Welcome to the Bowspring practice!
Before your first Bowspring class, there are few things to be aware of to help you make it a positive experience, and one that will inspire you to enter a series of orientation or Level 1 classes to learn the basics of the method.
First of all, after your first Bowspring class, it is likely that you will experience less pain in your body, and feel more open, not only in your body, but also in your mind and heart.
No special flexibility or strength is required to gain benefits from the Bowspring practice. You can start at any age 8 to 88, and with any physical limitation or injury. Bowspring can be practiced by all level of physical ability.
Your first Bowspring practice is intended to help you realize that by posturing your body with more natural curves, you are better able to move with greater freedom and more power.
Within the first hour of practice, you should experience a few moments of lightness, buoyancy, and focused relaxation with a Bowspring alignment. Amazing shifts in mind and body are possible within the first Bowspring practice.
Although the immediate benefits of the first Bowspring practice can be astounding, you will probably experience some awkwardness and strangeness in trying this alignment since it is likely to be quite different from your normal posture.
Also, the Bowspring alignment is a paradigm-shifting method for posture, so the alignments will probably not be what you have been told as correct or ‘good’ alignment by the mainstream, particularly in the worlds of yoga or physical therapy.
And furthermore, the Bowspring is a somatically open posture, which means that it will naturally release distress and excess nervous energy. However, this open posture may feel emotionally uncomfortable or vulnerable since the Bowspring alignment increases our capacity to feel, and allows for more flow of psycho-emotional energy.
Knowing ahead of time that your first Bowspring experience could be amazing on several levels – physically, psychologically, and spiritually, but at the same time will probably feel somewhat weird, emotionally uncomfortable, and be contrary to what you have learned before about your posture, the best attitude for the first class is one of a beginner’s mind, filled with curiosity and wonder.
Focus first on deepening your breathing and releasing stress and undue tension in the body. Open your mind to try alignments and exercises that you probably have never seen before. Take a light-hearted approach to any feelings of awkwardness that arise in practicing the Bowspring, especially for the first time.
After the first class, pause to contemplate what new awareness you have gained about yourself through the Bowspring practice. It is likely that some of your deepest postural habits and unconscious mind-body patterns will be revealed to some degree in your first practice. Although it is common to react to these revelations with embarrassment, frustration, or disappointment, it is a blessing to gain new awareness of our postural habits and default alignments so long-term changes can be made. Once the unconscious patterns are seen, they can be changed and whole new level of health, functional performance, and character development can be achieved. It isn’t easy or comfortable to directly look at our unhealthy or imbalanced patterns, but freedom from chronic pain and a new vibrancy are so worth facing the initial challenges of the Bowspring practice!
The first class of the Bowspring is just introductory, and will hopefully give you a little taste of the transformative power of the practice, inspiring you to take the time to learn the basics of the method.
Gaining a working knowledge of the Bowspring fundamentals so you can immediately apply this new dynamic alignment in your daily life – sitting, standing, walking, bending over, etc. — usually takes a minimum of a weekend workshop for beginners or a 10-hour orientation course. Then you will have the basics to practice Bowspring for a few minutes each day over a 2-month period, which will change your life! After the fundamentals have been practiced for a couple of months, then Level 1-2 classes can take your mind-body health to a whole new state.
Blessings on your first Bowspring class!
John Friend and Desi Springer
co-founders of the Bowspring method