MoveTolearn Class Recordings

Malcolm Manning

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Education
Updated weekly

Here you'll find recordings of classes I'm teaching going back to September 2025. The majority are available free. There are also some written articles that you can view directly on my Substack page by following the link And you can find me online at MoveToLearn.com malcolmmanning.substack.com

26 May

From worming on our backs to shapeshifting up to standing

In this class we revisit in standing circling the belly centre from the feet, mediating between heaven and earth through the image. On the floor, we invite in an image of our structure as one continuous fabric – a mesh of elastic tissue that pulls us together and fields of activity that resist compression and create space. We explore how changing our internal architecture to increase and decrease the pressure between one region of ourselves and the earth causes changes in our whole pattern of connection with the earth. We add reaching into the air with the arms and legs, head and tail, to roll from side to side with everything organising around the belly centre as we find our way up through hands and knees to standing. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – both the emotional tone and how we sense ourselves to be here – in this place and in this body Practising reading our walking as a changing of shape of our whole inner volume 00:02:00 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to our standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure Extending our attention from our belly centres along the line of gravity downward and inwards to the centre of the earth and upwards and outwards to an imaginary star above – creating common ground Remembering the air around us and how the air pressure gives us a gentle hug from all directions … Exploring raising one hand/arm at a time, then both – locating our belly centre as the centre of our kinesphere Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head and fingertips – becoming a human fountain – mediating between heaven and earth … Recapping turning around our axis, rounding and arching, and side-bending from our feet – combining them to create circles … In taking our head away from the axis, we stay oriented by attending to the connection of our belly centre to the centre of the earth and the star above With one foot in front, shifting our belly centre towards one foot then the other through initiating with the soles of our feet Folding and unfolding so the belly centre rises away from and falls towards the centre of the earth – shapeshifting rather than pushing down to lever parts of ourselves up Moving the belly centre side to side from our feet – sensing how the relationship of the belly centre to the centre of the earth stays constant creating the illusion that we turn the earth beneath us … 00:25:30 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us Inviting in an image of our structure as one continuous fabric – a fractal mesh – some regions of which are elastic and pull us together while others are stiffer, resist compression and create space – mesh nested in mesh nested in mesh all the way down to the molecular level – everything connected … Changing our internal architecture so that pressure increases and decreases behind one shoulder, then the other, then both – sensing how the movement flows through us to effect the pelvis, the heels, the head Making the shoulders lighter – sensing where the pressure goes as something lifts away from the floor … Changing the pressure behind the back of our heads – sensing what happens in the chest, the pelvis, the belly centre Playing with micro movements so small nobody could see them – and also with bigger movements where the head actually lifts … Changing the pressure behind one heel, then the other, then both – sensing how the movement ripples through us … Changing the pressure behind one side of the pelvis, then the other, then both – actively involving places that seem to move passively … Playing with multiple points – combining, for example, the back of the head with one heel, an elbow with the opposite side of the pelvis – channelling our inner worms Bringing the belly centre a little closer to the earth and a little further away – sensing how this is reflected in changes of pressure – movement – everywhere where we touch the earth … Arms out to the side – rolling them towards and away from the feet – then stretching the fingertips away from each other and curling them forward into the gesture of an embrace – sensing the support flowing through us and out through the fingertips Sliding the hands on the floor – above the head, down towards the pelvis – sensing how the functional centre of our hand/arms is our belly centre Adding the legs – hands and feet stroking the earth – rolling from side to side Letting the arms and legs float up, reaching out through fingers, toes, heels, head, tail – rolling from side to side and all the way over – everything organising around the belly centre in the pattern of navel radiation … Finding our way up to sitting without pushing down On hands and knees – pushing and pulling along the skin of the earth – moving the belly centre in all directions – side-bending from the earth Shapeshifting our way up to standing – noticing if the movements become lighter the more of ourselves becomes involved … 01:15:00 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity Letting the hands float up – sensing if something changed in the connection of the hands to the feet and deeper – to the centre of the earth … Harmonising with the earth and the air – listening into the movement that is there – surfing it Looking for stillness – in the act of looking, creating movement – putting information out as we receive it Fifteen minutes of free exploration with music … Returning to standing and walking – sensing any changes in how we feel present in the place, in our bodies and in the emotional tone of our experience This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 11min
29 May

