Binding and Unbinding

The binding is very similar to the 'warrior's decision' pass with new emphasis. The un-binding is the pass in reverse with a different mood.

BINDING:
Horse stance, hands in front of the mid-section.
Bind the right hand with the left towards the body, like a boxer binding has hands with tape before a fight. 3 rotations then make a fist with the right, continue with 3 more rotations.
Bind the left with the right(now in a fist) away from the body. 3
Rotations make a fist with the left, continue 3 more rotations.
Bring left fist straight forward at shoulder level and right fist comes back over the shoulder, bent at the elbow turning the torso to the right and opening up the chest. (fencing position?). Now advance with the left foot taking 2 quick steps forward striking with the left.
Step forward with the right pivoting to the left and strike with the right fist down and across the body to the waist elbow at right angle and give a short strike with the elbow to the right.
Now strike with the left kungfu style, (left fist straight out from the shoulder as you bring the right up to the axilla.) Strike with the right same way while hopping forward.
Turn 180 to the left facing back where you came from forearms crossed in front in a fending position left foot in front in a cat stance. Side step to the right, ending with right foot in front in cat stance, then step back ending where you started. This can be done with 2 steps, step up and forward with the right and back with the left, then reverse. Some may do it different.
Bind the head, rotate left fist in front of the forhead to the right 3 times. Rotate right fist forward along the right side of the head.
Advance sliding/shuffling twice keeping the left foot in front, make a short low kick with the left, then step forward with the right and do the same with the right. Pivot 180, make a short kick backward with the right and step froward with the right pivoting to the left.
Crouch down and raise your right leg like a sumo wrestler, inhaling, then left leg. With the right 'step over a barrier of energy' while pivoting 180 to the left. Up to this point your forearms have been cross in front of the chest but when you end in this position break the arms out opening the chest.
Now do 'striking energy in front of the body and on the left and right with both fists' (28 from the heat series).
Bind the right and left fists again with 3 rotations each.
Turn to the left forearms cross on front again. Make 3 steps forward R-L-R , as you step with the right throw a left hook striking in front of the center for decisions area, and visa versa.
Now retreat the way you came R-L-R also striking.
Cross forearms again step and short low kick with the right, strike out with the forearms opening the chest.
Step forward with the left and pivot to the right as you make a circular gathering movement with the left arm and then the right ending with the forearms crossed in front of the chest. then strike out with both arms to the sides straight out from the shoulders.
Turn to the left, forearms crossed again. Retreat with a little hopping motion L-R, L-R.
Turn to the right and and make 2 short strikes with the right elbow.
Step back with the right pivoting to the right 180 backwards while again making the gathering movement with the left arm, then right, then step with the left pivoting 90 to the right making another gathering movement with the left arm. Forearms end up crossed at the chest head turned to the left.
Deep inhale and exhale. Deep inhale and slowly turn the head to the right scanning the horizon exhaling.

UNBINDING:
Unbind the left fist by rotating right towards the body (opposite of binding). Relax fist while unbinding.
Unbind right rotating left away from body, relax right fist.
-- Now we reverse the binding movements in flowing, relaxed manner.
Learning this at the workshop was disrupting at first because I was already familiar with the binding and was unprepared to think in reverse. The result in learning this was to bring me to a new level
of quiet. --
Step back with the left foot pivoting backeard to the left 90 degrees while making a reverse gathering movement with the left arm. Starting at the opposite shoulder bring the fist out and accross till arm is extended fully to the left. Ungather with the right.
Step back and to the right with the left foot pivoting left 180 while ungathering with the left.
2 short elbow strikes with the right.
Turn to the right arms crossed in front of the chest, advance R-L, R-L with a little hopping motion.
turn to the right extand arms out at the soulders and open hands when fully extended.
Ungather with the right then left stepping back and to the right with the left foot turning to the left ending with the right foot out in front.
Bring forearms out to the sides opening the chest. Short kick with the right and step back with the right.
Retreat L-R-L with the hooking strikes, advance L-R-L the same.
Turn to the right and unbind left fist 3 times, unbind right fist 3 times. Fists are very loose and soft now.
Do 'striking energy in front of the body and on the left and right with both fists' in reverse in flowing manner. Strike down then up to the right, at the apex open the hands, down then to left same.
With the right step over a barrier of energy backwards pivoting 180 to the right. Crouch and lift left leg then right.
Turn to the right, short kick back with the right as you step back with the right.
Turn 180 and short low kick with the right, step back, short low kick with the left.
With left foot in front retreat twice sliding the feet backwards keeping same position.
Unbind the head, rotate backward with the right at the side of the head, rotate to the left with the left in front of the forehead.
Side step to the right, right foot in front, side step back to original position.
Turn 180 to the right and strike with the right, then strike with the left. Strike with right elbow.
Bring right arm up and over the right shoulder as you step back with the right and pivot 90 to the right, left hand extends straight out at the shoulder and right arm is bent, right fist over the shoulder, torso turned to the right chest extended.
Retreat stepping back as you strike with the left staying in this position. Repeat.
Step back with left to horse stance. Unbind fists again with increasingly slow movements.

