From:  "terra" <terra@xxxx.xxxxxx.xxxx
Date:  Sat Aug 21, 1999  7:54 pm
Subject: Gazing taught by Reni Murez at San Diego 1999 Workshop

Gazing taught by Reni Murez at San Diego 1999 Workshop

This gazing pass works on our capacity for peripheralvision, for 360 degree perception.

Sit down in a comfortable position on a thick mat.

Opening sequence:

Look to the horizon then look just above it (called horizon point).
Let it pull you.
Open eyes wide.
Close them tight.
Open eyes half lidded.
Gazing at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Gazing to the right:

The next three paragraphs describe different aspects of a single sequence. Read them all and then combine them to perform the sequence.

From the horizon point, continuing to face straight ahead, look with the eyes up to the zenith above you. You will complete three pennant shapes to the right. From the zenith out to the right and back to above the horizon point. From this point out to the right and back to the horizon point. And, from the horizon point out to the right and back to below the horizon point.

For each descent out to the right you will gaze out to infinity and back with your eyes making spiral motions with your perception along the plane out to the right. Make as many spirals as you need to get out to the right. When you get out to the right move gradually back to the center line, taking everything in with your eyes along the way.

Also, as you descend out to the right, turn your head to the right to extend your gaze as far back as you can go comfortably. Then move your head and eyes gradually back to the center. Move the eyes back up to the horizon point when done with three pennants.

Gazing at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Gazing to the left:

This sequence on the left is a mirror image of the activity on the right with one exception. The motion of perception into infinity is not spirals but spikes. In other words, the eyes perceive a series of spikes out to infinity as the descending eyes sweep to the left.

After the eyes have completed all three left pennants, move the eyes back to the horizon point. Gazing at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Closing sequence:

Close your eyes.
With your perception feel a circle on the crown of your head.
Feel something pulling from this circle up into infinity.
With your eyes still closed, perceive the horizon point and
let it pull you.
Open your eyes.
Find the horizon point and let it pull you.
Disengage.
Lie back and feel the silence. Close your eyes and relax into the silence.

   

From:  James Schmeits <jamess@xxxx.xxxx
Date:  Sun Sep 5, 1999 11:27 pm
Subject: San Diego Workshop Notes

Hello all,

Here are my notes from the San Diego workshop. Help came from Tango posts, practice group memories, and personal notes.. If anyone remembers something differently, I'd appreciate the feedback.

James

Gazing

Face warmups (also used in Olinda's sounds)
Massage palms.
Rub palms and apply to face (over the top of the head)
Shake out hands
Release jaw
Rub thumb base ¡V apply at eyebrow and forehead
Pinch eyebrows
Rub palms and apply across face (around the sides of the head)
Shake hands
Pull out ears
If standing, shake the feet.

Circle whip with the left hand, then with the right.
Breath out, scoop from the knees as you breath in, and come up over head ¡V stretch to each side 3 times.
Exhale hands to knees ¡V scoop up as you inhale ¡V fan V¡Vspot and exhale. Do this 3 times.

Opening sequence:
Look to the horizon then look just above it (the horizon point).
Let it pull you. Open eyes wide. Close them tight.
Open eyes half lidded. Gaze at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Gazing to the right:

From the horizon point, continuing to face straight ahead, look with the eyes up to the zenith above you. With your gaze, describe diagonal descending circles from the zenith down. Gaze out to infinity and back with your eyes making spiral motions along a plane sloping down diagonally. Make as many circles as needed along that diagonal sloping plane to go to 180 degrees behind you, turning the head to the right to extend the gaze as far back as you can go. When you¡¦ve reached the farthest point to the right, then start to move gradually back to the center, taking everything in with your eyes along the way.

Next, the same motion, but the circles are sloping down from a point halfway up to the zenith.
Next, the same motion, but the circles are straight out, rather than sloping.
Gaze at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Gazing to the left:

This sequence on the left is a mirror image of the activity on the right with one exception. The motion of perception into infinity is not spirals but spikes. In other words, the eyes perceive a series of spikes out to infinity as the eyes sweep to the left.

Spikes from the zenith sloping down.
Spikes from a point halfway up to the zenith sloping down.
Spikes going straight out.
After the eyes have completed all three sweeps, gaze at the horizon point, inhale fully and exhale fully.

Closing sequence:

Close your eyes.
With your perception feel a circle on the crown of your head. Feel something pulling from this circle up into infinity. With your eyes still closed, perceive the horizon point and let it pull you.
Open your eyes. Find the horizon point and let it pull you.
Disengage. Lie back and feel the silence. Close your eyes and relax into the silence.