Playing with our inner volume through seesaw breathing

In this class, we revisit initiating movements from our feet and belly centres while anchoring the belly centre to the earth’s centre. We experience our movements as a shapeshifting of the whole of our inner volume and our belly centres as the centre of our kinespheres – the spherical space around us that we could actually touch On the floor, we play with our inner volume through the image of alternately filling our chest and belly with air while lightly holding the breath. This is Feldenkrais what called seesaw breathing. We explore this on our backs, on our bellies, and lying on each side with the head lifted. Returning to lying on our backs, we stretch the arms into the gesture of an embrace, let the knees drift up, and play with rolling from side to side – everything organising around the belly centre as we come to stand. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – both the emotional tone and how we sense ourselves to be here – in this place and in this body Remembering we are walking on the earth and through the air Reading our walking as a changing of shape of one whole continuous volume within our skins … 00:04:10 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to our standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure Finding our belly centres and extending our attention from their centre along the line of gravity connecting the centre of the earth with an imaginary star above … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the belly centre, from the feet, from the eyes, then everything together Remembering that our body is not an object but a nesting of processes Arms above the head spiralling around the axis – taking this into walking as a double helix … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head – becoming a human fountain Exploring raising one hand/arm at a time, then both together – shaping the flow of support out through the fingertips – sensing the smallest reconfiguration that produces a weight shift under the feet … Initiating rounding and arching from the feet – pushing backwards along the skin of the earth through the heels to arch, forwards through the toes to round – the belly centre always anchored to the centre of the earth Initiating side-bending from the feet – circling the belly centre – letting the arms rise to counterbalance as the head moves further from the axis … Stepping with one foot in front – initiating from the soles of the feet – the belly centre as the centre of our kinesphere Folding and unfolding to bring the belly centre closer and further from the earth’s surface – not pushing down and levering ourselves up but rather changing the configuration of our entire inner volume – what I call shapeshifting … 00:38:10 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us Playing with the image of the breath like a wave through an internal sea Sensing the skin stretching and relaxing with each breath throughout its surface – auxeticity – if one part of this fabric expands, the whole thing expands … Breathing into a balloon in the chest – expanding forwards and back, sideways, upwards beneath the dome of the shoulder girdle Breathing into a balloon in the belly – expanding forwards and back, sideways, down into the pelvic floor – taking care to expand both backwards and forwards … Seesaw breathing on our backs – taking a slightly deeper breath in, holding it lightly, and alternately filling the chest and the belly – one hand on the breastbone, one on the belly – as one rises the other sinks – sensing how our connection with the earth changes as the air moves up and down … Seesaw breathing on our bellies – sensing how the pattern of pressure changes through the knees, the elbows, the tops of the feet Playing with the diagonals – the left side of the chest with the right side of the belly, then the other diagonal … Seesaw breathing on one side – sensing how gravity flows through us differently in this orientation Making the head lighter on the arm – lifting it a little – sensing which parts of us reach down into the earth for more support Seesaw breathing with the head lifted Rolling onto the back to compare the two sides – then repeating on the other side … Stretching the arms into the gesture of an embrace – sensing the support flowing through us and out through the fingertips Letting the knees drift above the chest – unfolding the legs towards the sky – sending support out through the knees, the toes, the heels Letting the head and tail join in reaching skywards – everything organising around the belly centre Rolling from side to side – initiating from the skyward side or from the interaction with the earth – everything organising around the belly centre as we come to stand. … 01:21:15 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity Shifting the belly centre from the soles of the feet – circling Letting the arms float up – sensing how the seesaw breathing may have changed our sense of wholeness These classes as moments of tuning – tuning into the flow of weight and support – the support coming from the centre of the earth and going up and out like the branches of a tree This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 25min
16 May

