John Muir had the famous line describing the natural world. “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” It is the same with our movement. When we look at any movement in our life – how we get in and out of a chair, or how we breathe when we are stressed, or how we get up off the floor, or how we stand in a room full of people, or how we lift something heavy – it is connected with our habits, our world view, our ways of paying attention, our way of relating to our inner life, and, as John Muir wrote, is connected to everything else in the universe.
This is why movement offers such a profound doorway for learning, because when we can learn how to learn through our movement, there is no part of our life that is untouched.
Movement is life. When we can learn through movement, we are able to learn in all elements of our life.
Any quality that we are trying to grow: compassion, integrity, groundedness, kindness… these are physical gestures, bodily expressions, these are movements.
Likewise, any quality that we would like to see less of in ourselves and the world: racism, objectification, disconnection, domination, aggression – these are also gestures, movement habits, bodily expressions.
As Rev angel Kyodo williams said in
our podcast conversation, “If you want to end the systems of top-down dominance in the world, you need to begin with your own body.”
We can learn so much by noticing how we move in the world. It really matters. One generative question you might ask yourself many times a day that can evoke this kind of learning is: How can I make what I’m doing less effortful and more pleasurable? Whether you’re rolling out of bed, doing the dishes, carrying groceries, or running a marathon, this question can offer a generous harvest of learning.
I’m looking forward to a new series beginning January 23rd exploring how we can learn through our movement and deepen our strength and mobility as we age, while also growing our sensitivity and intimacy to the world within and around us. Recordings are provided if you can’t attend the live class.
Also, for the men out there, I am hosting an
online grief ritual with my dear friend and colleague, Alexandre Jodun. Information is below. Please feel free to pass on
the information to any men who might be interested.
Wishing you well,
Carl
p.s. If you’re local to the Salt Lake City area and would like to get on my table to receive some awesome hands-on bodywork,
contact me here. I have a few spaces open in my practice.