Sounds

Sounds ¡V We did three different sessions, one with a kind of nnn sound, one with a buzzing sound, and one with a hissing sound. In the with the nnn sound, there were no variable tempos, just going from a low sound to a progressively higher octave.

Thumbs at ribs, little fingers at hip.
¡V low constant sound.
Sternum grasp, with the thumbs near the armpits.
¡V low sound with a short sharp tempo
Knucles into upper ribs ¡V vibrate then press
¡V low sound waving up to high
Sides of the neck ¡V stroke then press
¡V quick rising sound
Lower jaw ¡V stroke then press
¡V low sound going high then waving
Temples ¡V rub then press
¡V low sound going high then short sharp tempo
Forehead ¡V stroke up with left ¡V press with right
¡V press with right ¡V low sound going high then waving
¡V pull out the inner chatter.
Top of head ¡V massage with left ¡V point out the top. Press with right
¡V point out the top.
¡V low sound going high
¡V with the nnn sound series, this ended in an aaahhh sound

Open the ears by placing the thumbs behind the ears and the fingers on
top of the head and vibrate slightly. Then drop the
hands slowly, taking in sound thru the palms.

Standing code
(The possiblity of genetic rearrangement)

Opening
Hands point 45 degrees down and circle out to a count of six (with the breath, breath in as you circle out and breath out as the hands come together and push out). Skim hands ¡V right hand out first ¡V six times (with the breath, breath in as the left hand comes back ¡V breath out as the right hand comes back). Both hands come together at chest (breath in) and push out (breath out), hands separate and then come up (breath in ) to fan the V-spot.

Skim across the body. Right hand starts up and as it goes down, the right foot pivots on the ball of the foot. Left hand comes down as the foot returns to normal position, with a small shuffel in the fast pass. Breath in as the right hand goes down and breath out as the left hand goes down. Really twist the upper torso and keep the hips in place.

Grab in and pull a rope out of the center. Breath in as you come in to grab. Breath out as you pull the rope out.

Single slap down to same side vital center. Step fwd on the right as you slap down with the right. Step back with the right as you slap down again with the right. Breath in as the hand comes up and breath out as the hand comes down.

Closing
Hands point straight out and circle in to a count of six (breath in as hands come out for the circle, breath out when hands come together and pull in). Skim hands out ¡V right hand first ¡V six times (same breath as opening). Hands come together at chest and push directly out, hands separate and then come up to fan the V-spot.

The Warrior¡¦s Decision

Opening ¡V Gathering the Cloak of Confidence
Hands at center, like holding a ball from both sides.
Breath in as the left open hand goes all the way behind you. Breath out as it gathers energy from the lower disk and brings it to the V-spot.
Breath in as the left hand goes back again. Breath out as it gathers energy from the chest area and brings it to the V-spot.
Breath in as the left hand goes back a third time. Breath in as it gathers energy from the shoulder area and brings it to the V-spot.
Left hand vibrates at the V-spot as you breath in fully, breath out fully, and breath in once again.
Breath out as the hand circles in toward the chest, wrapping the open right hand, three times, ending up behind the right hand.
Close the right hand in a fist and circle three more times in the same direction.
Breath in as the right fisted hand performs the same motions as the left hand performed, but on the right side.
After the left gathering, fist vibrates as you breath in, out, in. Then breath out as the right fisted hand circles out away from the chest, wrapping the open left hand, three times, ending up behind the left hand. Close the left hand in a fist and circle three more times in the same direction.

Attacking the Decision

Left fist extends and right fist comes behind the head in a ready position as you breath in.
Lunge punch forward on the left twice. Right foot steps through as the right fists swings around, gathering energy.
Right elbow strike out. Draw back the right foot and right hand.
Shuffle forward with the right foot and punch with the right hand. Turn 180 degrees to the left, left foot up in cat stance.

Right foot steps up level with the left. Left foot steps back to the right diagonal, right foot up in cat stance.
Hands switch position( Right leading).
Left foot step up level with the right. Right foot steps back to the
left diagonal, left foot up in cat stance.
Hands switch position(Left leading).
Shuffle forward slowly twice with the left foot pulling.
Kick with the left. Kick with the right, stepping thru on the right.
Turn 180 degrees to the left, left foot up in cat stance. Shift weight to the left foot as you kick back with the right. Step thru on the right. Turn 180 degrees to the left, left foot up in cat stance.
Turn 90 degrees to the right. Breath in as you bring the right foot up, breath out as you place it down. Breath in as you bring the left foot up, breath out as you place it down. Swing the right foot up and around 180 degrees. Breath in as you open the arms, hands in fists, pointing up. Breath out as you push fists to the left. Breath in as you come back center. Breath out as you push fists right. Turn 90 degrees to the left, left foot up in cat stance.