Initiating movement from the earth on hands and knees

In this class we deepen our exploration of initiating movement from the interaction of our skin with the skin of the earth. In standing, we revisit shifting the belly centre side to side, forwards and back, and turning – each time playing between initiating from the belly centre and initiating from the soles of the feet. On the floor, we bring these same explorations into new variations of being on hands and kness. Throughout all of this, the centre of the belly centre stays connected to the centre of the earth – the reference point around which we organise ourselves. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – both the emotional tone and how we sense ourselves to be here – in this place and in this body Remembering we are walking on the earth and through the air Bringing our attention to our belly centres – sensing their connection to the centre of the earth Reading our walking as a changing of shape of one whole continuous volume within our skins 00:03:15 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to ourselves standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure Exploring the asymmetry of preparing to take a step – shifting our axis from side to side and then zeroing in on the middle … Shifting the belly centre side to side – initiating from the belly centre, then from the soles of the feet pushing along the skin of the earth, then both together Extending our attention from the centre of the belly centre along the line connecting the centre of the earth with an imaginary star above … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the belly centre, from the feet, from the eyes, from everything together – turning the same amount but lighter and lighter – dissolving the body into the space … Moving the belly centre forwards and backwards from our feet – reaching through the toes to round, through the heels to arch – sensing the line connecting the belly centre to the centre of the earth remaining constant as we fold and unfold Allowing the belly centre to float a little closer the earth then coming back up – experiencing this familiar movement as shapeshifting – returning from having our legs bent without pushing down … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, gathering in the belly centre, and coming out through the top of the head and fingertips – becoming a human fountain Exploring floating our hand/arms up in front of us – shaping the flow of support up and out through our fingertips as well as the top of our heads Sensing the smallest change of configuration of the hand/arm that produces a weight shift under the feet Experimenting with taking the head away from the axis while the belly centre maintaining its connection to the centre of the earth and the star above – mediating between heaven and earth … Stepping forward – initiating from the soles of the feet – floating over the earth rather than levering ourselves away it 00:52:00 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us Playing with the image of the breath like a wave sensing how the ripples reach the edges of ourselves … Rounding and arching in kneeling – initiating from the lower legs interacting with the skin of the earth Shifting the belly centre side to side from the lower legs – circling … Forehead on the floor: moving the belly centre side to side and forwards and back – initiating from the connection of the forearms and forelegs with the earth – first differentiating, working with sequencing, and then integrating so everything going together … On elbows and knees finding a seesaw movement – pulling through the forearms to come forwards, pushing through the forelegs to come back – two interlocking triangles around the belly centre: the legs connecting to the top of the head, the arms connecting to the tail Playing side to side and circling on elbows and knees … On hands and knees, pulling and pushing along the surface of the earth through the hands – rounding and arching with the toes tucking under and unfolding … Forehead on the floor: exploring the shoulder blades – towards the spine, away, towards the head, towards the pelvis, circling – sensing how this movement of a seemingly small region creates a weight shift throughout our whole volume Noticing how moving the shoulder blade changes the connection of our forearms, our head, our knees with the earth – inviting more and more of ourselves into the movement … Sensing how everything we play with changes the relationship of the belly centre with the earth 01:06:30 – Returning to standing and walking Rising to standing without pushing down – the area of connection getting smaller, the pressure increasing, but shapeshifting rather than levering Reinhabiting the image of the human fountain – the belly centre, always connected to the centre of the earth below and a star above, becoming the reference point around which all our movement is organised Directing support out through fingertips, knees, eyes, elbows – playing with where we choose as exit points … Arriving in relative stillness again – harmonising with the activity inside our skins, beneath our feet, in the air around us – the act of listening is a movement itself This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 16min
12 May

