Breathing, what’s the point?
I was climbing mountain this morning together with thinking of that question asked by a student after our yesterday Awareness Through Movement lesson.
Her question was like this:
为什么呼吸要在运行中，交叉？意义何在？
Which I understand in this way:
- Why do we coordinate those movements with our breath?
- Why do we cross in the middle, designing a “8”?
- What’s the point?
Building a suitable environment
For a moment I was struggling to feel which way to use to answer her.
Of course, it’s not the first time students ask details about this or that movement, or a specific part of a lesson.
So, here under, I am not only answering to her personally, but I am taking her question to be practical in my explanation.
One way would be to simply say “Lie on the floor and redo the lesson at your own pace, using or not using the replay of my teaching”
The second way would be to elaborate with theories and talks to prove to you I am a good teacher, or some people may say to satisfy my ego. The truth is that’s not my need. Even if this approach would make my business getting better more easily.
That’s not my need, and I think that’s not the best help I could give to support your learning.
The real question is how can I help you to get the most sustainable answer.
Not an answer you can add to your personal knowledge book, but a one which will be yours because you would feel it from inside, the ultimate condition to make it become real. For yourself and by yourself.
The process of getting an answer by ourselves is much more powerful than getting an answer from a so-called teacher or master. This principle should be promoted in every teaching system.
Teaching is not about educating, it’s all about building an environment supporting student’s learning.
Don't trust me!
I have built this lesson with an outlined intention, using my knowledge and understanding of anatomy, bio-mechanics, psychology, neuro-anatomy, etc…
However in Awareness Through Movement, and in Feldenkrais Method in general, the students can rise questions and find answers about ourselves which are not within the intentional scope of the lesson. And I would say, your question is a perfect illustration of that fact. Indeed this lesson was not about breathing in particular, but this is what has touched you. Just because this question is important to you. Breathe was there only as a support.
It is totally possible to do those movements without coordinating with the breathing.
But I can also easily explain, how anatomically breathing is connected to chest movement, and how freedom in the chest can affect the quality of our breathing.
Those movements, coordinated or not with breathing, are here to build an environment for you to be more aware about how you, more preferably or habitually, organize your chest musculature in your everyday life.
Possibly bringing to your consciousness questions like:
- muscles in this part of my chest are not responding in the same way as the other side…
- when I am using my abdomen in that movement this is stopping my breathing…
- when I touch this part of my spine, even in my imagination, this is triggering reaction in my jaw muscles…
- and so on, and so on…
Despite, anatomically speaking, there is a preferable way to use the breath in relationship with activation of the chest muscles.
You don’t have to believe me, just try! Try at least those 4 different variations: redo those movements
- Together with breathing in
- Together with breathing out
- Not coordinating with breathing
- Together with holding your breath
I am sure you will find answers. You might also find new questions….
Self-Image
This approach to learning, this attitude you can bring into your everyday life has an unlimited value. It has the power to bring confidence, sense of responsibility, self-autonomy, and more… All of these are powerful tools in the context of completing our self-image.
You can also check anatomy books, check with your classmates, ask people around you… And see, from this active process, see if you can find a satisfying answer.
Of course you will find valuable answers, but the key, if you want to understand yourself better, is not here. The key is not whether or not you have learned new knowledge.
The key, you can question it by lying with the floor again, by experimenting again the same movements, checking within you how this acquired knowledge is changing your experience and your relationship to the Truth
That’s already a long answer in the context of how to approach learning in Awareness Through Movement lessons in general.
Now, if you are interested in understanding what is behind every step of the lesson that’s another story, something I am giving answers and explanations to in my advanced classes.
Thank you for your question, it gave me the opportunity to have a nice hike in the mountain and to write something I hope is meaningful to understand this very unique way of learning what we are doing.
See you next week in class, I will surely answer you in a “typical teacher” way if you still have your questions.