Step forward three times as fists pull energy into the V-spot. Step back three times with same fist motion.
Kick with the right foot, stepping thru. Breath in as you open the arms, hands in fists, pointing up.
Step forward with the left, swing the left fist out, gathering energy for the V-spot. Swing right fist out to the same area.
Crossed arms shoot out in fists to both sides, look to the right.
Turn to the left, left foot up in cat stance.

Hop back twice. Turn 180 degrees to the right, right foot up in cat stance.
Kick with the left. Kick with the right. Left foot stomps forward twice. Turn to the back 180 degrees to the right. Strike with the right elbow twice.
Turn back with the right side and gather energy with the left fist, then gather energy in the same area with the right fist. Step 90 degrees and gather energy with the left fist, looking left. Breath in fully and out fully.
Look to the right. Cross step to the right with the left, right, left.
Breath in and breath out as you turn to face a new decision on the right as the hands come down to the sides facing forward.

Some relaxing warmups.

Breath in as you come to the knees ¡V breath out as you go all the way
down.
Breath in as you come up and out as you say ahhh and relax.

Some basic movements

Hip tilts fwd, back and center point. (With a halfway point)
Rotate each side fwd, back and center point. (With a halfway point)
Hips tilt up each side. (With a halfway point)

Recapitulation running man

Circle out with toes ¡V this is repeated after each set.
Pull leg up and push down (foot 45 degrees from vertical)
Slide leg up on the floor and push down (side of foot flat on the floor)

Slide leg up opposite leg ¡V open knee ¡V extend leg ¡V return.
Slide foot up and down the opposite side of the other leg.
Flying leg switch.
Left leg crossed over the right (hanging man style) pull right up then down. Switch.
Feet together ¡V elbows at knees ¡V hold the ankles ¡V breath in and squeeze ¡V breath out and release.

From:  "Justine Azure" <justine@xxxxxxx.xxx.xxx
Date:  Thu Sep 2, 1999 4:03 am
Subject: Re: San Diego workshop

This is what I remember of Zaia's most exquisite talk rendered before teaching the codes:

The lying down form of the codes is the inorganic form. We as organic beings have to focus on our stance, standing on our feet, and breathing.

BREATHING: learn to exhale, let out for something different to come in. Exhaling is not forcefully pushing out the air with great tension, there is a natural letting go of the air after we have inhaled fully, and then we proceed to empty our lungs of all the remaining air so the new air can come in. If we breathe in a shallow way we may be carrying around the same stale air in our lungs for maybe 20 years at a time. It reminded Zaia of a university library where she worked, where it was said that the same air circulated since 1919 without ever having been renewed.

EXHALE letting go, not forcing out (so we can let go of other things in our life too). In order to TURN ON we have to TURN OFF. When we turn ON the body is alert, ready for action but not so tense that we become rigid. Then there is a moment when we turn OFF - from there it is that we turn ON.

The Universe is more than 90% empty space. Atoms also. We are trying to have some awareness of that part of the universe.

The Nahual told them that we are the sum total of our conception, and that most of us were conceived with very little air and then we breathe in a shallow fashion. At the moment of conceiving us if there was no passion, no orgasm, or an orgasm with very little air intake we are what he called BORED FUCKS. Zaia said we all have the fantasy that maybe we were just lucky enough not be one. Then the Nahual continued saying you could see it in one's body posture. If one has stooped shoulders or slouches forward, there is little sense of purpose. Immediately she and Miles, who were with the Nahual when he was saying this, sat up straight in their seats, trying to appear natural. Then the Nahual said if one is extremely rigid in one's posture it denotes somebody terrified of being unable to cope with life. So they immediately adopted a feigned relaxed position in their seats. Then the Nahual said that the three companions of a bored fuck are: coffee, sugar and making a phone call to get a compliment from a friend.

Being bored fucks makes one terribly dependent on outside stimulus or approval. But the good news is that we can change this by doing the codes and focusing on the breathing. We are what our parents at the moment of our conception, but we can change this by doing the codes. The codes are a universe.

We complain about our mothers. We see all their defects and then repeat just that. But if we look we'll see the things they did. Zaia said her mother was very elegant, decorated her house exquisitely and wrote wonderful letters. Zaia could only see her mother as a complainer. The Nahual told her to look at the other aspects of her mother - ultimately that might be the only path that leads us to infinity (freedom).

From:  Bright Fionna <Fionna.Bright@xxxxxxxx.xxxx
Date:  Thu Oct 7, 1999 7:45 pm
Subject: San Diego-Olinda's pass

This is the same post I posted Aug. 12:

Here's what I have for Olinda's pass, corrections welcome. You'll need pencil and paper, because my notes are little drawings I'm going to describe.

