The left behinds

Seems I have been doing a lot of traveling the past 6 weeks. Holland the end of April beginning of May, Reno, NV for the Californios, clinics in Pryor, OK (during all those tornados) and Spokane, WA (it was really cold the first few days) and now Germany for MBS Foundation training.

Along the way it seems I have become forgetful of what I had with me when I got on the plane. Following me on Facebook is like following the trail of the missing. I left my Musto Riding Coat on the plane in LA but I got to sit across from Andy Schleck (Tour de France 2nd place winner for 2009 and 2010) on the flight from LA to Reno. Got my coat shipped back to me by FedEx as they did find it on the plane and it got turned in.

On the flight to Munich I left my travel hula hoop in the overhead bin. Last year in Feb I left my Kindle in the seat pocket on the flight to Munich but I was flying a different airline. I got my Kindle back but I don't think I will be so successful with my hula hoop. The man at the counter seemed entirely disinterested in helping me. I will check again when I fly out to see if someone found it. Unfortunately even if the bin is open you can't see it because the bin drops down and the hoop fits below eye level. I guess this means my hula hoop is on its own adventure. Wonder how many countries it will visit before being discovered as a stow-a-way.

My friend Linda was with me in Reno for the coat drama. It was so cold we had to go to the store and purchase a new coat. I got 2 and love the SmartWool jacket I got. The other is great too, kind of like Carhart but different brand and is salmon colored with a brown polar fleece lining. OK so it was a good excuse to go clothes shopping.

When Linda heard about my hula hoop she decided to write lyrics for me. Here it is:

To the tune of Leaving on a Jet Plane:

All my bags are packed,

but where do they go?

I left them in San Francisco

in the overhead bin, left them there inside.

I made my connecting flight and then,

it hit me what was in the bin:

everything I use to teach and ride.

Left my stuff on a jet plane

Don't know why I forgot again....

Ned is quacking in his travel bag that I might forget him too. But I told him not to worry. He goes inside the bags so he will be fine.

Photo caption: Ned and I having a drink in Bad Tolz with friends.

What we can't see

It is fascinating to discover that the things that hold us back are there for us to see all the time.

These are the quiet places, the ones that don't scream so loudly. But it seems that our attention so often is driving by who demands the most attention.

For example, someone comes for a Feldenkrais® lesson complaining of her knee. The knee is where the student is focusing all of her attention, fear, anxiety and projection of possible (almost always negative) outcomes. She describes the knee pain, all the things that have happened to that knee, the way she can't put weight on it or how turning around that knee is frightening because it might "give out".

If we allow ourselves to be distracted by the part that is making the most noise it is as if we become part of the story of the knee, part of her story to validate and justify her position. But this is really such a small part of the story. Rather than get caught up in this story which in so many ways is already written with beginning, middle and end, it is important to begin to ask questions.

Questions lead us to other areas, other ideas and other possibilities for outcomes. What is happening with the hip? What is happening in the pelvis? When does the pelvis move in relation to the knee. Where is she looking?

By asking questions we begin to unravel the knotted threads and see other perspectives. We can tease apart the anxiety, pain and fear that hold the knot tightly. Questions lead to more questions but this is the process of discovery rather than predetermined outcomes.

Movement leads us to find more questions. When do you move, in what timing? What moves first? What is included in the person's body image as she moves? When is the pelvis, hip, knee, ankle mobilized?

With these questions we begin to see why something might be hurting and also how simply changing our focus can allow for different movement, thoughts and ideas that lead us away from the pain and into more freedom of movement, thought and action.

Softening the ribs

I am still at my MBS training with Mia and Leora. Tomorrow is our last day. We have spent the past 8 days doing Awareness Through Movement® lessons that work on the ribs, specifically softening them.

It has been a fascinating exploration of this area of my body. I have (like so many other horse people) had a fair amount of damage to my ribs not to mention the times I landed on my back and knocked all the wind out of me. Two events I recall clearly happened to the left side. While in Italy in 1998 a horse kicked me and broke three ribs on the lower left. It was very painful, breathing difficult, bending impossible and I stopped sneezing for six weeks!

Now we are working on softening the ribs and I recall this injury because all of my ribs on the left feel more stiff than on the right. Funny thing, my horse bends better to the right just like me. As we continued with the lesson I have felt various areas in my back become more flexible, more alive. Even so there are whole areas of mystery that I become aware of when someone else places her hand on my back. All of this reminds me of my horse, Al.

He is softer to the right. His lower ribs on the left do not want to get closer together. When I work on his spine he looks at me over his shoulder like he doesn't understand his own landscape along the top line. He is so interested in what I am doing that he stands quietly with his eye on me while I work.

Now that my ribs move differently I wonder what will happen when I ride him again. That is going to have to wait until April 14th as I will not be home until then. I can't wait!

