Enough is enough! About taking action
Depending on the approach, Pushing Hands may be an experiment, a partner exercise, perhaps also a game. As an experiment, it needs a specific question, as a partner exercise, it lives on responses, and also perceived as a game, one crucial element of Pushing Hands is interaction. Seen from the standpoint of bodywork, the type of question should be practical and the response should be physical, not verbal. Seen as a game, the main aspect tends to be about when the game is „over“ in the sense that it is getting serious. The question, the response and the message that a line has been crossed are transmitted to one‘s partner by means of action.
Expanding against the ground
The task may thus be formulated more precisely: How do I act, how do I communicate with my partner in a clear way without destabilising myself? The sole option is to expand. Thereby, one does not only move in one direction – out, in the direction of the partner – but also at least in one additional direction: against the ground. The ground, the earth in a literal sense, is the one thing that always supports us – hard as a rock and unshakable. One further advantage: If one always also moves one‘s hands against the ground, the connection in the body will develop automatically. At the same time, one continues to be present and receptive for a potential answer. – One does not randomly throw something at one‘s partner while pulling back right away.