Swimming to heaven like a fish

In this class, we continue to deepen our explorations of initiating movement from the interaction of our skin with the skin of the earth – in standing, in kneeling, and on hands and knees – adding fish-like sideways undulations – swimming to heaven In standing, we revisit shifting the belly centre side to side, and forwards and backwards from the feet – side-bending and rounding and arching – combining them to circle the belly centre – and finally adding turning into the mix On the floor, on hands and knees, we explore moving the belly centre in all directions by gently pushing and pulling on the skin of the earth through the hands and the lower legs. From here we discover a fish-like undulation led from the top of the head, sending a wave down in the direction of the tail – first horizontally and in vertical – swimming to heaven. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – both the emotional tone and how we sense ourselves to be here – in this place and in this body Remembering we are walking on the earth and through the air Bringing our attention to our belly centres – sensing their connection to the centre of the earth Reading our walking as a changing of shape of one whole continuous volume within our skins … 00:04:10 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to our standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure – inviting a sense of mystery about what is inside our skins Extending our attention along the line connecting our belly centres inwards to the centre of the earth and outwards to an imaginary star above … Shifting the belly centre side to side – initiating from the belly centre, then from the soles of the feet pushing along the skin of the earth, then everything together … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the belly centre, from the feet, from the eyes, from everything together – turning the same amount but lighter and lighter – dissolving the body into the space … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head – becoming a human fountain Exploring raising one hand/arm at a time, then both together – shaping the flow of support up though ourselves and out through our fingertips Reaching both arms above the head and spiralling around our axis – taking this into walking as if we were a double helix … Initiating rounding and arching from the feet – pushing backwards along the skin of the earth through the heels to arch, and forwards through through the toes to round Similarly initiating side-bending from the feet, then circling the belly centre – letting the arms rise to counterbalance as the head moves further away from the axis – the belly centre always anchored to the centre of the earth in our attention … Bringing one foot in front – shifting our belly centres forwards and backwards by initiating from the interaction of the skin of our feet with the skin of the earth – floating over the earth rather than levering ourselves from it … 00:42:00 – Floor work Lying on our backs – sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us Playing with the image of the breath like a wave – sensing how the ripples of the breath reach the edges of ourselves – feet and hands, head and tail … Inviting in a sense of mystery about our structure – the body as one continuous fabric, one mesh that enfolds fields of activity rather than discrete parts … In kneeling – rounding, arching and side-bending – initiating from the lower legs interacting with the skin of the earth – then circling the belly centre … On hands and knees – pushing and pulling along the skin of the earth through the hands and lower legs to move the belly centre in all directions – sensing how we can anchor the belly centre through our attention to the centre of the earth Sending support out through the top of the head and through the tail – imagining a line that leaves through the top of the head, follows the curve of the earth, and enters through the tail – imagining our belly centres orbiting the earth … Side-bending on hands and knees – initiated first from the spine and then from the earth Introducing a fish-like undulation led from the top of the head – sending a wave down in the direction of the tail Playing with the undulation moving forwards towards the hands, back towards the feet, up to kneeling – shapeshifting our way up and down without pushing into the earth When coming to back to kneeling it’s like swimming to heaven … Lying on our backs – little by little bringing our arms to embrace the space in front of ourselves – sensing the support flowing through us and out through the fingertips Letting the knees come in front of our chest – unfolding the legs towards the sky – sending support out through the knees, the heels, the toes – letting the head and tail join in reaching skywards Playing with various combinations to roll from side to side – everything organising around the belly centre Taking 10 minutes to find our way up to standing – trying to avoid pushing down to come up but rather shapeshifting our way up – using the undulation can help … 01:17:00 – Returning to standing and walking Sensing the internal volume in standing now Folding and unfolding – noticing the difference between pushing down to come up and simply changing our entire shape Placing our attention into the earth, into the air, inside our own skin – keeping our attention mobile This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 20min
11 May

