The Great Puzzle
The Snail Technique is One of the Ten Components of BodySpeak™ The Avital Method.
"...Remember, that every movement breathes. Move silently between the thought and the movement. Pierce the space and stillness with the gentle movements of your body. Think horizontal. Think vertical. (VertiZontal) Integrate both with one conscious movement. The breath, movement and consciousness is the power and miracle of being and moving. As you move inside the silence of yourself, gently touch and be touched".
Have you ever wondered why during the day we are vertical, walking and active and at night we are horizontal, asleep and passive? I am always asking and probing the very same obvious questions and that which we take for granted. It tickles the senses and creative juices. So, ponder on this with me for a minute while we explore the hidden possibilities of what I call, "The Great Puzzle - The Vertizontal" way of integrating thought, movement and touch.
In the BodySpeak™ Method I developed, there are ten essential principles for physical training which combine the mental, physical and intergrational phases of understanding the universe with one's self. In essence, BodySpeak™ is a journey from thought to action. Along the way, we learn to focus the mind, discipline the body, and activate powerful creative energies in order to discover and re-discover again, new and subtle ways to communicate with one's self, one's body, one's mind and one another.
Among these principles, there is one very important principle I call The Snail Technique: "My Little Teacher", where we learn the Natural Gentle Touch (N.G.T.) of how to touch the universe, one's self, the space in which we move and objects of our environment. We sensitize our hands, head, trunk, feet and all parts of the body to learn how to touch and be touched. As we move in alignment with the breath, (the great secret of the universe), we discover a way of being harmonious, creative and healthy.
The Snail Technique provides a subtle experience of touch through close observation of the movement of the snail. One of the main characteristics of the snail movement is that she moves very, very slowly and uses her antennae, or feelers, by extending and withdrawing back inside. This is their way of obtaining and using information for their life and existence. The approach and withdrawal techniques of the snail reveals a rhythm, both quick and slow, and embodies both caution and gentleness of touch.
We then learn to use these unique traits throughout our entire physical body so that every part learns these subtle ways of moving and communicating. First, we learn to use the snail way with our own bodies, learning new ways of moving with each part very gently, slowly and also in a sharp way. Then, we work with each other and learn how to touch and be touched at the same time in the snail way. That is, when I touch you gently on that part of your body, you withdraw that same part of the body gently and slowly through space. As we move in space, we keep the vertical and horizontal lines in space going in a certain direction - up, down, sideways, circles, spirals. Always staying faithful to the chosen line of work.
When we develop this N.G.T. together, we learn a new and subtle way of communicating with each other. Not only without words, but also through a definite action/response via the gentle touch. Thus, we move accordingly in space. When this is experienced, it is real poetry in action, poetry of the body singing and moving beautifully in space, carrying an expression of total beauty.
The emphasis of the movements varies according to the specific direction of either vertical or horizontal. By the way you touch me, I clearly should sense the direction of my movement - vertical or horizontal. When this phase is learned, we move to present the "Great Puzzle."
What is the "Great Puzzle?" Generally, when I present the students with "The Great Puzzle," I explain how to touch each other in the snail way and communicate to the body to move from vertical to horizontal while keeping the lines of space very clear. I demonstrate the Great Puzzle with a few movements and then the students must go and try to solve "The Great Puzzle" with each other. One student plays the active role of touching and the other plays the passive role of the one who is being touched. This is the tool for solving "The Great Puzzle."
If you succeed at moving your partner from the verticality of standing to the horizontality of lying on the floor and back to verticality, phase by phase, movement after movement, with slow motion, alignment and breath, then this is considered success. After I present this beautiful puzzle to students, I allow them to practice. And I repeat, that if they can succeed in solving "The Great Puzzle" in the next few years, I want to be the first to know. My students then go into the world with this physical and metaphorical "Great Puzzle" to explore and develop ideas on their own.
The effect and benefit of this "Vertizontality" exercise is, that it affects one's way of thinking both vertically and horizontally. The curves, circles and spirals of movement also affects and develops one's circular way of thinking in action. Thus, "The Journey from Thought to Action" is condensed and becomes a natural way of creating and performing. A natural way of physical and mental balance is achieved, maintained and mastered through the "Vertizontality" exercise of "The Great Puzzle."
Remember, in writing this might appear simple and easy, but when we keep in mind the many principles of movement of the snail, conscious touch, keeping the vertical line and responding slowly, one faces many demands on the awareness for solving "The Great Puzzle." Vertizontality is the process for solving "The Great Puzzle" by keeping the laws of gravity, endurance, movement and breathing as one.
And in conclusion, remember, that every movement breathes. Move silently between the thought and the movement. Pierce the space and stillness with the gentle movements of your body. Think horizontal. Think vertical. Integrate both with one conscious movement. The breath, movement and consciousness is the power and miracle of being and moving. As you move inside the silence of yourself, gently touch and be touched in order to sense the beauty of the "Vertizontality of the Great Puzzle".
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