“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
—OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
During lunch one day a friend told me about a pain in her heel. She shared that it was nerve-related and a significant disruption in her life. I listened to her words, kept my attention with her as she gently massaged her heel and discussed her doctor visits. Later, I casually texted some words of encouragement to her about it.
In return, she texted, “It feels really cool to know that someone else is thinking about my heel with me!”
Simple moments of connection have an impact on us. We like to know that people listen and care.
How quickly can we enrich life if we practice expanding our listening capacity each day? What would that look like?
Students practice listening in every mindful movement class. They listen to the movement instructions, they listen to their sensations, they notice their thoughts, they pay attention to movements which are useful or not useful, and they learn to notice when they need to rest.
There are no limits on where the practice of expanding attention can take us; however, awareness without the ability to find or create new options is limiting. Experts have said, "Listen to your body." What happens when we listen but do not have quality responses to what we hear?
Attention spans are shrinking, but we can regain control of where and how we place attention. By learning to connect related sensations in the body while moving, we feel reconnection. Could harmony felt in the body transfer to a more harmonious way with others? Some students have told me that it does.
It is a fact that we have an epidemic of “widespread loneliness” in society and there is ample research offering important ideas for alleviating it. Not surprisingly, the literature focuses on ways to systemically emphasize human connection and limit distractions from basic human needs.
Quality of Life: A series exploring what we can control
In my work as a somatic teacher, I am informed by a deep belief that paying quality attention is a key difference-maker in a person’s way of functioning.
Most of us go through times when we would like to move, feel, and be in the world a little bit differently than our current reality. What if people knew that there is a fun, pleasurable, nourishing way to learn how to make those shifts?
In the coming weeks I will publish a series of blogs highlighting underpinning themes that make the difference for my students. Some of those themes include:
· Reconnecting body, mind, spirit
· Better listening and responding
· Imagining and creating your way forward
· Relationships and harmony (What can we learn through movement?)
It seems surreal that we must spell out the need for more human connection when we know that it is a biological necessity for survival. But of course, we all know that life is complicated. Like other things that we know innately, we can lose focus or lack intentionality as life becomes routine. We all have habits of movement, habits of mind, habits of speech, and habits of behavior. Once in a while, life shakes us into awareness that we need to change something.
What kind of attention will we bring to ourselves when we are uncomfortable? Or when someone else is uncomfortable? What options other than pushing through discomfort can you access?
Many students participate in my classes to move and feel better, to reduce physical strain or pain, and to recover from injury or illness. Some people attend class to be in the company of others or to learn something new.
Whatever the reason for joining a class or seeking private sessions, paying attention and allowing yourself to notice what you discover is the difference-maker that lasts.
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