Part 1 of 3
Omega Institute - 1995
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Warmup 1.
We began with warm up exercises. First we did shoulder rolls, all the way forward and all the way down and back, first with the right shoulder, then with the left, and finally both at the same time.
Warmup 2.
For the second warm up exercise, the Chacmools had us rotate the right arm all the way up, letting it fall back like a dead weight all the way down and then back up, eventually doing this movement faster and faster. Then we did the same movement backwards. Then the same movement with the left arm.
Warmup 3.
For the third warm up, we were instructed to place our feet fairly close together, and to lower the chin to the chest and exhale, keeping the shoulders relaxed. Do this a second time, then very slowly raise the head, and look all the way to the right. Make the chin touch as far as it can to the right shoulder, and exhale. Raise the head slowly, turn it and move to the center. Then all the way to the left. Then again lower the head toward the left shoulder. Exhale. Raise the head slowly and look to the center.
Warmup 4.
Another warm up that they said eases the body directly into Tensegrity includes a vibration that creates an energetic explosion or impact that facilitates contacting the energy body. To facilitate this impact in the warm up, they have used component movements from longer passes. The leg position is to start with heels together, then the left heel turns outward. Keeping the toes in place, move the heels back and toes slightly in. Flex the knees, which are out just slightly, with trunk and shoulders relaxed. Bring the right hip back and the shoulders go the opposite direction, causing the hips to shake with a slight jolt. [This sounds a lot more complicated in description than it is in practice. Basically you are doing a controlled hip shake.]
Warmup 4a.
remember Chubby Checker and the twist? Well, this is like the twist, except that you twist to one side very rapidly, then stop; then twist to the other side and pause briefly, etc. You put a lot of force into each 'twist’so that the body really feels it.
Warmup 5.
Final warm up is an ankle rotation: Heels in and then out with a little jump. Exaggerate. This movement they said helps tighten the area at the back of the thigh where we carry our personal history. The toes act like a pivot, and the feet should go to the same places each time.
Warmup 5a.
This is more of a hop..heels out at 45 degrees with toes about 4 inches apart..then hop up bringing heels in and toes out;now hop bringing toes in and heels out.repeat many times.
-1. Pulling Energy With The Feet (aka, Fluidity Foot) - This is a minor pass. (Taisha learned it from Emilito when she was in the trees.) The pass has two sections. We want to feel the pressure on the ankle bone, just outside the foot, bringing abstract energy from our ankles down to our toes.
First part: With the left foot pointed toward the left shoulder, put the right heel in the arch of the left foot and then move the right foot forward about a foot and a half. Lift up the toes with the right foot, then rotate the toes inward, putting pressure under the ankle bone. Then lean to the right with the shoulders and upper body. Hold for a count of 10. Repeat with the feet in the opposite position.
Second part: Starting with feet shoulder width apart and both feet pointed forward, step forward with the right foot. Rotate the toe inward, and lean with the shoulders toward the left. Bend the left leg so that the weight is more on the left. (It’s a pass you can sneak in while waiting in line.) This should be done a couple of times, first on the right and then on the left, counting to 10 each time. [My notes are less than clear on the instructions for the second part. I would appreciate hearing from others with notes on this pass. I see from the notes from Boulder that they specified doing each section three times with each foot, and that five or ten times on each side was better. I don’t remember the number of times being specified at Omega.]
Additional notes: you just step forward with your right foot, right leg straight, left leg bent, weight more on left leg. Then raise toes and rotate foot inward[twist foot until you can see your arch], then lean to left. repeat on other foot.
-2. Stellar Hatch -
Major Movement. Start with feet apart and head down. Visualize a ball of energy below the ground for a count of 6. Then bring the ball of energy up and hook it to the chest with a head movement, consisting of bringing the head forward, up, down and in toward the chest. Then bring the head back and allow the ball to rise to the top of the luminous egg, on a count of 6. Then bring up the left hand for leverage, and strike down with the right (palm flat, thumb in locked position). Then strike down with the left hand in the same way. Then bring both hands up all the way above the head and unscrew a hatch at the top of the luminous egg by turning first to the left and then to the right, back to the left and then to the right, and back to the left and then to the right (for a total of 6 movements). Then drop the head again, visualizing the ball of energy coming down and splashing on the back of your neck. Then inhale the energy from the ball by raising and lowering your shoulders (with arms down) three times. Then raise both hands all the way above the head again to screw the hatch closed by turning six times, starting to the right. Then bring the arms down and hold the head level. Make another “hooking” action with the head moving from back to forward. The head then looks down again to visualize the ball of energy going back into the ground between your feet. Then reabsorb the energy by doing a “gill movement”: breathing three times, with arms down, and hands moving out and up only from the wrist. Then bring head back up to look straight ahead.
