Weight Bearing vs. Free Movement

This lesson is about the stimulation of receptors within the joints, and getting to know the skeleton as an internal framework. The bones are the structure bearing weight against gravity, not our muscles.

Remember

• This lesson is not necessarily about pushing something, but about finding contact through the skeleton.
• Always build the pressure up slowly. Release slowly.
• Pushing harder won`t help.
• The information has to get through. Working too soft will not help - be a gentle as possible while passing on the information.
• Be careful in areas that might be painful - if the child resists, don`t do it. "Putting weight there is painful" would send the wrong message!
• If your child relaxes and is breathing more deeply, you are doing it wonderfully.
• Press from one joint to the next, so the muscles don`t have to work.
• You can experiment with gently pulling as well. However, we can and will resist pulling. We cannot resist a gentle push - we have no muscles to do that.
• It does not matter whether you accomplish everywhere, everything. This is about getting the child`s brain to understand that these effects exist, and feel the difference (If your child is not pushing against the floor with hands or feet, s/he would not know. If it is moving clumsily he does not perceive enough of a difference).
• Once understood, the child will be able to connect the experience to other body parts and situations. We have to learn once that 1+1 = 2. After we understand the concept, we will get 4+1 = 5 all by ourselves. That is the beauty of organic learning.