It's All About Your Base
mobility and the sitting bones.
Our base has a lot to do with how we move. When we relate to the ground easily and efficiently we enjoy more flexibility and coordination. I was reminded of this during the ‘International Lockdown Challenge’ yesterday as Parkour people from around the world moved for 90 minutes. The best movers had the best relationship to the ground.
Today, let’s tune into our sitting base, the sitting bones. The sitting bones are the lowest weight-bearing structure in the torso. They are lower than the hip joints when seated which allows us the possibility for mobility in our legs.
Take a moment and find your sitting bones now. Place your hand palm up under your bottom from the side. Shift your weight around and feel the sitting bone. Notice its contour, it is beautifully rounded and angles out toward the side from front to back.
Map your sitting bones as you base for sitting. Add the mobility that they offer to your map. When you shift around on your sitting bones do you notice that the movement resonates through your torso?
As you play today, tune into your sitting bones and how they relate to your seat. It is helpful to sit on a firm surface for this experience. I like my piano bench. Be curious, shift your weight all around.
Direct your attention to the changes in contact, then notice how you are breathing, how your arms move, and finally your sound.
Can you play your most challenging passage as you shift around on your sitting bones? (Flexibility in the torso allows playing facility.)
Be curious!