In this movement we are using the bottom of our energy field.
Additional notes: <..allow ball to rise to top of luminous egg>. This would be just above the top of the head, they said. <strike down with right [palm flat, thumb in locked position]>. I think palm is supposed to be vertical here. You are cutting a hole in space. <unscrew a hatch> - think of opening a manhole cover from below. Now after you cut the hatch, you want the ball to go out into infinity, so you stare out through the hatch into infinity as the ball goes out. lower hands as you watch the ball go out. Then you drop your head. Kylie said we’re not accessing energy from the earth, but from our own energy field with this movement.
-3. The Step Of Power -
Minor. With all the weight on the left leg, pull the right up and place it forward. Fully extend the right leg with toe up and heel down, then pull it up again, knees bent, and extend it to the back, with toe down and heel up. Move the leg all the way from the hip. Do this several times and then repeat with the left leg.
Alternate Description - The Step of Power:
1- Raise left knee as high as you can
2- Bring the heel down in front of you, leg extended forward so that just heel touches the floor.
3- Raise knee up again
4- Touch toes to the ground in back of you, leg extended back
Do this as many times as you like with a regular rhythm. Note: the movement comes from the hip
6- Repeat on right side
-4. Drawing The Width Of The Energy Circle -
Minor. With all the weight on one bent leg, extend the other leg facing forward. Then bring the leg to the side (so that it knows this point) and then move the leg all the way back (with left foot aligned with the left shoulder), and continue in the same way, moving forward to back 9 times. The foot should remain flat on the ground (easier on a hard wood floor).
Additional notes: Drawing the width of the energy circle: moving leg remains straight during movement. Moving foot faces forward until it reaches as far as you can get it to the rear of your half circle at which point it faces outward. Think of the leg as extending all the way from the hip, and use the entire leg from the hip downward. Extend your leg as far as possible. You are drawing a line of energy.
-5. Making A Circle Within A Circle -
Minor. With the right leg slightly bent, and all the weight on the left, first make inward circles (meaning clockwise with the right foot) 10 times. Then change legs, putting all the weight on the right, and make 10 inward (or counterclockwise) circles with the left foot. Then reverse the feet again and make 10 outward circles with the right foot (outward is counterclockwise with the right foot), and then do 10 outward (or clockwise) circles with the left foot. The sole of the foot should remain on the ground at all times. The circles should all be the same size.
The inward direction is for collecting energy, the outward is for distributing it.
-6. Axing Energy -
Major. With the right hand out in front and palm up, clap the left hand into it. Clasp and lock the thumbs and make an axing motion over the right shoulder and then down toward the left hip. Then circle the clasped hands around the front of the body counter clockwise, ending up by the right hip. With the right hand on the bottom with the right palm up, jolt out to the solar plexus (midpoint of the chest). Give the jolt everything you’ve got (“it takes effort, intent and command to call the energy body to us”). On the last strike, don’t extend the elbows fully, always keep slightly bent. Do as many as needed. Only do the pass on this side, don’t reverse the position.
Additional note: never extend the arm fully, on any pass. always keep elbow slightly bent; that way you won’t risk injuring the elbow. They constantly stressed this during the workshop.
-7. Up And Down Blow Of Energy -
Minor. With each hand flat, palm pointing down, and the “locked thumb” bent in toward fingers, bring the right arm up and hit down at about shoulder level. Then hit again at about waist level. Then do the same with the left hand. Alternate right up, right down, left up, left down, right up, etc.
