazing what can come out of writing in this way. It’s as if we are able to tap into a deeper, wiser part of ourselves and see our patterns and what is important more clearly.
Worth Noting:
- You are welcome to attend whether you are a total beginner or already an actively practicing ShivaNut. I’m expecting a full range of abilities to be present and, rest assured, all brains will be melted. :)
- So yes, absolutely no previous experience with Shiva Nata is expected or required. If you have some, great. If not, you will be in fantastic company.
- Bring a notebook and pen and wear comfortable, work-out-ish type clothes.
- That is all. :)
Oh! I’m so in!
Great! I’ll see you in the park. :)
