Movement, the motion of life
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Movement, the motion of life
We all move, and we all move in different ways. But have we ever considered what movement actually is and represents?
For many of us this is a simple, mechanical, almost automatic activity that is part of our everyday lives requiring no further consideration as it is like breathing – in other words it just is! Why would we even spend time considering such a thing?
Perhaps though, it is only when our movements become impaired through an injury or illness that we begin to appreciate something that had always been taken for granted. For example, observing another person’s walk if they are recovering from an incident may make us reflect on our own walk – what are by definition, our own movements.
There will be times we have witnessed others and may have clocked a certain aspect, which may be something as simple as how graceful someone is when they move, the gentleness of a handshake or hug, the more pronounced movement of someone in a hurry, or an exaggerated type of walk to attract attention.
Movement is constantly with us all, so why is so little attention paid to it?
Could it be that on closer examination it is very revealing – almost too revealing of how we are – effectively an insight into how we are living. For what could be contemplated here is that our movements reflect our entire way of being.
We’ve all either observed or experienced for ourselves moments when our movements are called into question when for instance we stumble, or we may see our bus or train about to depart and so rush to try and catch it, which ultimately leaves us feeling quite differently in our body and in a rather different state from which we then need to recover.
So interestingly, this unplanned rush for your bus or train, or the unintended stumble, bring a sudden unexpected focus to your movements! What if you took a moment to observe how you choose to move without this unwanted emphasis and yet applied the same focus, allowing you to then examine all aspects of your daily movements?
Your movements can reflect back to you in a most revealing way just how you are with yourself and everyone else.
In effect, how you are choosing to live! That is a truly massive revelation, as we’ve come to the realisation that movement affects everything! How you choose to open a door – gently, rather than being force-full, the way you place your keys on a table – or are they thrown onto the table, placing your bag on a surface or discarding it on the floor, kicking your laced up shoes off or undoing the laces and sliding them off; the list is endless as it represents the enormous activity of life that we all participate in. There is no exception as all of us are in the ebb and flow of motion… our movements and those of others.
So surely the more pertinent question is precisely how we participate in this activity of life that we cannot avoid as it is all around us. If we turn the question into the how, this then helps us understand what is at play here as we begin to appreciate that everything affects everything. Were we to be more conscious of how we choose to undertake a task, which is effectively a movement, then we could start to bring a far greater awareness to everything we do and touch, including when we speak. What are we in fact communicating through our movements, our way of being? Are we in appreciation of what we are doing, what we may be offering, or are we moving in a state of annoyance, anger or in a constant state of momentum and drive – or equally at the other end of the spectrum taking a slow, laissez-faire approach to life?
All these factors affect what is being reflected to everyone. If we become aware of just how all these points, these different types of movements can affect everyone around us, then we can begin to notice there is a certain responsibility with movement – all movement – which ultimately affects the quality of life in and around us.
Now isn’t that something worth taking note of and exploring further? Watch those steps now!
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