Travelling with the eyes closed – 11/3/2014

This was the class which I definitely liked most at this point. We did one big exercise with pairs. The other person closed her/his eyes and the other lead the person, who had eyes closed, around the space. We did this exercise in the main building’s old and very cozy sport gym, where we had lots and lots of opportunities to lead the pair in the different kinds of ”worlds”. We had balls, chairs. climing stairs, barrels, roups, pens, white board and different kinds of gymnastic things. The space give a large scale to improvise a real journey to person, who we lead.

It was very interesting to lead the person, who had eyes closed. With a small hints the person realized what I wanted her/his to do and I could do almost anything. Just touching her leg, she/he realized that she have to lift it up. I think the best think was when the other really realized what she had to do and was suprised what she was really doing. We for example put the fitness balls back to the original place and write to the white board, walk above the chairs and climed on the climing stairs. The other person trusted in you very well and it was very easy to do different and also, not that safe, things.

When I had eyes closed, I felt very secure and safe and there was no feeling that something bad would happen to me. I, for example climed very high and luckily I could not see how high I was, because it was like ten meters. I think that, it was also easier to be the second one, who had the eyes closed, because the space and the surroundings were already familiar to you and you could predict where were you and what you was supposed to do.

I would really like to try this exercise in the schools also. This is execellent exercise where students have to really take care of their pairs and trust to each others. And everyone can progress in their own level. It is important that teacher gives a space where is lots of different oppurtunities to students lead their pairs throught. This is also great exercise to get to know the space and learn to know the place by feeling things and not by seeing.