The Navel Radiation

In an Experiential Anatomy class earlier this week, we were introduced to the Navel Radiation.  This emphasises the significance of the centre.  The navel is the organising point for a starfish.  It has no brain and no one part of the starfish is more important, each limb is equal.

(image from Google)

This make up of a starfish is the same as a human when they are 8 weeks in utero.  At this point in our development, our life source and nourishment comes from the umbilical cord attached to our navel.  Also as new born babies, none of our 6 limbs (2 arms, 2 legs, head and tail) are more important than another. 

As part of this session, we performed a partner graphic using this concept of navel radiation.  We had to lie on the floor (like a starfish) and our partners had to find our navel and trace along our limbs always maintaining a relationship to centre.  When my partner Alix found my navel, I was quite surprised at where it was, I had pictured it being much higher when I was imagining it.  When my limbs were being traced, I felt a sense on length.  Like they were very long and stretching far away from my navel.  I also found that the way I was breathing made me feel like I was floating in water; very gentle, calming and with an even pace to it.  When we began rolling and extending and contracting around the navel, it felt very natural to me.

Below is a sketch I made in my journal after the partner graphic.