From standing to hands and knees while anchoring the belly centre to the earth

In this class, we continue our exploration of anchoring our belly centre to the centre of the earth and initiating movement from the centre of the earth as a way to enter the experience of what I call shapeshifting – distributing the initiation of movement throughout our inner volume On the floor, we begin on elbows and knees, exploring a seesaw movement – pulling and pushing along the skin of the earth with the forearms and lower legs to tip ourselves forwards and back. We play with side-bending on elbows and knees, then come up onto hands and knees to explore rounding and arching, tucking the toes under, and moving towards a squat and up to standing. Through all of this, the belly centre stays connected to the centre of the earth – the line connecting them becoming our anchor as we change orientation. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – the emotional tone of being here and how we sense ourselves present here, in this place and in this body Sensing the air we move through and the support of the earth with every step Bringing attention to the belly centre – sensing its connection to the centre of the earth Reading our walking as a changing of shape of one whole volume 00:03:20 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to our standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure – inviting a sense of mystery about what is inside our skins Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head – becoming a human fountain Extending our attention along the line connecting the centre of the earth to an imaginary star above … Exploring the asymmetry of preparing to take a step – shifting our axis from side to side – arriving at the middle through sensation … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the eyes, from the feet, from both together – same amount of turning, same speed, but lighter and lighter – dissolving our body into the space … Moving the belly centre forwards and back through the interaction of the feet with the skin of the earth – rounding and arching – sensing how the belly centre stays anchored to the centre of the earth Moving the belly centre side to side from the feet Circling – channelling support through us and shaping how it exits through the top of the head and the fingertips … Folding and unfolding without pushing down into the earth – shapeshifting our way up rather than levering ourselves away from the earth Stepping with one foot in front – shifting the belly centre forwards and back through the soles of the feet – sensing the delicacy of connecting through the skin 00:39:40 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us – allowing our asymmetries to be there Playing with the image of the breath like a wave through an internal sea – sensing the skin stretching and relaxing throughout its surface … Kneeling and playing with moving our belly centres from side to side – then initiating by rolling the lower legs on the floor … On elbows and knee exploring a seesaw movement of the head towards the floor or the pelvis towards the soles of the feet Pulling through the forearms brings the forehead towards the floor, pushing back through the forearms tips the pelvis down – sensing how the lower legs push and pull in the opposite direction The belly centre rising and falling with this movement – two interlocking triangles around the belly centre: the feet connecting to the top of the head, the hands connecting to the tail … On elbows and knees exploring side-bending – one side gets longer, the other gets shorter – generating the movement also from the interaction of our skin with the skin of the earth … On hands and knees pulling and pushing along the surface of the earth through the hands – rounding and arching with the belly centre Ttucking the toes under as we round, unfolding them as we arch – then the opposite coordination Playing with one elbow on the floor, one arm straight – sensing how the rounding and arching moves through us asymmetrically … Tucking the toes under and walking the hands back towards a squat – shapeshifting our way up to standing without pushing down into the earth 01:12:00 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity – reinhabiting the image of the human fountain Letting the arms float up – exploring our kinesphere – everywhere around us we can reach from our belly centre with our touch – watching our hands, then bringing our attention out into the room through pointing beyond the kinesphere Stepping – connecting the soles of the feet to the skin of the earth – the belly centre always anchored to the centre of the earth This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 19min
9 May

Rounding, arching and side-bending in the field of gravity

In this class, we open our explorations of anchoring our belly centres to the earth’s centre and initiating movement from our connection with the earth into a new orientation – being on hands and knees. In standing, we revisit bending and twisting our whole selves, initiating from the belly centre, from our feet and then our entire inner volume altogether. On all fours, we explore rounding and arching – sequencing the movement from head to tail and from tail to head. We play with dropping the chest down between the shoulder blades and lifting it away, then combining this with rounding and arching. Crossing one leg behind the other, we explore sitting back into the space between our feet, rounding and arching as we go. We attend to our belly centre and its connection to the centre of the earth throughout. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how we feel – the emotional tone and how we sense ourselves to be here – in this place and in this body Sensing the air we move through and the support of the earth with every step Bringing our attention to the belly centres – sensing their connection to the centre of the earth – leading with our belly centre through the room rather than with our heads Practising reading our walking as a changing of shape of our whole inner volume 00:05:25 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to our standing – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure – inviting a sense of mystery about what is inside our skins Extending our attention along the line connecting the centre of our belly centre to the centre of the earth and to an imaginary star above – creating common ground … Exploring the asymmetry of preparing to take a step – shifting our axis from side to side – arriving at a different middle … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the eyes, from the feet, from both together – going the same distance but focusing on the lightness of the movement – “dissolving our body into the space” … Circling the belly centre – sensing how the pressure circles under the feet – staying small enough that the head can remain on the axis, before going further so the head begins to counterbalance … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, gathering in the belly centre like a reservoir, and coming out through the top of the head and fingertips – becoming a human fountain … Initiating rounding and arching from the feet – pushing along the skin of the earth through the toes to round, pushing through the heels to arch Initiating side-bending from the feet – pushing sideways along the skin of the earth Folding and unfolding without pushing down into the earth Stepping one foot in front – shifting the belly centre forwards and back through the interaction of the feet with the floor – sensing the delicacy of initiating from the skin – and with this delicacy we open to receive the flow of support of the earth 00:37:15 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we balance on the earth behind us even if we can’t fall over – allowing our asymmetries to be there Playing with the image of the breath like a wave through an internal sea … On all fours: rounding and arching – sensing how integrated the movement is – looking for a sense of one volume shapeshifting Sequencing the rounding and arching from head to tail – sensing where the movement passes through softly and where it seems to move more in chunks Sequencing from tail to head – combining the two directions … Dropping the chest down between the shoulder blades – sensing how the shoulder blades slide together and apart – without rounding and arching Trying one shoulder at a time – sensing how the chest turns a little Combining chest dropping with rounding and arching – exploring different coordinations … Crossing one leg behind the other – sitting back towards the space between the feet – exploring both rounding and arching as we go … Returning to simple rounding and arching – organising around the belly centre and its connection to the centre of the earth Moving the belly centre left and right, then forwards and back, through the interaction of the skin of our hands, knees and feet with the skin of the earth Circling – sensing the support flowing up through our connection with the earth, gathering in the belly centre, and passing out through the top of the head and the tail 01:12:06 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity Initiating rounding, arching and side-bending from the feet – circling – the belly centre as a reservoir where support gathers and from which it can flow in any direction Sensing the delicacy of connecting with the earth through the skin of our feet – mediating between heaven and earth – treading lightly on the earth This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 17min
27 Apr

