Slow Movement
One day a number of years ago, I slipped going down the stairs. Though I caught myself from falling, I wrenched my knee in the process. For a few days I was on crutches, and for a while I wore a support on my knee. Towards the end of the healing, I just had to be careful not to pivot on that leg.
During this last stage, I was taking a walk in the woods, and stepped over a log. I knew as soon as my foot landed that I had moved in a way that was going to hurt my knee. I braced for the pain…
Nothing happened! My knee had healed more than I realized.
Somewhere along the line my knee had healed enough that I did not need to be worrying about protecting it any more. Yet, I was still holding and moving it as if I did. If I had not stepped over the log the way I did, I might still be protecting it, 20 years later!
This simple moment has taught me over and over again in my life since. It informs my bodywork every day.
In the habits of movement we develop, our bodies adjust to keep us upright and balanced in an amazing dance of microscopic intelligence. We move “this way” because of “that” and “that way” because of “this”. Over the years, these accumulated compensations create their own set of constrictions and limited movements.
In addition, it takes a lot of energy to keep those muscles on guard, and in tension, especially when we continue to hold when we no longer need to…..A LOT OF ENERGY!! When we finally let go, we have all that energy available to us again, in our bodies and in in our lives.
When we take the time to move slowly, and listen deeply, we…our bodies…our tissue…can decide in each moment to relax or protect AS IS NEEDED, rather than out of habit or reflex.
Slow Movement is an exploration into where we hold and where we might want to let go.
Drop-In Class Schedule
Slow Movement
Freeing the Hips and Shoulders
I do not have classes scheduled at this time. Please contact me if you are interested in attending a class, or working one on one.