For the past eight weeks, we have explored ideas that help us to deepen our observational skills in constructive rest, and integrate our movement based on the extraordinary design of our bodies. We have considered how a thought becomes an action, and observed ourselves in stillness and in movement through conscious direction. We’ve practiced pausing before we act in order to re-release ourselves, paying attention to what our expectations may be and choosing to be present in the real moment instead. We’ve also looked at the fundamental design of our bodies, from our fish-like axial skeleton (our head and torso) to our bilateral symmetry (how our right and left sides mirror one another.)
This week, we’ll expand on our ancient-fish ancestry by exploring the natural orientation of our bodies from head to tail. We are all born with an innate sense of direction that helps us to know how we are orientated in space, even as newborn babies. Because so many of our senses are located in our head, we are designed to move in that direction. It is a characteristic that we share with other vertebrates, and can easily be observed in our pets, animals in the wild, and in young children as they develop.
Note how the eyes, ears, nose, and whiskers of the cat are perked with attention. The attitude of the head then translates through the entire body… can you imagine this cat’s tail?
When I reflect upon the time I’ve spent in my lie-downs, especially throughout these past eight weeks of exploration, I truly recognize the value of this work in my daily life. Throughout this series, we strove to create practices in which we observe ourselves and engage with the world as whole-bodied learners. In each talk-through, we are practicing how we respond to the world. How do we want to respond to the stimulus around us, or sometimes, within us? Through habitual reaction? Or through conscious choice? I believe that the small choices we make in our everyday lives accumulate into the larger choices of how we live our lives, and I am grateful for the time and energy I carve out in my day to practice being aware and conscious in my movement.
What has this work given you? How have you implemented the principles we’ve explored in constructive rest into your own life? We’d love to hear from you! You can respond in the comments below, or email us directly at ATConstructiveRest@gmail.com.
Kateri & Alexandra
As babies work to strengthen their muscle tone and motor skills, the eyes lead the head in movement. (Not my baby! Just a cute one from stock photos on the internet!)
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