The Eyes of March

I am in Calistoga, CA at the MBS Academy Feldenkrais® Training. Today we did a very subtle lesson with the eyes. We paid attention to how we were lying on the floor during a scan. Then we worked with the right eye moving it back and forth noticing how the tone in the body changed or if there were places that started to hold while moving the eye particularly the jaw and neck.

What was fascinating is that I could not move my right eye to the upper right quadrant (9 and 10 o'clock). I would jump across the clock instead of going around. Once that got easier my right shoulder and hip let go. We took rests covering the eyes with both hands. Leora said that if you see black your nervous system is resting. After a break we did both eyes comparing the right and left.

Just before coming out here I worked on several horses who were anxious by covering their eyes one at a time. I cupped my hand over the eye so that I didn't put any pressure on the eye but simply blocked the vision. The horses relaxed and got calmer. One horse started out with trying to only use the left eye. As I continued to cover one and then the other she went from her eyes jumping back and forth to smoothly panning across from right to left. This is so similar to the lesson we did today.

I wonder if the horse's experienced the same kinds of things in their bodies I felt in mine. I do know they got calmer so there is some effect on calming the nervous system. I will have to continue to explore this idea as it was such a powerful lesson today.

Use the driving time to the show productively

Yesterday I took Al to a schooling show at Morven Park Equestrian Center in Leesburg, VA. This was his 3rd show and first time doing Training Level. We did Training 1 and 2. We have been working through the concept of keeping the contact during the canter transitions. Al's idea was that it is OK for contact when you are hunting but not when working on dressage in the arena.

We have been getting better this past week but weren't confirmed to say the least. As I was driving to the show I was practicing Training 1 in my head. Suddenly I realized I could only "see" his difficulties in the transitions instead of the calm quiet ones I prefer.

As I was driving I began to change the image so that I could visualize a calm horse, round and on contact during the canter departs. I also visualized the half-halts leading up to the transition. Sometimes Al's stride is so big the rear end runs over the front end and the only way to get the front out of the way is to hollow and fling the front legs up.

I continued my visualization until I got to the show grounds. I got on in plenty of time for my class so that I could continue to practice the new image before the test. While walking on a loose rein I went through the half halts again this time paying attention to my mouth and jaw so that I wouldn't tighten this area. The mouth affects the entire body so it is crucial to remain soft here. Pretty soon I could feel Al listening to my visualization.

We warmed up at the trot and canter, again focusing on the image of good transitions. Finally it was our turn. We got 7's for the canter transitions! We won our second class with a 71%. Very impressive since the canter transition were far from smooth earlier in the week.

Today I am leaving for several weeks of teaching and educational courses. I will continue my visualization of the canter transitions and hopefully Al will also.

Start of the season

March is such a funny month.

It teases of Spring yet holds onto Winter.

I can tell that Spring is coming:

I saw a robin in my driveway

Al (my horse) isn't wearing his blanket during the day

The crocus are blooming in my garden

The cat wants to go out and sit in her chair

Other signs of Spring:

The daylight is getting longer

The horses are covered in mud

Al had his first bath of the season

Everyone is contacting me for lessons

Signs that Spring isn't quite here:

It is below freezing in the morning

The cat sleeps in at night

The horses aren't really shedding yet

There isn't enough light to ride at 7pm

MBS Academy Feldenkrais® Training

While everyone is enjoying the warm temperatures at home in Virginia I have ventured across the pond to Bad Tolz, Germany. I am once again working with Mia Segal, Dr. Feldenkrais' first assistant, at an MBS Academy Foundation Training.

I have brought 5 students with me that are all very capable riding instructors. Three are from The Netherlands and two are from the USA. These people have worked with me for a number of years and I suggested that they take this training in order to further their education in the Feldenkrais Method as this has helped me so much with my teaching.

It is great to share this experience with them. Each evening we have our Study Group to talk about how the days lessons apply to riders, riding and teaching. I find myself thoroughly enjoying the process of watching them learn and discuss the day's concepts. Finally I have some associates to whom I can discuss this work who also understand my work. It's fantastic!

I know that I always come home invigorated and inspired by Mia and this work. I am sure they will as well. I am always inspired and filled with new ideas for my students to help each one of them progress with their horses and their riding. We have only been here for 3 days and already there are so many possibilities!

Trip to PA

Just got back from two days teaching in West Chester PA at Sue Neilson's Happily Ever After Farm.

The lessons were great. I have been doing Feldenkrais® on both riders (unmounted and mounted) and horses while mounted. The horses are SOOO interesting! You can see them thinking and feeling the changes as I work through their spine. It is so interesting I don't even notice the cold and damp.

