Reflection is an important part of the action cycle of a human being. Reflection allows for more purposeful and intelligent action choices in the future. Discussion and journaling are good strategies to consolidate these ideas, commit to an action practice, and realize its benefits in a personal way. The following podcasts are excerpts from reflective discussions from the minds of those who imagined this website and are available on iTunes!
1. Reflection on Mindful Moving July 8th, 2011
The students investigating Somatics at St. Olaf College come together to reflect on the practice of Mindful Moving, an awareness practice of 10 minutes focusing on moving without judgment, 10 minutes aligning the self, and 10 minutes focusing on breath. (*see Awareness Practices.) Each section was guided by three themes and images. Section 1 (‘movement’) was guided by the words “underlying resonance,” section 2 (‘alignment/balance’) by a quote by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen: “The mind is like the wind, and the body is like the sand; If you want to know how the wind is blowing, take a look at the sand,” and section 3 (‘breath’) by the idea of “interdependent rhythms.” They discuss how difficult it is to recognize these ideas as separate from internal clutter then integrate them back into the self as a whole.
2. Reflection on Mindful Moving July 11, 2011
3. Reflection on Mindful Moving, June 28th 2012
The Somatic Foundations in Higher Education project returns with new podcasts from this summer’s research! In this podcast from June 28th 2012 St. Olaf College student researcher Julia Moser-Hardy ’14 and Professor Sheryl Saterstrom discuss the effort cycle, taking in one’s environment through breath and acquisition of sensory information, and how the simple concept of front-body/back-body becomes contorted with rotation.
4. Reflection July 9th 2012
Julia and Sherry reflect on a radio show that discusses the potential for “embodied technology.” What would this mean for the future of daily life and the understanding of the body? Technology has also changed the perception of material ownership and sharing processes. How has this shift made its way into the dance world?
5. Reflection on Mindful Moving, July 12th 2012
In this podcast Julia Moser-Hardy and Sherry discuss the importance of being powerfully present in the self here and now, and the modern technology that allows human beings to reduce existing with powerful self-agency in daily life.