1. Rub the deep hollow in the center of the palm with the opposite thumb.
Left (I believe) first, then right.

2. Vigorously rub the palms together. Smooth hands up over face pausing at eyes to relax the eye, then continuing over the head, down the back of the head to the shoulders. Shake hands vigorously at shoulder level.
Shake again with hands lower, more like waist level.

3. Rub the bases of the thumbs together (the fleshy part). Beginning at the center of the forehead with the bases of the thumbs positioned at the brows, draw the thumbs outward across the brow 2-3 times.

4. Rub the forefingers together. Beginning at the nose, draw the index fingers across the cheeks to the cheekbone 2-3 times. (Across the sinuses.)

5. Make the thumb, index, and middle fingers into little pincers and beginning at the inner end, gently pinch the eyebrows across to the outer end.

6. Vigorously rub palms together. Beginning at center of face, smooth over whole face to outer edge 2-3 times. Shake hands as in #2.

7. Make pincers again and pinch the tops and edges of the ears down to the lobes.

8. Shake the left foot, then the right.

9. Perform Bringing Energy to the Center of Decisions from the Knees from the Decision series of the Westwood passes, except inhale and bring the hands to the v-spot three times, and fan or flutter the fingers toward the v-spot.

Here you begin the part of the pass with sound. You can choose between three ways to do the pass. One is with a vocalized "n". The second is with an unvocalized "s". The third is with a vocalized "z". I'll describe for the "z". The other two will be clear from that. The use of
musical terms is just because it's easy. They stressed that the sound is not made like western music, but is just sound as it comes out.

10. Place the little finger of each hand on the crest of the hip bone and the thumb on the lowest rib above it. Let the other fingers fall in between. Make the lowest z sound you can without straining your voice. Hold it continuously. Picture a line drawn horizontally on the paper for about an inch.

11. Place the thumbs into the armpits and the fingers along the sternum. Begin the z low, then go up (about a third?) and make repeated z's. Picture a line moving 45 degrees up to the right for half an inch, then continuing to the right horizontally in a series of dashes.

12. Using the middle knuckle of the middle finger of each hand, press high on your side into your ribs where it feels tender a little and vibrate as you begin the sound. As the sound progresses, you press. At the end of the sound, you pull your fingers strongly out, extending each arm all the way out to each side shoulder height, and flick your hands open. The sound begins low, goes up a third or more or so, then wavers up and down repeatedly like an old police siren. Picture a line going up 45 degrees to the right for half and inch, then waving up and down for 3/4 inch, then finishing with a slight, straight lift.

13. Using the index and middle fingers together, stroke your neck on each side under the ear and behind the jaw several times. Begin the sound as you press there. This sound begins low again, and then goes sharply up maybe a fifth or so. Picture a line on the paper that curves sharply up to the right about half an inch out and 3/4 inch up.

Then next four sounds are essentially the same format as the first four, but get higher, maybe going up an octave to begin.

14. Using the two fingers again, stroke the place in front of the ear where the lower jaw meets the skull. Begin the sound as you press. This sound begins low, goes up maybe an octave, then holds. Picture a line going up 45 degrees diagonally to the right 3/4 inch, then continuing to the right horizontally for an inch.

15. Using the two fingers, stroke the temples. Begin sound as you press. This sound goes up first as in #14, then continues on one pitch intermittently. Picture the line going up diagonally as above, then continuing horizontally for an inch of dashes to the right.

16. Stroke the two fingers of the right hand upward on the forehead at the center between the brows. Begin sound as you press there with your left two fingers. This sound goes up as in #14, then wavers up and down. The picture goes diagonally up as in #14, then makes a wavy line for an inch horizontally to the right. At the end (with sound? or without?) using the two fingers and the thumb, pull the internal dialog out from your forehead, extending your arm completely away and flicking outward at the end.

17. Using the fingers of the right hand, make circles on the crown of your head. Begin sound as you press the very top of your head with your left fingers. Then extend your right hand straight upward above your shoulder at a slight angle outward, with the two fingers extended and the other fingers clasped under the thumb. Begin low, go up and up to a high pitch, pressing, then continue very high as you raise your left hand up like your right. Again, the picture is a line that makes a sharp curve upward for an inch, moving only a 1/4 inch or so to the right.

18. In silence, place your thumbs into the hollows on either side of the base of the skull and spread your fingers open vertically against the back of your head on each side. Your elbows are up and open and your open palms are behind your ears. Vibrate your fingers against your skull right, then left, R, L, R, L, a few times in all. Then stop. Hold. Very slowly begin to pull your hands away from your head, listening. Slowly open and lower your arms bringing them to extend behind you parallel, palms flat, fingers together (as in the Butterfly) and hold, listening.