Weeding Your Movement Garden

Spring has sprung. Growing season has begun. Everywhere I look people are tilling, preparing beds, preparing the soil, digging, planting, and watering. The seeds sprout. Joy abounds. Then, closer inspection reveals not just our desired plants, but also weeds. The culling starts.

First we identify the weed: (noun) a valueless plant growing wild, especially one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop. Paying close attention guides us in identifying the undesired or troublesome plant, which if left unattended, will usurp the water, the light, the nutrients, and the space of our intended plant, destroying its health.

So we perform an action. We weed: (verb) 1) to free from weeds or troublesome plants; 2) to remove as being undesirable, inefficient, or superfluous. [Thanks to dictionary.com!]

As with gardens, so with our movement. In healthy, graceful, efficient movement, all parts of the self work together to create the intended action. If parts of you are moving in a way that contradicts your intended action, you experience discomfort and effort, and perhaps an increase in pain. You will work a lot harder than necessary to accomplish your task. Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais - the founder of the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education - called these movements "parasitic". They are unintentional, unconscious, and cross-motivated, and they drain your energy and health. In other words, these movements are the "weeds" in your garden of movements.

So, take a moment to notice: Next time you sit at the computer to write, do you hike your shoulder up to your ear as you use the mouse? Do you tighten your thighs when standing? Do you hold your breath when learning something new? Do you clench your hands when having a difficult conversation with someone? Do you tighten your jaw or purse your mouth when concentrating? Do your toes curl under when you walk? Must you? What is the cost to you?

The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education will teach you to "weed": to develop your ability to identify and remove those pesky parasitic movements that steal your energy and your comfort, and increase your pain and exhaustion. Remove these and move closer to being a beautiful garden in action.