Moving with all of ourselves and harmonising with what is beyond our skin

In this class, we revisit how we play with tone throughout ourselves in order to develop a sense how we reshape our inner volume in order to move. On the floor, we explore rolling the head, the heels, the pelvis, the chest – initiating from each in turn, then sharing the work out between them so that we have the feeling that nothing leads. We add tiny circles – with the tip of the nose, with the front of the pubic bone, with the heels – noticing how each circling movement ripples throughout the whole of volume. Returning to standing, we listen into the earth beneath us and into the air around us, and play with harmonising with what we sense there – the body as a continually changing process rather than an object – feelers and antennae rather than parts. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how it feels to be here – both the emotional tone and the sensory experience of being here – in this place and in this body Sensing the air we move through and the support of the earth Reading our walking as a changing of shape of our internal volume 00:03:30 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to ourselves as we stand – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure Inviting in a sense of mystery about how we might be structured inside our skins Extending our attention from our centre axis along the line of gravity to the centre of the earth and to an imaginary star above … Exploring the asymmetry of preparing to take a step – shifting the axis from side to side – zeroing in on the middle … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the eyes, from the foot we turn away from, from the foot we turn towards, from everything together – turning to same distance, but lighter and lighter – dissolving the body into the space Swinging our arms – eyes and head ahead – and walking on the spot – taking a few steps with this funny walk – then transitioning into normal walking … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head – becoming a human fountain Exploring floating up one hand/arm at a time, then both together – shaping the flow of support out through the fingertips too … Moving the belly centre side to side and forwards and back, initiated from the interaction of the feet with the floor – as if turning a great granite ball beneath us – the belly centre always maintaining its connection to the centre of the earth Taking the head away from the axis – arms reaching out to balance us – playing with where we initiate from: feet, hands, head, belly centre, chest What would it be like if there was no leader in the body? If everything went together? Shapeshifting! 00:40:25 – Floor work Sensing our inner volume and how we are balancing on the earth behind us – even if we can’t fall over … Playing with the image of the breath like a wave through an internal sea … Rolling the head – sensing how far through ourselves the movement reaches Rolling one heel towards and away from our heads, then the other, then both together – sensing the push and pull through the legs and how it changes our shape and how we balance on the earth behind us Combining feet and head – sharing the work out through ourselves so that nothing seems to be leading … Rolling the pelvis towards the head and feet, then a little side to side – sensing how the head responds Rolling the chest – sensing what happens behind the head, the pelvis, the elbows … Circling the tip of the nose – then transferring the initiation to the back of the head resting on the floor – sensing how the circle ripples through the whole of ourselves Circling the front of the pubic bone – sensing how the back of the pelvis circles Circling one heel, then the other, then both – noticing our preferences and experimenting with alternative changes in inner volume Bringing more and more of ourselves into the movement – distributing the work so that no one place is leading 01:01:20 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity Sensing if there is a weight shift under the feet that goes with the breath – beneath the balancing activity Initiating movement from the soles of the feet – taking the head away from the axis – the belly centre as the anchor that stays connected to the centre of the earth … Listening into the earth beneath us – the spinning, the churning magma, the magnetic fields – harmonising with what we sense Listening into the air around us – full of dust, microbes, sound, light – letting the arms rise to feel the air Imagining feelers and antennae through the fingertips and the top of the head – broadcasting and receiving – moving in order to listen, listening in order to move … Letting the eyes open if they are closed – seeing how much of the experience can stay as the vision comes back in This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 15min
23 Apr