Alternate Description - The Up and Down Blow of Energy:
Start with hands in front of you-left hand straight up, as if resting against a window pane at eye-level, right hand as if flat against a table surface at elbow level
-Left hand strikes down to slap and rest on ‘table-top’, the impetus of the motion carries through (is transferred) to the right hand and causes it to go down, through the table, downward, back, and around to come to rest against the ‘window-pane’.
-Next, right hand strikes down and causes the same action on the left.
Perform this pass rhythmically and with brisk, slapping motions
-8. Amassing Energy -
Minor. Start with the left palm facing up, fingers open and cupped, in front of the body. Then bring the right arm (also with fingers open and cupped) back and around. Then “strike” with the right hand just above the left (as though cradling a ball between the two palms). Continue, alternating hands.
-9. Little House Of Energy -
Major. Start with the hands held out at about waist level, palms down, and thumbs bent inward. Bring both arms around to the back, with palms up, and with impact, to make the base. Bring hands up to eye level to build the ceiling (hands flip and make a “slice,” with impact). Turn the hands over, upward, and cross to make the ceiling, wall and then the floor.
Additional notes: it starts with hands brought around to the back then they end up in front slightly palms up at waist level, with a jerk. <hands up to eye level> about 1 1/2 feet apart. <hands flip and slice with impact>. Yes, the hands do each part of this exercise fast and with precision. In other words, when you make the roof, it’s pause at sides at eye level after raising hands up, then faster than the eye can see, cross hands and back to sides, pause. Then lower hands fast stopping with a jerk, palms facing down. pause, then slice again to make floor. That’s it! Very hard to describe.
-10. Storing Energy -
Major. Clap hands together and strike out to the front (with impact, allowing head to shake), keeping elbows bent, and with fingers pointing forward. Exhale. Keeping fingers pointed out, do a clockwise circle and end pointing straight down. Move hands straight up from there, with elbows still bent. then rotate the right palm so that it’s facing the floor, keeping the wrist tight. Pull down with impact to solar plexus level, and then pull down and in close to the body, ending with the palms pressed tightly together, and with the right shoulder down a bit and the left slightly up to accommodate bringing the palms in close to the body. Hold and squeeze tightly in toward the body in this position to bring the energy into the body. (With each step above, relax for a moment before each new movement.)
[Instructions for a quick energy boost: Rub palms fast together and then place palms on the face and inhale and exhale a couple of times.]
-11. Animal Step -
Minor. Use the whole leg as much as possible. Bring the right leg to the back. Then do the same with the left leg. (The action is that of a large beast pawing at the ground. Nyei told us that the animal “is not a chicken.”) Continue faster and more energetically. (This movement stirs up earth energy.)
There followed a few questions about the movements (most of the pertinent answers to which have already been incorporated in the above descriptions of the movements). Kylie also said we were to keep these movements separate from those on the first video. CC says to do the movements in the sequence given. It is okay to pick up later, with a break in the middle, to continue and conclude the sequence. We then broke at noon for lunch.
-12. Pyramid Of Energy -
Major. Start with feet apart and knees slightly bent. Inhale, swinging the arms inward and up over the head and out, ending with them hanging against the hips on the exhale. Repeat this movement three times. On the fourth inhale, end with the elbows out and hands palm down (locked thumbs), with the fingers nearly touching, against the solar plexus. Exhale while performing the following seven movements, which represent the building of a pyramid: (1) move the hands up in a slant from the front of the body near the solar plexus so that they are about on a level with the chin, then (2) move them down the front slant of the pyramid so they are again on a line with the solar plexus, then (3) move them back along the bottom of the pyramid so that they are again resting against your body at the solar plexus point, then (4) move the hands back up in a slant as described in step 1, then (5) changing the position of the hands so that they touch along the side of the thumbs, bring the hands down along the sides of the pyramid to its base point, then (6) bring the hands back up along the sides of the pyramid to its apex again (thumbs touching), and finally (7) bring the hands back down along the sides of the pyramid to its base point. Then rotate the hands into a “C” to grab along the back corners of the pyramid and thrust the pyramid out from the body. Then inhale and raise the arms and place the pyramid on the shoulders, ending with elbows out and fingers pointed in on either side of the neck. Inhale and exhale three times in this position with the elbows rising up with each inhale.
