We are Liam, Lauren, Martha and Emily, a group of students at the university of
Leeds, who took part in this movement snack on the 23rd of October, as we are doing
a project on somatic practice and chronic pain, as part of a Liberal Arts degree. This
session was run by Eline Kieft and focused on Qi Gong, emphasising balance,
continuous gentle motion and restoring energy circulation.
Liam loved the last exercise. I imagined I was a turtle, feeling the water with my
hands and imagining I was freely moving. It helped me to feel even more connected
to my body and mind and to open space within my body. I found it so fascinating
that, when I felt lower back pain during the exercise, I learned to focus on the
movement instead of the pain. This encouraged me to approach the sensation with
curiosity and stop resisting it. Qi Gong made me realise how important the
relationship is between energy and the body.
The most memorable exercise for Lauren involved placing the hands over the eyes
and moving them gently around the head and face. My head and face are areas I
often neglect. The simple act of offering it attention felt grounding and unexpectedly
soothing. Another task explored habitual movement patterns. How the eyes, head,
and hands typically move together and asked viewers to intentionally break these
patterns. While initially strange, it made me aware of how automatic my daily
movements are and how hard it is to challenge myself to break the patterns of my
normal day to day life.
Martha found extremely valuable the information that distinguished the differences
between “good pain” and “bad pain”. Through education and body awareness, we
learnt to read our own body’s signals more accurately, helping to recognise when
discomfort means healing and growth, versus when it signals harm and overexertion.
This helped me to feel more in control of any pain I experience in my body as I can
understand the difference between pain I do and do not necessarily need to worry
about. But also, what I can do to manage or relieve that pain when it does occur,
through the exercises in which were demonstrated to us.
Emily enjoyed the Baby bird learns to fly exercise. It sounds a bit silly, but the gentle
movement of my arms with my breath was so powerful. I felt my body relax, and a
release in my fingers. This made me more aware of my body, of what hurt and what
felt good. After the session, I felt so different. The stress and tensions from busy
everyday life was gone, replaced by calmness and a connection to my body. This
showed how important it is to learn the difference between good pain and “bad pain,”
something the session touched on. It’s about learning to listen to your body and trust
its signals.
Overall, the workshop emphasised compassion, body-listening, and the distinction
between positive and negative sensations. We all felt it offered a rare chance to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate a gentler relationship with one’s body after a stressful and busy day of university.
