Inspired by the powerful women of Janet Rudolph’s SheSpeaks project and ensemble, this class moves with strong archetypal images like the tree of life and the primordial ocean or waters of the womb. We follow the transformative stories of Eve, Naamah, Miriam and Zipporah, as we embody snake and dragon as ancient symbols of life force, transformation and inner knowing. This impromptu SheSpeaks through Qi Gong session combines sinuous waves, rooting and rising, awakening the heart, kundalini, and ebb and flow to embody the voice and wisdom of our foremothers. We explore the snake’s sensitive to earth and its ability to shed the skin. The heart meridian ends in the tongue, so releasing what weights heavy upon our heart can help us speak more clearly. We clear our inner vision, so that we may plant a seed in fertile ground, that will sprout when it’s ready.

Links to Janet’s work

• Description of today’s event 24.9.26 performing Eve, Namaah and Miriam (a recording might be shared, which I’ll add here when it becomes available)

• Eve’s script (to read)

• 5 videos on YouTube, performing Eve, Namaah, Sarah and Miriam

We do the following movements:

Reproductive organ breathing

Earth breathing

Water waves into sinuous snake, belly to the earth, coiling around the branches

Roots and branches, embodying the tree of life

Embracing the tree, with connection to the voice and the ears of the heart

Awakening the drum of the heart and pineal gland

Dancing with the tree

Green dragon breathes clouds

Swimming dragon + kundalini rising

Heart to earth/sky

Monk holding pearl as metaphor for Noah’s arc on the waves

Drop of water in ocean of Qi

Embracing the tree

Turning the wheel of life (microcosmic orbit)

Boa sheds its skin

Releasing the veil (originally: stones) clearing your inner vision

Turning the wheel of life (microcosmic orbit)

Reproductive organ breathing

Other ideas & notes from watching the performance

The link to Jing as sexual essence as represented in the inner/out treasure of Body/Earth, the paired animals in Noah’s arc, movements of gathering, protecting and nourishing the seeds as women have done since the beginning of time, and indeed the of fluidity of time. Mirjam prophesied the fall of the goddess, and discussed ways to hide the treasures of the earth’s wisdom underground, leaving markers in plain sight. She foresaw a time where the goddess of life & death would fall, and the cycles of life, the female body, the earth would not be valued. Hiding in plain sight, the images of milk and breasts (see Genesis 49: 25 - I didn’t know the bible referenced breasts and womb!), became the Almighty…