Additional note: after the first three arm movements, the hands end up at waist level, palms parallel to floor, thumb side of hand touching waist, tips of fingers just touching. Now, form one side of pyramid by angling hands at 45 degree angle up and moving them up and out about one foot. Now form second side of pyramid by bringing hands down again at a slant outwards. Pretend you’ve got an A-frame house in front of you[a model of one] and its facing to your left. now you are going to trace its roof. So your hands go up and out to the peak, then down and out to the other side. Now place hands parallel to floor [they’re still out from your waist about a foot] and bring them into your waist. This forms the floor of the pyramid. Now you have two other sides of the pyramid to form. Place your hands out in front at your sides, with finger tips facing front and thumbs up. Now raise them up at an angle till they come together at the top of the pyramid. Now back down the same sides to the bottom. Now, you’ve got this pyramid sitting in front of you at waist level. Place your hands fingers forward, palms parallel to ground, thumbs facing each other about 6 inches apart and grab the pyramid and shove it forward. Now, the entire building of the pyramid is done with one slow exhale, and when you shove it forward away from you[only a few inches], exhale quickly any remaining air. Now, inhale and raise the pyramid[still holding onto it] and set it on the top of your head. now do the 3 inhales and exhales. [whew!! this is a heck of a one to describe without pictures].
-13. The Sorcerer’s Breath -
Major. Start with the right hand pointing down the right leg with the last three fingers bent at the knuckle. Follow with the eyes as the right hand first goes over the head vertically and lands on the back above the tail bone. Then the left hand, in a fist, goes toward the right side and horizontally around the body and to the back, crossing the other hand at the wrist. Exhale, and bring head forward, looking out toward the horizon. Then bend over, and raise arms up slightly from their position against the back as you inhale and exhale twice. Exhale and follow with the eyes as the left arm comes back horizontally to a position against the front of the body, and then the right hand comes back vertically to the same position, crossing at the wrists near the solar plexus. Then slowly straighten and stand up. Inhale, moving the arms above the head slowly, rotating the hands so that the palm side is facing outward, and stretch completely. Open the hands and exhale, slowly bringing the arms down to the side. Inhale and circle arms clockwise, then inhale and circle out counterclockwise. Inhale and push the arms out toward the front in a round motion three times. (Inhale one and a half times and exhale for that half and another whole motion.) Then repeat the whole movement from the beginning, this time starting with the left hand pointing down with the last three fingers bent at the knuckle.
Additional notes:
a clarification on <inhale and circle arms clockwise, then inhale and circle out counterclockwise>:
(1). cross arms at wrists over chest.
(2). inhale and bring right hand up to left, over to right and back to starting position, while left hand goes up to right, then over to left, down and around and back to start. The right hand goes clockwise and the left hand goes counterclockwise.
(3). now exhale while right hand makes circle going counterclockwise and left hand goes clockwise - clarification on <inhale and push arms out toward the front in a round motion three times>. okay, you’re turning a paddle wheel with your hands; your hands ARE the paddles. push them out in front in a circular motion sort of at a 30 degree angle, etc.
-14. The Seer’s Window -
Major. Begin with flat palms, thumbs tucked in, and crossing the hands in front, bring them out (with a “zing”), to a point at waist level a little more than shoulder width apart (sort of like the umpire’s signal that the player is safe). The Chacmools described the motion as like spreading out a large piece of paper. Do this three times. Then with hands apart at more than shoulder width and facing forward, move each hand across the bottom ledge of the window and back to the hand’s starting position, beginning with the right hand. Do this three times, first with the right hand, then with the left hand, and finally again with the right hand. Then rotate the hands so that the palms are facing each other and bring them up inside the window (to about the level of the chin) and down, repeating this motion a total of three times. Then rotate the right arm around bringing the hand back to the same position but now with the palm facing out. Do the same with the left hand. Now trace again the sides of the window up and down three times. Then rotate the hands so that palms are facing up and raise hands, crossing arms, to trace the inside top of the window three times. With hands apart, at either top corner of the invisible window, start with the right hand and trace the inside of the window from the right to the left and back again. Do the same with the left hand, and then once more with the right hand. Then place the hands on either corner of the bottom ledge of the window and lean over to look out of the window for a count of 10. Then move back to an erect, standing position, with hands at the side, face forward, and shout “intent” nine times (the accent is on the second syllable).
