KD Jones
11-13-2006, 12:34 PM
I started ice skating with my daughters about 3 weeks ago. We've only been 3 times so far, but it's already gotten in our blood. I had no idea I'd like it so much.
My daughters, 4 and 7, are catching on like kids do. It's just amazing to watch them, and to watch the effect of a little encouragement. The first time we went, I pumped them up beforehand with something I got (somewhere) from Coach Sonnon by having them repeat to me 10 times, "the ice is my friend," and telling them that when the do go down, they should open up and embrace the ice. This has the effect of sending their energy anywhere other than into fear and straight down, and is intended to be a corollary of Coach Sonnon's statement that "falling is a belief system." When they do fall, I comment only on how good a fall it was. As a result, virtually every time they fall I get nothing other than a smile and a high sign.
For my own experience, things have been interesting as well. I haven't skated since I was a teenager, back when there was plenty of nice ice but altogether too many mastodons to avoid. I never got over falling down, running into things, and being a general menace, though I tried (some).
An interesting thing, this time. I expected to be falling all over the place. I accepted that. I expected it would be quite some time before I could get around the rink. Surprisingly, and I think due to CST principles, that hasn't been the case. Oddly, I haven't hit the ice once. Which is especially wierd for a meathead.
I started by looking for a relatively simple drill that I could sophisticate, and settled on "waves," (I don't know if they have a real name), in which both feet stay on the ice and are moved in opposing waves, resulting in a glide forward or backward. I started leaning over with my hands on my knees, then went to straight standing, then varying the waves into turns, then keeping one foot anchored resulting in circles, and just last night, backward "waves."
Now all that is fine and good, and that it's progressing - on a personal timescale - quickly is nice; but what's really amazing is that I'm already experiencing something very like flow. Ask anyone who knows me... I'm not Mr. Flow except maybe on a musical insturment, or in certain "doing a job" circumstances.
But last night, after 3 sessions, I noticed things just happening. I'd be skating along, or working on some variation of what I'd mentioned above, and one of my girls would call me. Completely naturally and without thinking, I'd find myself floating into position to engage with them. My body would turn in various directions - without any sensation or awareness that I was attempting to move. I only fully realized what was going on after it had happened a number of times, and after some of the "floats" were motions I would NOT have tried consciously - being temporarily on one skate without moving in a straight line, or making a figure eight pattern to get both girls in site, or spinning around to the back and then effortlessly back to the front to lead one of them on. After the move, after I realized it had happened, I'd think... "wait. I can't do that..." It was something like I imagine riding a bird would be.
Honestly, the stuff just came out of nowhere. I can imagine this happening to someone else, but not to me.
So, this is all very promising for a number of reasons... first, my girls love it, second, it's the most wonderful, free sensation, like flying, and third... it's evidence (I think) of Coach Sonnon's insistence (paraphrased) that CST has the ability, along with the facilitation flow, to greatly accelerate and deepen the learning process or anything.
It just keeps getting better.
Blessings.
My daughters, 4 and 7, are catching on like kids do. It's just amazing to watch them, and to watch the effect of a little encouragement. The first time we went, I pumped them up beforehand with something I got (somewhere) from Coach Sonnon by having them repeat to me 10 times, "the ice is my friend," and telling them that when the do go down, they should open up and embrace the ice. This has the effect of sending their energy anywhere other than into fear and straight down, and is intended to be a corollary of Coach Sonnon's statement that "falling is a belief system." When they do fall, I comment only on how good a fall it was. As a result, virtually every time they fall I get nothing other than a smile and a high sign.
For my own experience, things have been interesting as well. I haven't skated since I was a teenager, back when there was plenty of nice ice but altogether too many mastodons to avoid. I never got over falling down, running into things, and being a general menace, though I tried (some).
An interesting thing, this time. I expected to be falling all over the place. I accepted that. I expected it would be quite some time before I could get around the rink. Surprisingly, and I think due to CST principles, that hasn't been the case. Oddly, I haven't hit the ice once. Which is especially wierd for a meathead.
I started by looking for a relatively simple drill that I could sophisticate, and settled on "waves," (I don't know if they have a real name), in which both feet stay on the ice and are moved in opposing waves, resulting in a glide forward or backward. I started leaning over with my hands on my knees, then went to straight standing, then varying the waves into turns, then keeping one foot anchored resulting in circles, and just last night, backward "waves."
Now all that is fine and good, and that it's progressing - on a personal timescale - quickly is nice; but what's really amazing is that I'm already experiencing something very like flow. Ask anyone who knows me... I'm not Mr. Flow except maybe on a musical insturment, or in certain "doing a job" circumstances.
But last night, after 3 sessions, I noticed things just happening. I'd be skating along, or working on some variation of what I'd mentioned above, and one of my girls would call me. Completely naturally and without thinking, I'd find myself floating into position to engage with them. My body would turn in various directions - without any sensation or awareness that I was attempting to move. I only fully realized what was going on after it had happened a number of times, and after some of the "floats" were motions I would NOT have tried consciously - being temporarily on one skate without moving in a straight line, or making a figure eight pattern to get both girls in site, or spinning around to the back and then effortlessly back to the front to lead one of them on. After the move, after I realized it had happened, I'd think... "wait. I can't do that..." It was something like I imagine riding a bird would be.
Honestly, the stuff just came out of nowhere. I can imagine this happening to someone else, but not to me.
So, this is all very promising for a number of reasons... first, my girls love it, second, it's the most wonderful, free sensation, like flying, and third... it's evidence (I think) of Coach Sonnon's insistence (paraphrased) that CST has the ability, along with the facilitation flow, to greatly accelerate and deepen the learning process or anything.
It just keeps getting better.
Blessings.