Foraging from Within: Cellular Awakening – Humans, Animals, Plants & Fungi (DAN2011.01)

Maura Gahan, MFA Teaching Fellow

Cellular Awakening through meditation, movement, and investigation of parallel patterns found in animals, plants and fungi.

This introductory class invites students to experience and integrate “Basic Neurocellular Patterns” (BNP)* into daily meditative and embodied movement practices. Classes begin with breath work and guided meditations, leading into movement scores that support deepened sensorial awareness. Basic concepts of BNP will be introduced with visualization, somatization, and “cellular awareness;” we will explore pre-vertebrate and vertebrate patterns within our human forms while drawing parallels to animals, plants and fungi.

Journaling, drawing and discussions are integral to personal and group participation. We will practice “remotely” in our personal practice spaces while cultivating an intentional and supportive classroom community—like trees connected with underground networks of roots and mycelium. Outside of class assignments include daily observations of animals movements, along with planting and caring for a small plant throughout the term. Commitment, discipline and active participation are essential in this course.

“The Basic Neurocellular Patterns (BNP) are a series of autonomic movement sequences that…have a global influence on your physical, perceptual, emotional, and cognitive functioning. They shape how we bond, defend, learn, organize and sequence information, and how we relate to ourselves, others and the world.”

— Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, founder of Body-Mind Centering®.


Learning Outcomes:
—Learning “Basic Neurocellular Patterns” through embodied practices, visualizations and discussions.
—Understanding parallels between human developmental and movement patterns with plants, animals, and fungi through daily observations, plant care, written and embodied research.
—Developing a daily ritual of meditation, breathing exercises and movement through “cellular awareness.”
—Attuning our “inner weather” with the changing season.


Delivery Method: Fully remote
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 2
M/Th 8:00AM-9:50AM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 16
Course Frequency: One time only

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