Additional notes: <move each hand across the bottom ledge of the window and back to the hand’s starting position, beginning with the right hand.> okay, you have finished with the crossing three times to make the bottom of the window. Now, your two hands are palms down at waist level about 1 foot apart, and your hands are slightly out in front of your body. now, move the right hand, palm down, over to touch the left. Move it back. Now move the left hand over to touch the right, and move it back over to the left. do the right hand one more time. Next, you trace the outside of the window by turning your hands so palms are vertical with thumbs up, hands 1 1/2 feet apart. Now move hands up 1 1/2 feet, and back down 3 times[tracing the outside of the window]. Next you take your right hand, bring it up to the top of this imaginary window, and flip your hand over so the palm faces out to the right at eye level[now it’s supposed to be just INSIDE the frame you just traced]. Do same with left hand on the left side of the frame. now both of your hands are raised to eye level, your elbows are bent outward, and the palms are facing outward, thumbs down. Now, trace INSIDE of window by moving hands up and down 3 times. Next continue with what Rich says about tracing the roof, and when you come to <with hands apart, at either top corner of the invisible window, etc.>.. It’s the same movement you did at the bottom of the window, with the right hand moving over to the left, etc. This is a wonderful pass, and a lot of fun to do. When you look out of the window, you should look into infinity. It was really something to see 500 people in the tent, looking through their windows, then stepping back and yelling INTENT at the top of their lungs.
-15. Local Application Of Energy -
Major. With elbows bent and tucked against the body and both hands up, palms facing forward, thumbs locked, start with the right hand and make a small “parry” across the front of the body toward the left side. Do the same with the left hand toward the right, and repeat with the right hand, for a total of three parries with each hand. Then make three larger parries, again starting with the right hand, to about shoulder level, moving the hands out farther to the front. Then with a one-finger-pointed hand (as in the Sorcerer’s Breath, with the last three fingers bent at the knuckle) move each hand up while the other is held at the side with elbow bent. Start with the left hand, and alternate, three times, inhaling as the hand goes up. Then with a two-finger-pointed hand (with the last two fingers bent at the knuckle), raise the right hand up inhaling, and exhale bringing it down. Do the same with the left, and alternate, for a total of three times with each hand. Then with the right hand moving up again, grab the energy with the two pointed fingers and pull it down. Do the same with the left, and alternate, for a total of three times with each hand. Then bring the hands together in front of you and lace the two fingers together. Apply this energy to the midsection (or elsewhere on the body, as you choose), by opening the hands and making three strokes of the open palms across that part of the body.
Additional notes:
(1). again, never fully extend arm in any of these movements to protect the elbow from injury.
(2). when you pull the energy down with the two fingers, the two fingers curl inward like you are scooping ice cream, so you raise arm with fingers straight, at top, you curl and scoop and bring arm down.
(3). when you bring the scoop of energy down, do it with a lot of tension in the arm and hand.
-16. Elbow Crank -
Minor. Beginning with the right hand with palm flat and pointing upward, thumb locked, “shoot” the hand out toward the front with the elbow bent. Then bring the hand up and make it into a fist. Rotate the fist and turn it inward and then down, with the elbow coming up, and then push out with the left palm across the front of the body to the right, as you bring the right hand around to the back of the body. Then bring the left hand around and back to the left and push it out. Then do the same movements as described above, beginning with the left hand.
Additional notes:
this is a heck of a pass to describe in words. <beginning with the right hand with palm flat and pointing upwards, thumb locked,“shoot” hand out toward the front with the elbow bent. Then bring the hand up and make it into a fist.> Okay as you bring up your fist, the thumb is pointing to your right, and the fingers are facing your body. There should be lots of tension in this pass.<rotate the fist and turn it inward and then down, with the elbow coming up> now, as the fist moves down, the back of the fist faces your left, and your thumb faces towards your body, until the fist is just at the side of your right thigh. <and then push out with the left palm across the front of the body to the right, as you bring the right hand around to the back of the body.>
now, as the right fist, which is now down by your right thigh[ and by now the thumb-side of the fist is facing your body, and your fingers are facing the rear], moves to behind your back, the left hand is facing palm up and to the right, the left elbow is bend and the left forearm is parallel to the ground. The left hand “pushes” the right fist, but never actually touches it. There’s always 3 or 4 inches between them.
