Allow for at least 30 minutes. You will need a sleeveless shirt, light trousers to move in, a heavy coat, two feathers, a roll of masking tape and two yoga mats. If you do not have yoga mats, you can use towels or any other textured material that can form a 12-foot-long path.
This Somatic Act can be done as a duet or group.
Begin dressed in your sleeveless shirt and light trousers. Next arrange the two yoga mats length-wise to form an approximately 12-foot-long path. Place, with care, the coat at one end of the path and the tape and feathers on the other end. Make sure the coat, tape, and feathers are beside the path (yoga mat), on the floor, and not on the path (mat).
In a moment, you will begin dressing at one end, beside the path, and then walking along the path with eyes closed. The texture of the yoga mat is intended to guide your feet. If you have socks and shoes on, please remove them - allowing your feet to sense the textures more clearly.
Your friend will support the dressing process on either end through touch. Their eyes will remain open. When undressing, you will lead the process and your friend can follow and support you. Ideally, it is best to keep your eyes closed, but if you need to open them at any point to support your dressing process or to keep yourself safe enough, please do.
Start at the end of the path
with the heavy coat and
with your friend beside you.
Close your eyes.
Together
dress in the coat,
slowly, with your friend's support
sensing the texture
weight
movement
of the material
against your body.
Allowing time…
Once dressed,
your friend gently
guides and positions
your body
supporting your
first step
to enter
the path
walking
along the yoga mat path
wearing your coat
with eyes closed.
As you are walking
sensing the texture
under your feet
as a guide and support.
Your friend quietly
changes their position
to standing and waiting
for you
at the end of the path - by the tape and feathers.
Keep the walking simple
on your feet and
in a forward direction.
Sensing the weight and texture
of the coat surrounding
your body.
Sensing the presence
of your friend
that you are walking towards.
Allowing time…
Once you come
to the end of the path
your friend can place
one hand gently
on your shoulder.
Pause…
Sensing each other´s touch
for a moment.
As you are ready
with eyes closed,
follow a journey of
shedding your coat
allowing it to return to the floor.
Follow your sense of timing
slowly or quickly
or moments of both
Allow a moment to sense
the reverberations of the touch journey.
Allowing time…
And then slowly,
your friend begins
dressing you in
two feathers
at the ends of both middle fingers
held in place with tape.
Sensing this touch journey
of material and skin.
Allowing time and spaciousness…
When you are dressed
your friend gently
repositions your body
allowing you to
return to slowly walking
along the path
away from your heavy coat
and towards your original beginning place.
Your friend then
quietly
changes their position
to standing and waiting
at the other end of the path.
As you are walking
sensing the texture
under your feet
as a guide and support.
Keep the walking simple
on your feet and
in a forward direction.
Allow the touch of the fingers,
and the light weight of the feathers,
to open into a little bit of movement
along the arms
if you like…
Notice the moments when you need to pause...
Sensing the presence
of your friend
that is waiting for you.
Allowing time…
As you arrive at the end of the path,
your friend places
one hand gently
on your shoulder.
Sensing each other´s touch
for a moment.
Pause…
As you are ready
with eyes closed,
shedding your feathers,
one at a time.
Follow your sense of timing
slowly or quickly, or both
Allow a moment
to sense the reverberations
of the touch journey.
Allowing time…
And slowly open your eyes…
Without speaking,
and with tenderness and care
return your coat
next to one end of the path
and the feathers and tape
at the other end.
Pause…
Noticing your breathing…
Sensing the material´s presence
waiting for you.
Allowing spaciousness…
And then
Repeat the journey
but now, in the opposite order.
Start on the end with the feathers and tape,
with your friend
standing beside you.
Close your eyes.
Together, allow your friend
to dress you
in two feathers
at the ends of both middle fingers
held in place with tape.
Sensing this touch journey
of material and skin.
Allowing time and spaciousness…
Once dressed,
your friend gently
guides and positions
your body
supporting your
transitional step
to enter
the path…
walking and
wearing your feathers
with eyes closed.
Sensing the texture
under your feet
as a guide and support.
Your friend quietly
changes their position
to standing and waiting
at the end of the path - by the heavy coat.
Keep the walking simple
on your feet and
in a forward direction
Allow the touch on the fingers,
and the light weight of the feathers,
to open into a little bit of movement,
along the arms, if you like…
Notice the moments when you need to pause...
Sensing the presence
of your friend
that is waiting for you.
Allowing time…
As you arrive at the end of the path,
your friend places
one hand gently
on your shoulder.
Sensing each other´s touch
for a moment
Pause…
As you are ready
with eyes closed
shedding your feathers
one at a time.
Follow your sense of timing
slowly or quickly, or both, for example.
Allow a moment to sense
the reverberations
of the touch journey.
Allowing time…
With eyes closed, with the support
of your friend,
begin dressing in the coat
slowly
sensing its texture, weight, movement
of the material against your body.
Allowing time and spaciousness…
Once dressed,
your friend gently
repositions your body,
guiding you to
return to slowly walking
along the path,
away from the feathers,
and towards the other end
of the path
with eyes closed.
Sensing the texture
under your feet
as a guide and support.
Your friend then,
quietly,
changes their position
to standing and waiting
at the other end of the path…
Keep the walking simple
on your feet and
in a forward direction.
Sensing the weight and texture
of the coat surrounding
your body.
Sensing the presence
of your friend
that is waiting for you.
Allowing time…
As you arrive at the end of the path,
your friend can place
one hand gently
on your shoulder.
Sensing each other´s touch
for a moment
Pause…
As you are ready
with eyes closed,
follow a journey of
shedding your coat -
allowing it to return to the floor.
Follow your sense of timing
slowly or quickly
Or moments of both
Allow a moment to sense
the reverberations of the touch journey.
Allowing time…
And slowly, opening your eyes.
How does the order
of touching and wearing
coat and feathers
shift your felt sense
and the quality
of your relationship
to the materials?
Allowing time to share
your experiences
with your friend.
And then,
changing roles
returning coat,
feathers and tape
with care
at each end
of the path.