What happens at a 5Rhythms class?

Classes usually begin with a warm-up. There'll be music playing, but no-one directing the movement in any way. It's up to you how to use the time, but basically it's all about arriving in your body. Whatever kind of day you've had, it's time to check in with your flesh and bones, and see how things are doing. There are no special techniques here, but we do take it seriously - finding ways to get over ourselves and into movement. The first time, this can often feel like the hardest part of the class; it's easy to get stuck in self-consciousness and wondering what to do in a warm-up without any direction. The best thing to do to get over it is to get moving, as soon as possible.

After the warm-up, I usually guide everyone through a much-more focussed movement meditation we call 'body parts'. It's nothing too complicated - going through each part of the body in turn (head, shoulders, elbows, hands, spine, hips, knees & feet), and allowing that part of the body to lead the movement. Any kind of movment. Sometimes its more specifically directed, sometimes its much more up to you. It's all about bringing the body into more conscious awareness, a real physical experience of ourselves in motion.

Then, it's usually into the 'Wave', a journey through the 5Rhythms. Some classes specifically focus on one of the rhythms; some on the breath, or on a theme related to something happening in the world.

Classes end in different ways; sometimes with a short relaxation, sometimes by meeting together, sometimes with an opportunity to speak in the group.