It still looks like winter up there and everyone has cabin fever! My friends Fran and Pat Loftus through a Cabin Fever Party on Saturday night for the local fox hunting crowd. They know how to eat great food! Egg salad with fresh that day eggs, meat loaf, mac and cheese - all the comfort foods not to mention fabulous deserts.

The conversation was mostly about how they couldn't ride because the footing was treacherous and the trailer couldn't get out of the snow. I didn't dare tell them it was 60 degrees at home that day.

Hopefully they will get this thaw too so they can get back to riding. It was definitely and itchy bunch of folks with aches and pains desperate to hear the cry of the hounds. Seems fox hunting heal all ills for this crowd.

British invasion!

50 Five Minute Fixes to Improve Your Riding is headed to the United Kingdom!

I just learned from my publisher, Trafalgar Square, that A. J. Allen has bought the UK rights to my book. It will take about 8 weeks, then 50 Fixes will be available in Britain. Apparently AJ Allen is impressed with final book and the rapid sales pace here in the US.

I am so excited I couldn't wait to spread the news!

Cat Tails Saga 10

Yesterday SHMPM (She who must pet me) went away. HWMPWM (he who must play with me) was home when VWTM (Veterinarian who touched me) came to my home. VWTM picked me up. I did not know her but I graced her with my presence for a few minutes to let her know I was in control.

I think this visit is because when SHMPM and HWMPWM returned from AWAY for 5 sun cycles I was very hungry. I ate 3 chicken tenders, 2 cans of food and 1 BIRD. Then I did not feel well and deposited it all in the INDOOR SAND BOX. It was very embarrassing. Then I did not feel well for a sun cycle and SHWMPM got very worried. She poured liquid remedies down my throat. I let her because I did not feel well and it helped but I won't admit that.

When VWTM came she left a note and called SHMPM and HWMPWM my GUARDIANS. I like that. So I will refer to them as Guardian She (GS) and Guardian He (GH) from now on. VWTM then put me in a SLEEPING BLANKET and pulled on my paw. The VWTM helper held me while VWTM poked me with something sharp. I did not like this so I growled to let them know. Do not try this again!

Today I feel better. The SUN is shining. It is warm outdoors and I am sitting in my OUTDOOR SLEEPING PLACE on the SUNNING SURFACE. It is very nice.

VTWM said to GS that I am an "older" kitty. Well I may be but I am still feisty. I remind them regularly by inserting my sharp CLAWS into their soft furless skin. And last night I let GS know who is in charge. I held her down all evening by laying on her legs and then I made GH play with me before sleeping time.

This morning I woke my GS and GH so that they would let me out to enjoy the OUTDOORS.

I plan on being around for quite some time to come just to enjoy how much I can control my GUARDIANS.

USPC Annual Meeting January 2011

The United States Pony Club Annual Meeting was January 27 - 30, 2011. In addition to a booth I gave 2 lectures: Five Minute Fixes to Improve Your Riding and Have a Ball Improving Your Jumping Position. Both lectures had over 100 people attending - it was great!

Of course I couldn't leave them in their chairs and so a simple Power Point presentation. I had people "volunteer" to demonstrate. For the ball lecture the room was too small so we moved out into the common area and formed a large circle while I worked with 6 kids on the balls.

It was terrific energy and everyone was so attentive and interested. Afterward I never stopped as kids and adults continually came over to my booth for me to help them with their jumping position on the ball.

Needless to say it was a busy 4 days and tomorrow we drive home. I sure hope we don't have the bad weather we had last Wednesday! We passed 5 tractor trailers off the road due to the snow. Tomorrow it looks like it will be mostly rain - keeping my fingers crossed!

Birds in the yard

This winter we have gone all out with bird feeders. We now have two suet, two thistle, two black oil sunflower seed and one hulled sunflower feeders. In addition we have a hanging pan we fill with peanuts, walnuts and black oil seeds and a bird bath with a heater.

This has turned the tree where the feeder hang into a "jungle gym" for birds. Every morning Brad goes out to refill the feeders. Some bird are so brave they fly around behind him while he is filling.

I can see the tree from the kitchen. Every morning I sit with my cup of coffee and binoculars to find out who is visiting today.

Izzy also finds the birds interesting. Every morning she patrols along the fence to the wood pile behind the tree then hops onto a timber where she sharpens her claws. You can hear her saying "don't mind me.... I am just passing by..... you can continue to eat the seed on the ground..... don't mind me...."

So far we have spotted cardinal, yellow finch (by the droves),purple finch, house finch, sparrows, crow, dove, junco, mocking bird, downy woodpecker, red headed woodpecker and a pair of yellow bellied sapsuckers.

The sapsuckers took me a little while to identify. I finally got a good look at them when they sent the day drilling holes into the maple tree in the front yard and was able to capture a picture of the pair close together. Now I have an explanation for all those holes ringing my tree!