nana jp en
I encountered Baseworks at Fuji Rock, and did it two or three times, coming every year. I was doing yoga, at other places. But the atmosphere, the teacher’s way of doing things, the system, I really wasn’t convinced.
At Fuji Rock in the morning I did it, and after that all day I was in such good condition, I was so surprised. Like why am I in such good condition? First year I experienced it normally, second year I experienced it too, and I started to think this is really something special. I knew there was a studio in Ebisu.
Walking around all day, moving around, drinking beer, eating delicious food, it’s so fun, but by night I get really tired. But the first time I experienced it, my posture went straight up. And I was in a state of not getting tired all day long.
The heavy stuff disappeared and I felt light and clear. I thought this was mysterious. I do body building for Fuji Rock every year. To be healthy, I actually run with Fuji Rock as a goal to maintain health. For those three days, to be in good condition for those three days - that’s become my life work for the year.
Like ah, Fuji Rock is starting so it’s time to start running hard, thinking about various things. For that I’d run or go to yoga, doing body maintenance. But coming here fit and clicked the most.
My height increased by one centimeter. I was surprised. So often they talk about lumbar balance or being conscious of the spine - I did that training. And even though I only went about once a week, definitely my body kept getting easier.
Like this was like this, becoming conscious of doing it like this. Even when exercising, fatigue drains more easily, and above all I think I gained core strength. I was invited to mountain climbing and went, and normally I’d be exhausted after two or three days, but it drained in like one day.
And when invited to sports to play, I can move my body more than before, like the functions have become more usable. Like what I’m thinking and where I think it is, my hand is actually there - that consciousness has become really easy to do.
Not forcing, or even if the body is stiff, adjusting to yourself and not getting hurt - that part really works and is easy to continue. Like even if I’m a bit tired, going here makes my back straight so let’s go, or circulation gets better so let’s go, with that kind of feeling I was going.
Before my stomach hurt so much, but after going, even though my stomach hurt, after training my stomach pain completely cleared up, and I thought oh it was posture after all. I think the position of internal organs has probably changed too.
The class teachers immediately memorized everyone’s names, or talked to me like “how were you when you came last week?” - in that part, it’s a place where you can open your mind. The atmosphere of really coming to relax is really good.
Because that relaxation can really happen, I became able to relax at work too. As I kept going, that atmosphere too, coming and relaxing and going home, that increased, so it’s good, or I really like that part.
The way of using the body is completely different. Before, I’d copy the same poses as told, and if I couldn’t do it they’d teach me “like this,” but I didn’t understand the trick. Like I didn’t understand why you take that pose, how you take it.
But the teachers here explain the mechanics so it was easy to do if it’s easy to take, or if the body is stiff you can only move this far so it can’t be helped. So because the philosophy is really conveyed, I liked that so it was easy to understand.
Like the teacher, at other yoga the teacher was like “I can’t do it, I can only go this far, I can’t take this pose,” but the teachers have this philosophy but tell everyone “you can do it like this,” you’ll be able to do it like that soon, or you don’t have to, and just feeling what you can do yourself is fine. That part was so different.
At other yoga teachers I went to, they’d push the school’s methods hard, but at Yoga Jaya and Baseworks there is that but somehow, how do I say it, it didn’t feel preachy.
It’s way harder than the yoga I was going to. Like leg raises and down dog are way harder here. And I can definitely tell that core strength was built because of that.
The consciousness here, because they teach you that way, I can understand “ah, the part I was lacking is here,” “I was lacking this muscle,” “I wasn’t using my body this way so this part didn’t move.” So I can definitely tell that core strength was built because of that.
Like baseball tournaments, bowling tournaments with friends. When I was invited and went, I was moving way more easily than before, controlling more easily. Like “why can I do this so well when I absolutely couldn’t do it this well before?” Like at bowling I could get high scores, at baseball when I went to the batting center, “huh, I’ve never been able to hit but I can hit.” Like that.
At those times I kind of get it. Like I can see my own body movements, where they’re lacking, or I can copy other people more easily. Like what I want to move is actually working. There I understood like “I see.”
Until now the unconscious, unaware parts, it’s like “oh, I see.” Like my own tendency to lean right, lean left, hand going there, doing this - being able to see it all the way through has become clearer. That consciousness. Like “ah, it’s because I’m doing this.” The way of using changes.
The feeling that they’re properly looking at each individual. At the place I was going before, the studio was big, like 20 people at once, and just that day. After going several times they’d remember your face, but you don’t consult about poses, and when it ends it’s just “good work.”
But here, they’d care like “your lower back hurt last time, you okay?” Or they’d stick with you for poses you absolutely can’t do. That kind of thing - the passion is really different.
The same pose always, but the way of doing it is different every day and different depending on the day. But they support you to progress little by little, that’s the image.
At other places I went to, it was like whether you could do the pose or not, okay, or if you couldn’t it’s not like you’re blamed, but like you’re just on your own. Like being thrown out. But here it’s that they watch, that sense of security.
If you do Foundation you’ll manage somehow. Elements is more dynamic in movement, but Foundation is like if you don’t do it properly it won’t sink in. I’ve finally understood that recently.
Foundation is like you can do it slowly and really see your own sensations, and in the sense of not overdoing it, because you’re used to it, you can confirm “I can only do this much today,” so Foundation is stable to keep going to.
I thought I’d recommend this to people who’ve done sports. How you were using your body, not just doing it or just practicing, but doing it with purpose and consciousness - like being reminded of that.
You can upgrade your potential. There’s a part where you think you can only do this much, so confidence to go beyond that. Like you can do more and more, or “because I’m old now” or “I can’t move like back then” - for people who know the experience of being able to move once, there might be hints that even in your current state you can reach there and even go beyond. That kind of place.
Connecting dots. Another dot. Health is when heart, body, and spirit match - I finally found that recently. Until then I was doing food, vitamins, exercise individually. But I kept thinking something was a bit different.
When I studied bit by bit through books and experiences and brought things together, this Baseworks method clicked with methods from completely unrelated places I’d read in books. Or really unrelated, when playing, “ah, this is so easy to do because I’m doing Baseworks.”
And at work too, when I’m like “ah, I’m tired,” to spread this part that’s like this, if I do that pose this part spreads and I can relax more. Various points I noticed myself are here, and they connect to various other places. What can I say, it’s like a point of realization.
Connecting dots. Another dot. This Baseworks method clicked with methods from completely unrelated places I’d read in books. Or really unrelated, when playing, “ah, this is so easy to do because I’m doing Baseworks.” Points I noticed myself are here, and they connect to various other places. What can I say, it’s like a point of realization.