Mediating between heaven and earth by playing tone throughout ourselves

In this class, we begin by exploring in standing how we can initiate rounding and arching, side-bending and rotation from our connection to the earth through the soles of our feet. Sensing how as our head moves away from our centre axis we can anchor ourselves to the earth through the relation of our belly centre to the earth’s centre On the floor, we play with changing our internal architecture so that pressure increases and decreases between different regions of ourselves and the earth – sensing how every change of tone is a shapeshifting of all of ourselves Returning to standing, we listen into the earth beneath us and into the air around us, and letting ourselves move to harmonise with what we sense there. … 00:00:00 – Arriving in walking Noticing how it feels to be here – both the emotional tone and the sensory experience of being here – in this place and in this body Sensing the air we move through and the support of the earth Noticing how it feels to bring ourselves over the leg which swings ahead of us – do you fall onto it, does it push you away from the earth or do you float over it? 00:03:22 – Standing Explorations and Walking Listening to ourselves as we stand – sensing weight and support flowing through our structure Considering our bodies not as objects but as fields of activity Extending our attention from our centre axis along the line of gravity to the centre of the earth and to an imaginary star above … Exploring the asymmetry of preparing to take a step – shifting the axis from side to side – zeroing in on the middle Turning around our centre axis – transitioning into normal walking … Playing with the image of support like water flowing up from the centre of the earth, through us and out through the top of the head – becoming a human fountain Bringing attention to the belly centre – sensing how it stays connected to the centre of the earth as we take our head away from the axis Exploring one hand/arm at a time, then both – shaping the flow of support out through the fingertips – sensing the smallest reconfiguration that produces a weight shift under the feet … Turning around our centre axis – initiating from the eyes, from the feet gripping the skin of the earth, from both together Initiating rounding and arching from the feet – pushing back through both heels brings us forwards and into arching – pushing through our toes takes us backwards into rounding – sensing how the belly centre stays connected to the centre of the earth as we round and arch Initiating side-bending from the feet – pushing sideways along the skin of the earth Tipping the head off the axis until a step arrives 00:39:00 – Floor work Sensing how we balance on the earth behind us as we lie down – sensing our inner volume – allowing our asymmetries to be there Rolling our heads – sensing how far through ourselves this movement reaches … Playing with the image of the breath like a wave through an internal sea – sensing the skin stretching and relaxing throughout its surface with our breath … Pressing and lightening regions of ourselves – changing our internal architecture so that pressure increases and decreases – behind the head, the heels, the pelvis, the chest, the elbows, the shoulder blades – sensing how we shapeshift to do this Imagining ourselves lying on a glass table and watching from below how the pattern of connection shifts as we play with the tone throughout the whole of ourselves 01:01:30 – Returning to standing and walking Re-tuning our centre axis to the line of gravity – reinhabiting the image of the human fountain Sensing if there is a weight shift under the feet that goes with the breath – a wieght shift underneath the balancing activity … Listening into the earth beneath us – all that churning magma – sensing what of this movement passes through us Listening into the air around us – full of dust, microbes, sound, light, chemical information – sensing what of this movement passes through us Harmonising with what we sense – not fighting, not going against – but allowing the movement passing through us to inform how we shape ourselves … Imagining antennae emerging through the top of the head and through the hands, and roots emerging from the feet into the earth – feeling for information in the world around us also creates information there – broadcasting and receiving This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malcolmmanning.substack.com

1hr 16min

Here you'll find recordings of classes I'm teaching going back to September 2025. The majority are available free. There are also some written articles that you can view directly on my Substack page by following the link And you can find me online at MoveToLearn.com malcolmmanning.substack.com

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Malcolm Manning
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