just let me state here that at the beginning of this pass, the left hand waits palm up and a bit out in front of the left chest, while the right hand does its thing with the fist. Only when the right fist starts its movement around to the back, does the left hand 'push’it. <then bring the left hand around and back to the left and push it out. Then do the same movements as described above, beginning with the left hand.>
[this particular maneuver was very difficult for a lot of us to grasp even with them repeating it ad nauseum for us]. okay, the left hand is down by the right thigh, the upper part of the body is turned to the right and the right fist is behind the right buttock. NOW, bring the left hand up and over the head and behind towards the back on the left and down to waist level and shoot it out palm up all in one fluid motion. Now, at the same time[yeah right] the right fist opens, and the right hand comes up in front with palm up facing forward. Now repeat on left side.
[you guys will probably laugh your heads off at these futile attempts to explain these passes with mere words when you see the video…oh well] 
-17. Slicing Energy -
Minor. Starting from the normal “horse” stance, feet apart and knees slightly bent, shake out the hands and then, using a flat palm, with locked thumb and fingers tightly together, the right hand slices toward the front below the waist, while the left hand at the same time naturally goes behind (i.e., the hand in front slices parallel to the body, while the hand in back ends up perpendicular to the body). Shake the hands again and alternate with the left striking in the front and the right in back, for a total of six times with each hand, shaking the hands out before each strike. Then do six more strikes with each hand, starting with the right, with no shaking in between.
Energetic finale before ending at 6 PM Saturday. (This will not be on the second video.) Kylie commented on the Animal Step pass that we had performed before lunch, saying that they had found that it was particularly energetic when we had performed it here at Omega because we were doing it right on the ground, stirring up the energy there. So as a finale to the day’s instruction, they had us again do the Animal Step to really bring up the energy, and then the Shaking Pass to disburse the energy.
-18. Mixing The Left And Right Energy -
Minor. Begin with the usual Tensegrity “horse” stance, hips facing forward throughout. Start with the left hand up, waist level, palm facing right. [Janie says, like the robot in “It Came from Outer Space,” Klatu Barada Nicto.] Bring the right hand, palm down, up to about shoulder level in front of the body, and then quickly dive down with it, then over to the left and then up part way and back to the right (about level with the solar plexus), all in a continuous, swirling motion, with a jerk out in front of the body on the left. The right hand is now horizontal. Push the left hand toward the right, across the body, twisting the torso (they said to “really use the stomach”), with the right hand leading. The parrying hand is held perpendicular to the body and perpendicular to the diving hand. [Judy says, “When I push the right hand back with the left, the left finishes about as far right as it can go without really stretching, and the right is now at the right side, with the fingers pointing forward.”] Then bring the left hand back to the left to shoulder level to make the same diving, circling motion with the left hand. Dive, lock and push, very quickly and forcefully. Keeping the wrists tense creates force in the pulling back of the hand. The fingers should be kept fairly stiff and the thumbs locked. Do several times.
-19. Twirling Energy -
Minor. Start with the left arm curved in front of your body, as if you are holding an imaginary partner. Bring the right arm in front of you, then up over the head and out, twisting the wrist as the hand slices forward, so that the hand assumes a position with the fingers pointing forward and the palm facing out, like you are on a horse lassoing a steer. The movement ends when you “slap” an imaginary wall in front of you (hand position ends up facing to the left) like you are “beating a rug.” At the same time as you are bringing the right arm forward, pivot your left arm around to your back and, with a backhand, slap the wall behind you just as the right hand is slapping in front. [George says, “Imagine a wall dissecting your body in half, into left and right sides, continuing out in front and in back of you. Your hands ‘slap’ this wall simultaneously.”] Maintain a forward gaze throughout. Relax before tensing the hand. Whip it very forcefully, exhaling on the strike. “This is a natural movement.” Then switch and hold the right arm curved in front and do the same movement with the left hand to the front and the right hand to the back. Repeat several times. [We can’t remember an exact number being mentioned.]