The Presence of Being

An Aquatic Bodywork facilitation course in which we explore the water's magical quality of providing a nurturing environment for Self-discovery. Using the water as the medium and our willingness to be Present as the catalyst, we will discover what happens when we are passionate about being with our clients, when we can truly meet them, support them and create an atmosphere where they feel safe enough to relax into their essential nature. We can encourage this by offering unconditional acceptance of whatever reveals itself. On the part of the therapist, this requires a repeated willingness to meet our own edges, to become aware of whatever belief systems are in place for us and to discover what motivates us as therapists.

We will use Aquatic bodywork as an invitation to explore our essential nature and to discover the inherent Grace that reveals itself when we meet each other there.

To support the exploration of what happens when we focus awareness without agenda we will utilize:

Whether you are new to Aquatic Bodywork or have been practising for years, this course is meant to assist you in deepening your connection with Self and others.

Prerequisite: None- Recommendation: Private lesson, Watsu Drop-In class at Harbin Hot Springs or Watsu Experience Weekend.

Watsu® I

In the first stage of Watsu 1, you learn Watsu's Basic Moves and positions and how, staying grounded and connected with the breath, you can let the water do the work. In its continual return to the Water Breath Dance, you find the stillness that is the ground of presence. In the second stage you learn to connect these basic moves and positions with long gracefully flowing transitions into the Transition Flow. You learn to adapt this to people of all sizes, shapes and dispositions. You learn about your own body mechanics - how to support and move each person as effortlessly as possible in the water. On land you will be introduced to Conscious Touch and Co-Centering and explore and share what being held means to you and others.

Prerequisites: Registration and current WABA logbook.

Watsu® II

Watsu 2 expands the Transition Flow taught in Watsu 1. You learn additional moves and bodywork in each position and how to incorporate them and other moves, as needed. You learn about the meridians and points in Watsu and explore following the client's tendency to move, and how to creatively explore your own movements. Practicing the pointwork, the lifts, the pushes and pulls introduced at this stage, helps develop the ability to explore and play with energy. Because you now have so much to work and play with, it is recommended you practice many sessions before going on to Watsu 3 or another form.

Prerequisites: Watsu 1 or Watsu 100

Watsu® is a registered service mark of Harold Dull

WaterDance I

In WaterDance I, you will explore the art of breath connection enabling you to establish a deep rapport with your clients, inspire their trust and offer the attentiveness that is necessary when bringing someone below the water's surface. From this place, you will learn the WaterDance short form which includes learning to establish a rhythm that works with each client's breathing needs and to move all body types through the water with security, ease and graceful fluidity, giving the receiver a profound sense of freedom and joy.

Prerequisites: Watsu I and current WABA logbook

WaterDance II

In this course, you will build on and deepen the work of WaterDance I, taking the same principles and material and expanding on them with a fuller repertoire of under-the-water moves and techniques. You will learn new moves and variations and how to link different moves. By the end of this course, you will have learned enough material to give full WaterDance sessions that are fun, healing and profound.

Prerequisites: Watsu I, WaterDance I and current WABA logbook

WaterDance 3: Free Flow

In Free Flow, you will expand on the WaterDance 1 & 2 foundation and take your repertoire of moves into the realm of personal creativity. You'll explore the poetry of spontaneity inspired by what presents itself in the moment. You will also be supported to create your own vocabulary of underwater moves and learn to link them in endless new ways. The dance of a free flowing experience, tailored to your client's present state and mood is emphasized and discovery of your own unique style is encouraged and affirmed.

Prerequisites: Watsu I, WaterDance I & II and current WABA logbook

WaterBreathDancing: The Essentials of Aquatic Bodywork

Private individualized or group instruction for new & experienced Aquatic Bodywork practitioners. This is an intensive focusing on bringing together the elements of Presence of Being with a solid foundation in body mechanics (particularly in preparation for WaterDance) within a basic framework from which we will explore the experience of breath connection; detecting, supporting and encouraging, following cues from our receiver and developing and trusting intuition as the foundation for the art of submerging. This course emphasizes communication skills for establishing rapport and cultivating the openness and innocence of "beginner's mind". Support will be given to encourage beginners as well as seasoned practitioners to explore their own unique style while attending to their client in an open, fluid, spontaneous, attentive and caring manner.

Serves as prerequisite for WaterDance I

DolphinWaterPlay

"Something happened to me in Florida. Maybe it was the warm, emerald green of the ocean, so soothing to my soul, the miles of pristine, sugary white sand dunes of Shell Island or even more obvious, the depth and variety of the encounters with these wild Bottlenose dolphins. Maybe it was the wonderful group of people who came together from all over the world to participate in the first WaterPlay; availing themselves to the unknown that always comes with these experiments of the heart. Whatever it was, I find myself waking up every morning to visions of dolphins swimming around me, above me, below me, in me. All night, I am with them, all day they are with me. I know that somehow I am changed for life. I am so accustomed to this happening in my life but usually the impact of it is sudden and intense.....this has been so subtle. I have changed through extreme JOY - so graceful, so easy, so liberating. I don't even know what changed, I only know I have.

Is this the magic of the dolphins? Is this what draws people to them again and again and again? They have such an incredible gift for us. It is the gift of Presence. Making eye contact with a dolphin and receiving its full attention is the kind of energy and intimacy we so long for in our connections with others and most of all, in our connection to our own Self. In the fullness of such presence, our Being opens completely to the moment and we are so alive, so fulfilled and we remember what life is really all about."
-Shantam

DolphinWaterPlay is offered in collaboration with WaterPlanetUSA located in Panama City Beach Florida. For a total of one week, we combine the essentials of Watsu & WaterDance, Breathwork and sharing joy with swimming with the curious and playful, wild Bottlenose dolphins off Shell Island.