Azimah Azmi - Loop

Loop Video:

1. What are the easy-to-remember ingredients of your loop? (this could be

movements/actions/images)

The easy-to-remember ingredients of my loop are - Slowness, long exhales and meeting the

floor gently. With this awareness I am mindful of my weight shifts across the floor, where my

body can be heavy and where it can slide and lift from the ground.

2. Describe your process. How did you choose the parts? How was your experience

leading up to filming this? What did you need to do to get in the right state of

body/mind/spirit to Flow?

I wanted to create a loop that explored level changes, which I could also increase the level of

difficulty by providing variations incorporating different ways I could interact with the floor by the

amount of force into the floor and traveling.

I also sustained a minor ankle sprain a week before the submission period so this has led me to

really slowing down, being gentle so as not to exacerbate the injury, yet still move in a way that

is healing, nourishing, and fun.

Leading up to this, a part of me wanted to avoid this challenge because I thought that only if my

body was feeling 100%, I’ll be able to create an awesome loop! But after sitting with that

resistance I realised that this Floor Flow work is entirely accessible for anyone even

experiencing minor injuries - this practice is one that I can adjust to make it work for me, rather

than against me, by listening to what it is my body truly needs. Also, as a coach I wanted to walk

the talk as it relates to being gentle, yet still showing up for myself and my body.

I wore socks to support “slidey” and “swishy” movements for my feet should I need to alleviate

weight/pressure in my recovering ankle, practiced in a space where I felt safe to take my time to

drop in uninterrupted by other people/influences. I grounded myself to the space by connecting

with my breath, body as it was, and my intention.

3. What felt good ( or provided a healthy challenge) in this loop video experience?

The healthy challenge was creating a loop in spite of my sprained ankle - this gave me the

opportunity to truly lean into listening to my body’s whispers or feedback as to what movements

- shapes, qualities, tempos, best serve me in my practice. I also dropped into slowness and

simplicity a little deeper as a result of wanting to be gentle with my healing ankle.

4. If there is ONE thing that you would do differently, what is it?

It would’ve been interesting to include more sounding - perhaps audible exhales, or humming,

or sighing! I may have been a little self conscious doing it in the studio beside my apartment

building’s gym space. I think incorporating sound could get me further in the zone.

5. What did you learn from this experience that you will apply to your own training or

teaching?

Injuries are valid circumstances, but it does not mean that I stop showing up for myself in my

body. I can set aside the “should”s of my practice - ie “I SHOULD be 100% feeling good in order

to move well”, “I SHOULD be able to move in all the cool expressions I have learnt, at all

times!”, and instead lean into what my body needs RIGHT NOW, in the present. When I’m

present to what my body needs in the moment, I learn new things about myself and new ways

of honouring my body.