This series of Six Weekend Workshops teach detailed techniques for working with meridian-groups.

The meridians of Chinese Medicine can be divided into six different groups of four which collaborate together as teams. These teams make a powerful and simple way of treating chronic issues that won't go away. They show how the energy functions of the meridians support and enliven each other.

• Edinburgh (24/25 Feb 2012) - Tai Yang and Shao Yin
  Aligning Will and Intention, Experiential Anatomy of the Skeleton
• Derby (One Day workshop, March 2012) - Tai Yang and Jue Yin
  Techniques for working with legs, pelvis and back. Developing deep postural strength through the Jue Yin.
• Bath (5/6 May) - Jue Yin and Shao Yang
  Integration and Collaboration in the Body, Experiential Anatomy of the Postural Muscles and Antagonists.
• June (One day workshop - date to be confirmed) - Shao Yang and Tai Yin.
  Techniques for working with joints, particularly shoulder, elbow and wrist problems. Dealing with internal muscular conflict. Developing trust in internal support through the Tai Yin. Relaxing unnecessary control.
• Brighton July 14/15 2012 - Tai Yin and Yang Ming
  Individuation, Self-Support and Boundaries - The Development of these Psycho-physical capacities through the Yang Ming & Tai Yin meridians
• London, September.(One day workshop, date to be confirmed) - Yang Ming and Shao Yin
  Further Techniques using the Yang Ming and the Shao Yin to help to find ways of developing spontaneity and clear boundaries. Apart from the psychological benefit of this work, it is useful for dealing with stress, tension and postural collapse

There are three primary teams and three secondary teams. The three primaries are described by the ancient Chinese texts and form natural cycles flowing through the whole body, one flowing through the front of the body, another along the back and the third along the sides, combining Yin and Yang, Mind and Body, Heaven and Earth. Each team is formed from two of the Six Divisions that are related by the Elements they embody. For instance, the Shao Yin (Kidney and Heart) and the Tai Yang ( Bladder and Small Intestine) embody the Yin and Yang of Water and Fire.

The secondary teams come from the developmental theory of meridians which describes how the energy functions grow step by step, one stage supporting the next. Bill Palmer's research with infant movement suggests that meridians acted as maps showing which muscles needed to act together to perform whole body movements such as crawling, rolling, pushing and reaching.

These maps not only follow the meridians, they trace the Six combined channels - The Yang Ming, Tai Yang and Shao Yang. The Yin channels are similar maps for deeper tonification and preparation for movement. Bill has found that working with the movement as well as the meridian is an excellent way of helping all clients to unblock and enliven stuck and chronic conditions.

So, for instance, the muscles along the Tai Yang (Bladder and Small Intestine) align the body so that a push from the legs smoothly moves the body forwards. This acts as a metaphor for the alignment of Mind and Body, or Conscious and Unconscious.

But, in order that this alignment works in practice, it has to be maintained during the movement. It's not enough to just put the body in the right posture, the joints in the skeleton have to be held together with muscles in such a way that the muscles guide the movement through the body rather than blocking it with their tension. This capacity is developed by the deep muscles which develop along the Jue Yin (Liver and Pericardium). So the Jue Yin and Tai Yang also act as a team. The Jue Yin is a prerequisite for the Tai Yang to be effective.

The workshops can be taken independently but are best taken in pairs. The primary teams will be explored in one workshop. The following course will go into more detail about the techniques working with that team and also introduce the support from the secondary team.

For instance, the first workshop in Edinburgh is about the Tai Yang and Shao Yin and we will be exploring how to become aware of your deep motivations and how to align your life with them. This is done through bodywork and movement, feeling the core excitement like a fountain flowing up through the Shao Yin and then exploring the clear awareness that bone gives and how the Tai Yang aligns the skeleton so that the effort you make to move is efficiently transmitted through the body.

The Second workshop, on the Tai Yang and Jue Yin, develops the techniques of working with the Tai Yang, particularly how to liberate the joints of the leg and how do deal with pelvic and back problems. But, part of those techniques involve tonifying the deep postural muscles so that the long movement muscles can release and facilitate aligned movement.