I’m falling into Blue Principle #3: Awareness, Insight, and Clarity. I haven’t any Insight or Clarity on what I will do with this concept, but I am really aware that the moment of truth is less than 24 hours away. I’ve been doing really well incorporating the principles in the last few months – but every once in a while, I realize that the principles are for ME to embody rather than my students. In other words, I am the one learning the thinking, and technique (say, the awareness and the insight) and I am supposed to deliver the work (Clarity) after I have processed and gotten something out of it.
In reading the Blue Belt manual about P2 Awareness, Insight, and Clarity ~ Pearls and The Realms, I am finding that a possible focus for class this week can be:
- Observing Ourselves: Recognizing movement habits.
- Acknowledging and Owning: Noting our relationship with the movement habits and owning the results.
- Changing and Moving Forward: Trying new things in order to get different results.
I’m a little loathe to jump into this focus because it doesn’t allow for the Observation and Acknowledgement to result in the desire to stay as is. It would be fine to find that a movement habit is a good one and to want to keep it as is except that in fitness, the ideal is to keep the body guessing so that it never acclimates (or stagnates). So perhaps the way this idea is presented is key. We are looking at the big picture and acknowledging it as a whole, then observing with a keener eye to find the things that need to be tweaked for greater pleasure, better fitness, maximum efficiency, more enjoyment, nor natural…
YES! This is what I will deliver tomorrow.
Dance and observe. Recognize what our patterns and habits are so we can begin to reprogram the way we respond and relate. Once we recognize the actions, we can own them, accept and forgive them and then make changes for our self betterment in all realms – Mind, Body, Emotion, and Unique Spirit.
If we think of each realm as a body (as is suggested in Blue) we can observe our habits in all bodies. And see the overlap;
I always start walking with my right foot (Physical)
I habitually resist making the sounds that are suggested (Emotional).
I always follow exactly what the teacher does (Physical, Spirit).
I stop moving and lose momentum between each song (Physical).
I never do the blocks with power and precision (Spirit, Physical, Emotional).
I always stand in the same place during class (Mental, Emotional, Physical).
I am 6 minutes late to every class (Mental).
I look at myself in the mirror during class and say unloving things to myself (Spirit, Physical, Emotional).
I avoid looking at the mirror (Spirit, Physical, Emotional).
I never look at the other students in the eye (Physical, Emotional).
I look down while I dance (Physical).
I always wear the same thing to class (Spirit, Physical, Emotional).
I never “get” the long clock (Mental).
Freedance is my least favorite part of every class (Spirit, Emotional).
Changes:
Purposefully start the next Feedance section with my left.
Don’t look at the teacher after the basic cata is learned. Listen, but don’t watch.
Commit to moving the entire class – even through song transitions. Dance to your towel and water.
Think about being absolutely correct with the Tae Kwon Do moves. Get extra help and then commit to the actual moves while dancing
Choose a different starting location and see how long it takes for you to dance back to your regular spot.
Make every effort to be at class six minutes early. See what happens at the beginning of class and figure out what you are skipping and why. Make the change that is necessary.
Catch yourself being unkind to your image in the mirror. Tack on the sentence, “…and I still love you.”
Stand in front today and look at yourself. Listen to your internal voice and see if it has a message for you.
Smile at three people during class. See what happens. Just give yourself that assignment.
Catch yourself looking down and look anywhere else.
Buy a Suzworks T-Shirt or something from NiaWear OR something from Marshalls that is off beat for you. Wear it to class.
Ask for help with this and count while you move.
When Freedance time comes, do two things. 1) Watch what others are doing for a minute. 2) Say to yourself, “Oh good. Freedance time. Now I can tune out and just enjoy the music.” Don’t try to dance. Listen and wait.