Remember To Whom You Belong

You, darkness from which I come,

I love you more than the flame

that bounds the world,

shining

in a single ring

beyond which no creature knows of it. — Rainer Maria Rilke

These lines from one of Rilke’s prayers speaks of something of which I’ve wondered for most of my life, to whom do we belong. Rilke admits that from the darkness new life emerges. And as my life unfolds I’m convinced that we belong to Something much larger than we can define and bind up with words, though we try.

I have no doubt that we are in times of transformation and though it looks dark one of the solutions for thriving is diving deep into our selves with movement. That would make sense for a person who has dedicated her entire life to dance. But we are all meant to move not only through breath but through full body activity, embodiment. While some mental focus is necessary movement allows us to get into our bodies and forget life’s challenges even for just a few minutes. Of course, this is going to look different for everyone, but since my modus operandi is dance, that is where I lean. Yours might be painting, knitting, walking, swimming, biking, yoga, or Pilates.

Early in the 2000s I was introduced to a system of brain-body integration that enhanced learning, increased vitality, and raised energy levels. The foundation was movement. I devoted a number of years to understanding the method and developed a deep appreciation of its value in enhancing well-being that went far beyond my expectations. Some of the workshops were led by Carla Hannaford who wrote a remarkably instructive and understandable scientific book, Smart Moves Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head. As a neurophysiologist and educator Carla Hannaford, Ph.D explains in detail the reasons we all must move. In discussing stress, Dr. Hannaford says:

Stress necessitates an overemphasis on survival-oriented brain processing at the expense of rational, limbic and cortical functioning, especially within the frontal lobes.

That might be the reason for the high level of fear that is perpetuated everywhere. She further explains that there are certain deterrents to learning, growth, and development: excessive use of TV, computers and video games, as well as competitive sports, rigid education, and poor nutrition to name a handful. Overcoming some of these obstacles might seem counter-cultural given the sedentary nature of our society and relative dependence on technology. However, establishing new behaviors that include movement, music, and play have long-term effects on the health of our brain, body, coordination, and inner stability. With a bit of creativity we can develop a routine that gives our bodies what it needs to thrive and to live with joy even in times of distress.

As I delved deeper into the somatic practices I realized the training included activities that were extracted from larger systems of study in natural healing touch and movement: QiGong, Tai Chi, Finger Holds, Acupressure, Polarity Therapy, Chanting, Visualization, and more. The lessons were whole body experiences and a catalyst for change both internally and externally.

While I enjoyed the training and deeply appreciated the importance placed on movement, at the time I don’t think I grasped the magnitude and cumulative effect of the varying practices. The movement processes concentrated on resonating at a higher dimension which naturally and invariably leads to our ability to handle change at a capacity unimagined before.

Given the current chaotic state in which we are living with the accelerated and accumulated inflow of trauma from humans plundering the earth beyond its limits, climate changes in historic hurricanes and other natural disasters, makes one wonder if focusing on somatic practices and taking time to breathe could really be of any benefit. Until you’ve done some experimentation, it’s hard to understand the power of a few minutes resting one hand on your forehead and the other below your navel laid flat and breathing slowly could be a counter measure to anxiety, tension, or acute pain. Try it! My experiences has shown me that in fact these activities do create a shift in energy long enough to think clearly and creatively.

If the trainings had a flaw it was the simplicity. Yes, the simplicity. Consider the concept of pausing to introduce a moment of self-care by resting your hands on your body in restorative gestures in order to harmonize, re-identify center, and empower your higher self to act wisely and reasonably. From the Japanese art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, finger holds are a way to re-harmonize the entire body. Rest the left hand in the palm of the right hand. With the thumb of the right hand (gently) press into the center of the left hand. Breathe deeply and continue with the light pressure until you feel a pulse. Stay in this place a little while longer and then reap the benefits of feeling whole. Come back to this finger hold any time throughout your day when you notice an imbalance.

It’s too simple and practical, isn’t it? We don’t often think of elementary gestures as having power or how play might create synchronicity in the body, especially enough to restore health and well-being.

The body wants to vibrate to its own voice and to feel harmony with other voices and dissonance. It wants to dance slow and dance fast, to flow, to thrust, to bend, to be still. It wants to make beautiful lines and to be seen. The body wants everything. It does not want to be bounded. The body wants to dance. —Jim Gunshinan

Indigenous cultures and other people rooted to the earth dance joy, pain, and grief. Trauma does not stay in their physical form and get stuck in their bones, cells, and tissues. Stepping into this arena is not hard, even those with limited range of motion and ability to stand can sit, remain aware of their physical challenges, and move consciously. There is tremendous satisfaction in finding that place within yourself that you can purposefully call on through movement to lift yourself up emotionally and stabilize your personal universe.

I know during my years of training and further exploration into these protocols I wanted an explanation for how the energies moved to cultivate harmony and better yet, how my inner balance affected everything around me. And there are some scientific explanations, but these are not nearly as wonderful as the personal experience of inner peacefulness.

What I find even more inspiring is that there is something much vaster going on that defies explanation because it is of spirit. And for centuries mystics and saints used metaphors to describe the resonance that movement provides. One of the metaphors used is that of water.

God is like the water of an overflowing fountain generously showering all of creation with love. Or, God is like the expansive deep oceans that are like the vast depth of God’s faithful love.

The words above of Dawn Nothwehr suggest something I can relate to as I visualize fluids flowing through the body activating cells and tissues with vitality. I like the water image as it speaks of Vastness not only for its fluidity and universality, but as an element to which everyone can understand and relate to. And while we can use words like kindness, joy, reverence, holy to also describe those moments and movements into spaciousness and wholeness, the best way to discover this power is witness; your witness.

If we go even deeper into our understanding of the relationship between movement and inner balance we discover when we are in that state of wholeness our relationships and situations are holistic. As we pray, and move, and contemplate we can be assured that the Oneness to whom we all belong is “God’s overflowing love that binds together the whole of creation in a web of infinite love.”

That’s freedom!

It Is Love That Matters