What can a 16th-century philosopher tell us about our bodies?
Today I was taking my morning walk and to stave off boredom and do my distance, I listened to a podcast. Today it was a discussion of the life of Michel De Montaigne.
Michel De Montaigne was a French writer, and philosopher in the 16th century. Among other things he is known as the founder of the writing genre, the essay.
Why am I bringing up this man from so long ago whom you may or may not have heard of?
It’s because I got inspired by something he wrote about being a person and that got me thinking of how that relates to the physical body.
“No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs.”
“And on the loftiest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own rump.”
I find from personal experience and working with my students doing Feldenkrais lessons that we find ourselves standing more securely on our own feet. More grounded through our body into the feet. Sturdier.
When you get that sense of standing on your own feet you connect to your personal power. You can go solid out into the world and accomplish what you want whether it’s physical exercise or standing up for yourself and what you believe in.
It’s also a great help to feel grounded during this frightening time of COVID19. To find a solidity within yourself to forge on as a human.
You can do that with Feldenkrais lessons but you can do it on your own.
Take one minute out of your day to feel your body.
Here’s a simple exercise:
- Sit on a chair
- Feel your rump on the chair
- Think about your bones supporting you.
Immediately this creates a relaxation response, you breathe and start to feel more that sense of grounding.
You can also do the same in standing or walking. You think about your bones supporting you.
Just start by doing this once a day. It will help you develop your body awareness. The more you are aware of your body the more you get to feel yourself as more grounded physically and personally.
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