Chapter 3
Moving with Availability
Video 3.12
Chair Study and the Line of Gravity
Transcript
Chair Study and the Line of Gravity
- Future position of the line of gravity when standing
- Move your feet closer to the chair to bring the line of gravity closer to the rest of your body
- Picking up an imaginary object repositions the body so that approximately half of its weight is on each side of the line
- This allows the body to be more balanced while standing
- To make this even easier to feel, position your arms as though you were diving. This allows even more weight to move to the other side of the line
- Finally, simply lean forward until you feel balanced and then stand up
- Balancing your Movable-Masses over your legs and ankles allows you to stand without tightening your body
Video 3.14
Counterbalancing Movements of the Arms
Transcript
Counterbalancing Movements of the Arms
- Tension in the torso, legs and/or feet will not allow weight to shift. As the arms move outward, the body is unable to counterbalance and remains forward of the line of gravity
- Retaining availability, particularly soft feet, will allow your center to move. This allows the weight of the Movable-Masses to counterbalance the weight of the arms
Video 3.15 and Video 3.16
Availability and Effort Demonstration
Transcript
Availability and Effort Demonstration
- Raise your right arm in front of you and parallel to the floor
- Now, let it fall
- Most people will agree that it takes more effort to raise the arm than to let it drop
- While gravity is a contributing factor, the amount of effort may also be influenced by the subconscious restriction of movement in other parts of the body
- When asked to raise our right arm we often unintentionally hold our left arm, and other parts of our bodies, still
- When we drop the arm, we move with availability. We release this tension (stillness) and the left arm becomes available to move
- Watch the drop again and notice the subtle movements of the Movable-Masses as well
- To emphasize the point, hold your left hand rigidly in a fist while you raise your right arm and drop it
- Undoubtedly, it felt more effortful to raise your right arm. Even the falling motion likely felt congested and uncomfortable
- Now, gently swing your left arm and then raise your right arm
- Let it fall once again
- When you moved your left arm, you no longer subconsciously held it and your Movable-Masses still. This allowed for greater availability throughout your body and likely felt the least effortful of all
- This exercise does not infer that you must move your left arm in order to raise your right arm efficiently. Rather, it serves as an exaggerated exploration of how the subconscious suppression of movement in parts of our bodies makes even simple movements in other parts of our bodies more effortful. Simply put, it is a lot harder to move when you are holding yourself still.