Embodied Lives
lections on the Influence of Suprapto Suryodarmo [Prapto] and Amerta Movement
Editors: Katya Bloom, Margit Galanter and Sandra Reeve In this new book, 30 movement performers, therapists, artists, teachers and colleagues from around the world describe the impact of Prapto's Amerta Movement on their lives and work. Since the mid-80s, Prapto's moving/ dancing has inspired many thousands of people in the West, and many more in his native Java, who have witnessed, worked with or been otherwise influenced by his Amerta Movement practice. The Move into Life® approach and workshop programme draws directly on Prapto's teaching and we have twice co-taught The Ecological Body workshop in Dorset. I met Prapto in 1988, while I was living in Bristol, and studied Amerta Movement with him for 24 years. But what exactly is Amerta Movement? And what is it about Prapto's work that so touches the lives of therapists, artists, musicians, dancers, teachers, performers, monastics and laypeople from all walks of life? To answer these questions, this new book brings together the experiences of 30 movement practitioners who have worked closely with him. (See the list of contributors and their chapters on the right.) As their chapters show, their personal and professional lives have all been affected by their long-term studies and interactions with Prapto. The common denominator for all the authors is the exploration of their own movement as a way of deepening their connection to themselves, to each other and, at the same time, to their respective worlds. These chapters all also share the potency that comes from writing from lived experience, rather than writing about something with distance. Readership The book will be of great interest to anyone who has done a Move into Life workshop or who is interested in the roots of this practice. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To read more about the book or to order a copy visit the publisher's website. To read more about it or to order a copy visit the publisher's website. Use promotion code MOVEINTOLIFE (case sensitive) to get a 30% discount on the published price. (You'll also find links to the Kindle and ePub versions, if you prefer.) |
ContentsPresence
Beate Stühm writes about movement from inside the experience, from moment to moment, reflecting on awareness, creativity and acceptance. Amerta movement and archaeology Keith Miller looks at themes of time, place, layers, memory and the Amerta techniques ‘living measurement’ and 'Circle, Oval and Square'. Cultural Aspects of the Movement Work Christina Stelzer explores three aspects of Javanese culture that she sees as central to Amerta Movement: waiting, hearing the world and respect. Amerta and Tibetan Buddhism: Beyond the Cushion Monika Förster describes 'hitting yourself with your mind', 'mind as an ally', 'bowing towards daily life', 'being seen' and other themes... The Eye of the Hand: Embodied Filmmaking as Movement Practice Steve Hopkins explores movement practice on film through the lens of his work with 3m (meditation, movement and movie) groups in movement workshops. A Dog Practising ‘Talking Body’ José Mulder van de Graaf explores the ‘language of feelings’, which lets us under-stand and express knowledge, ‘acknowledge’ nature and recognise our self. Make Less the Hoping I describe how Prapto's teaching about the mudras associated with Borobudur temple can be applied in daily life and ritual and also look at movement guiding. Touching Forgotten Realities Bettina Mainz investigates what she describes as the forces of critique, freedom and reconciliation in her life as a movement teacher and dancer. The Echo of Life: Developing Resonance Through Amerta Movement Daniela Coronelli shows how Amerta Movement has helped her as a Shiatsu and Seiki practitioner, using embodied experience of Resonance and Mindfulness. I Always Do Three Things Shantam Zohar explains and discusses the Amerta practices of flowering, channelling and meditation. A Presencing Dial Margit Galanter says presence can be gauged on a dial - ranging from 'as loud as brightness that enjoys being seen' to 'as quiet as a happy shadow'. Amerta Movement and Somatic Costume Sally Dean describes how Prapto's literal, imaginal and metaphorical use of the terms 'costume' and clothing' have informed her ongoing research. Crystallization-performance Lise Lavelle looks in detail at the crystallizations offered in Amerta movement. Being and Doing in the Wild Garden: Movement psychotherapy in an East German psychosomatic hospital Susanne Tümpel discusses Oneness and Separateness, Organism and Organization in exploring the application of Amerta Movement in psychotherapy. 'Mantra Gerak' / Movement Mantra Agus Bima Prayitna explains the practice of embodying movement and sound in oneself, art, culture, nature, society and the mystical. The Musical Portal Tim Jones mixes storytelling with an inquiry into conversation, relationship, the nature of sound and song worlds, finishing with a ‘text sound composition’. Near the Unknown Franca Fubini explores Prapto's ideas of Dreamworld and Realityworld and her application of Amerta Movement to a practice known as Social Dreaming. Family: The Field of Blossoming Una Nicholson describes how adopting an ‘attitude of family’ can reveal a field in which we are deeply connected and where 'the whole family' can flourish. The Infant’s Language Katya Bloom describes her interest in the residual effects of our earliest pre-verbal experiences on later development. 'Going out of the situation' and 'Stop, don’t follow that, walk!': Two movement themes that support my work with children Regula Nell presents movement strategies she practises as a movement teacher, Feldenkrais practitioner and psychomotor-therapist. Amerta Movement and Autism Sean Williams describes how Prapto opened a door to a new understanding of his clients, helping him to see how working with people on the autistic spectrum is an act of collaborative communication. “Find Your Position”: An Embodied Approach to Movement and Daily Life Susan Bauer explores Prapto’s theme of ‘finding your position’, a means of centering within oneself through embodied presence. Body Body: A movement practitioner’s journey with Amerta Movement Helen Poynor explores how the dual lineage of Prapto’s and Anna Halprin’s approaches to movement relate to her own practice. Ever-speaking being Michael Dick uses the lenses of 'permeability' and 'presence' as an actor trainer - which he calls developing the human instrument for performing arts. Moving in the Law Simon Slidders, a lawyer, investigates interconnections between Amerta movement and the restrictions, traditions, ambiguities and structures of the law. The Breathing Eye: a journey towards visual art in an embodied space Andrea Morein shows how movement practice has laid the ground for her somatic and contemplative art practice and informed her work as a visual artist. Joy: The stony way Anita Lüdke, an architect and freelance artist, shows how she incorporates 'Space of Being' into her teaching and her daily life . Re-membering Butterfly Beach Melinda Buckwalter describes 'stopping', 're-membering', 'witnessing', 'being with', 'blossoming' and other practices learnt from Amerta Movement. I will trace the constellation of my stars with my fingers Ellin Krinsly starts with Prapto's use of metaphor and looks at her framework of practice and the constellation of intercultural and ritual performances in her life. Awakening Art and Dharma Nature Time Diane Butler explains how Amerta Movement nurtured her approach in her own workshop series and International Foundation for Dharma Nature Time. Order a copy from the publisher |