The Shadow-Shifting Style, part I

People cast shadows the way they breathe: naturally and unconsciously.

The Shadow-Shifting Style arose as a means of addressing that. Its belief that, with practice, one can learn to control one's shadow in the same way one can control one's breathing and pulse. More importantly, to me at least, it asserts that this ability can be gainfully employed.

Pursuing this possibility first requires that you gain conscious awareness of casting a shadow.

This is achieved by intensive practice of moving in a darkened room. At the center of the room, a spotter squats with a bullseye lantern, which follows you as you slowly walk around the perimeter of the room.

At the same pace, the teacher stands at the far side of the room, circling. At various points, the teacher will make a chalk mark on the wall.

When the student reaches that point on the wall, they are to move in such a way that their shadow exactly traces the mark on the wall - not going above, not falling below.

Initially, the student never manages to trace the mark. As the hours pass, however, the student slowly picks up on how standing at specific angles in relationship to the light, in various poses, best allows you to keep moving while tracing the marks. The instructors then show them variations on the poses, ways to move and stand without contortions, and so forth.

The second phase of the regimen begins the day after the student is reliably able to trace every mark.

I'm not there yet.