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Table of Contents
Freedoms of Movement
What
The arts of Movement for body mind strength, harmony, vitality. Amplitude, life flow. Workshops, tutorials… Collection of resources for Yoga, Martial Arts, Dance…
Tutorials
The Boot Sequence
The Boot Sequence is a guided sequence of simple movements for day-to-day self-care. It is designed to wake up, warm up, unlock, strectch, strengthen, and so is recommended in the morning, before physical activity (including long hours of computer work), or as an interlude, to restore some flow in the body after prolonged stillness. The movements are soft, so they should be suited for most, and they will be efficient with regular practise, however light they seem. Note that there can still be contra-indications or precautions to observe if you are ill or injured (in that case, please be extra careful and/or seek medical advice).
We dedicated the Boot Sequence to people struggling for a good fair world, with a special dedication to Julian Assange of Wikileaks, whom, at the time of filming, was in his 2nd year of being immobilized inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, a situation effectively equivalent to detention without charges. More info Justice for Assange
Workshops
Simple Exercises for the Spine
- (TBA)
Collection of Resources
Yoga
- Primary Series Ashtanga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga VIDEO
Martial Arts
- Translations of Chinese Martial Arts Manuals, by Paul Brennan
Here is a generous selection of 19th century to mid 20th Chinese Martial Arts Manuals (notably Taiji Boxing manuals) all translated to english and made available by Paul Brennan on his site. Original chinese scriptures are still in the copy along with vintage photographies and images. Interesting for practice, the manuals are also windows on chinese metaphysics and the fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine (which the “gymnastics” are part of), and on chinese (war) history…
Chen Xiaowang explains and demonstrates some principles and characteristics of Chen family style taijiquan, in an extract from a documentary for chinese television. Transcript is available here
Dance
- Love and Dance, Richard Stallman
Posturology
- Coding your body, by Sophie Hiltner
In this 30 minutes talk she gave at 30C3, physical therapist Sophie Hiltner explains basic anatomy of the musculo-skeletal systems, the physical structures that hold us together and enable our actions. How is a little anatomy interesting ? Understanding the physiology and mechanics of the bones, muscles and connective tissues, leads to a better understanding of the constraints and stresses our postures exert on these systems everyday all day, and of the negative consequences these postures can have for the general well-being and health. Then with that basic understanding in mind, it because easier to avoid or revert the ill effects of poor posture and/or lack of movement…
Software
Workrave is a program that assists in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). The program frequently alerts you to take micro-pauses, rest breaks and restricts you to your daily limit. The program runs on GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows. - A review of Workrave by physical therapist Sophie Hiltner can be read On Workrave, by Sophie Hiltner
- MyOwnStretchWare Reverse Engeneering for public health
Wisdom
Chinese Metaphysics
- Rest according to the I Ching
The I Ching or ancient chinese Book of Changes offers a reflection on good rest (body and mind) through hexagram 52, Keeping still, or “The Mountain” (the trigram representing the mountain, which is still, is repeated): “The Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that always posits movement as its complement” and “True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is light in life.”