Between Descending & Ascending

When teaching Daughter in the Valley (DITV), I always introduce it as the companion to Daughter on the Mountaintop (DOTM), both favorites from the beginning. DITV begins with the arms lifted at the elbows and with the hands a little lower than shoulder height. Palms face forward. As the weight shifts forward, the arms slowly descend until they are straightened out ninety percent and hanging down in front, nice and relaxed, with the palms about six to eight inches apart and the fingertips pointing down. At this point, both feet should be flat on the ground, and both knees should be bent, with the upper body nice and vertical. As we continue to shift the weight forward, we lift the arms – parallel in front of the body, with the elbows slightly bent and the back heel lifting from the ground, softly and gently. We now have our weight on the forward foot, as the back heel is lifted and the arms are in front, parallel to each other and the ground. Then, as we slowly begin to shift the weight back, the elbows carry the arms, whose hands gently rotate at the wrists so that the fingers point upward and arms are bending. At this point both feet are flat on the ground, both knees are bent, and the weight is evenly distributed between the two feet. This in-between stage is very important for a flowing movement. I find many people do not give enough time to having both feet flat, with the weight on both feet and both knees bent. They tend to lift the toe or the heel too quickly. As we continue to flow back, palms are open about eight inches in front of the shoulders, out to the sides from the elbow. The front toe lifts, the weight is on the back foot, and we are in the position to begin the movement again.

This “daughter” descends into the valley with effortless effort, like moving in slow motion through heavy air, and then, gently and softly, ascends to the mountaintop. If students focus their attention on the soles of their feet, they are actually giving themselves a wonderful foot massage with their own body weight. Repeat nine times on each side.