I do so deeply appreciate your engagement. I am so inspired by your creativity and thoughtful responses.

Helen, from London remarked that there is a interesting contradiction in using the out breath to move and the in breath to relax - as the out breath triggers an activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s a good point. The heart rate does slow when we breathe out and speeds up when we breathe in. That difference in heart rate is a measure for vagal tone. (Video on vagus nerve anatomy by the fabulous Sam Webster if you’re a practitioner)

Yes, the heart rate slowing on the exhale and increasing on the inhale does seem a little contradictory. However I think of it as - move with calmness & breathe in peace.

The heart rate slowing on exhalation is a good way to maintain a calm focus during an action and the heart rate increasing on inhalation is a good way of ensuring rest is not conflated with collapse. It’s rest with active awareness.

So we have been expanding the range of actions we are doing whilst sensing the balance and integrity of the head, spine, pelvis and limbs.

This week we will explore movements that use both the flexors and extensors of our body. Twisting, flexing & extending are a part of so many movements.

Now we won’t be doing this but we will be doing something that may make it easier to swim.

It does feel as though I am underwater at the moment. In this altered landscape the froth of my mindless chatter seems so pointless in the stillness of my brothers gaze.

The trivia of my concerns .. It really is a privilege

This lesson is an improvisation on one of Moshe’s most famous lessons. We’ll explore it within the prism of our ever freeing breath.

It’s so simple but the effect is just lovely.

This blog post relates to the ninth lesson in the breathing series. You can find that lesson by clicking here

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Breathing 9 - Twisting and rolling in water