Water fluidity pass

Miles Reid said Carlos told the apprentices that is was essential that you 'connect' with this pass. You must connect to the feeling of water, fluidity, liquidity. Afterall we are mostly water or liquid. The movements are flowing and gentle with lots of deep breathing.

This pass was done with the sound of running water and the ocean in the background. The instructors said a cd of the sounds would be made available to all practice groups on request.

This is started sitting at the base of your mat, it can be rolled to support your head when you lie back.
Sitting up rest your eye (sockets) on the heals of your hands. After a time move your hands over your ears. After a time lie back on your mat.
Alternately rotate your feet outward like the first movement of the 'running man'. Then start alternate splashing movement on opposite leg from same pass. Splashing starts small then increases but it it not necessary to lift feet off the ground. Now move left foot up and over top of right leg, not touching, then out and down and back again in large circular movement. You can shift your hips to make the movement more comfortable. Do several then do with right foot. Now peddle upward with both feet and stroke right shin with left foot 3 times without touching, do with right. Stroke side of calf with opposite foot 3 times each side. stroke back of calf 3 times with each foot without touching.
Next do 3 variants of the ocean breath either sitting up or on your back:
Grab your ankles with your feet and make deep slow inhales and exhales feeling the movement in your lower disk (below the navel). Feel the wave rise as you inhale and recede as you exhale.
Move your hands half way up the calfs. Feel the breath in your solar plexus (above the navel). Then move your hands up to the knees. Feel the breath in your chest and shoulders.
Lie back down or extend legs out, do variation of Monkey breath(35 in heat series) on your back. Bring hands up from the knees taking deep breath and extend over head. Bring hands down holding breath until at mid section then exhale extending hands down and bring knees up to activate mid-section. Now do same movement with just the left hand, then right bringing left and right knees up concurrently with hands extending down.
Roll on to your left side. Now do variation of Shattering energy with the breath (34 from heat series) with the right arm. Instead of striking back the arm extends back and the torso twists to the right like yoga star position and hand opens when fully extended. Repeat.
Roll over on the right side. Do variation of the offering breath(32 in the heat series) with the left hand. Now do the Shattering energy breath with the left as done with the right.
Return to your back. Do variation of the Butterfly breath(38 in the heat series), fold arms in front, hands in fists with knees up lifting feet.
As you rotate arms up and back inhale deeply, drop feet to ground. As arms come back to starting position raise feet back to starting position. Holding breath raise bent arms overhead and drop feet to ground, then lower arms back down and raise feet again to starting position. Now repeat first movement exhaling.
Roll over on your stomach, arms at sides and head facing left. Stay there for awhile.
Now come up on all fours. Do ocean breath on all fours, inhale as you round your back, exhale as you come back down. After several breaths come to your feet and slowly stand up.
Do Monkey breath in standing position both hands. With left hand, then right. Do Shattering energy with right arm twice like done lying.
Instead of striking back extend arm straight back and open fist when fully extended.
Do Offering breath with left arm, and then Shattering breath same as right. Do butterfly breath same as lying.

Now repeat standing movements but walk or step around as you feel it.

Let it flow...

Digestion pass

1 Horse stance, arms at sides, taking long slow inhale, bend wrists back and raise hands to armpits, push hands forward then bring back to arm pits be sure to fill the top of the lungs. Holding breath and making a noisy comical lip smacking sound, bring arms down, out to the sides, and straight up over head in a big circle until back of hands meet overhead, swallow. Exhaling bring arms down and back compressing the shoulder blades.
2 Strike back with each elbow as if striking someone behind you in the stomach, hand in a fist and opposite hand covering but not touching.
Twist the torso with the strike. The movement is felt in the mid-section. Do several, left right, left right...
3 Do kicking energy in front and in back of the body (9 from the intent series). Kick up with the right and back with left. Start small and increase movement with a rocking movement. Do 10 or more. Then repeat staring with the left.

Mike