ABSTRACT
The group starts with an opening "ceremony", allowing each individual participant to settle safely within the physical and social environment. Participants explore in a number of direct physical ways the actual boundaries and surfaces of their own body; this is achieved through gentle tapping with the hands or more powerful clapping against the different parts of the body. Verbalizations regarding the quality of the physical sensation, the experience of body/skin boundaries and body dimensions in space are encouraged throughout whilst the therapist may draw specific attention of individuals to their observed reactions. In addition to attending to breathing rhythms, participants may be asked to clap or walk the rhythm of their own heart beat, and experience the tempo of other group members' pulse rhythms. Usually specific body-oriented exercises are suggested including guided relaxation, self massage, deep breathing, polarity exercises.
