Hi, I’m Faye, welcome! Here at SPINE, we get we get weird, and wonderful, and sometimes a little naughty on the path to personal empowerment. And we do it through the language of movement. We move from prescriptive to Expressive,. From obedient to Deviant. From copied to Embodied.
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Welcome back, my friends! Last week we began exploring choreo-sophia, the wisdom of circles, through the maps of our bodies. This week we’ll expand on that wisdom, bringing our legs into the mix in a fun little exercise called the Compass. Put on your navigation hat… or suit, or… I don’t know, is that a thing? Just get ready for a little journey.
To prepare, here’s another fun fact: though the word choreography is widely interpreted as the creation of dances, it is more specifically defined as the designing or writing of circles. When we think about it in this way, we can begin to extend our understanding of choreography as a process that goes far beyond our normal associations of the word. We can begin to experience ourselves as the choreographers of our own lives. The cartographers of our bodies.
To be a choreographer is to listen to the wisdom of the body as it navigates sometimes smooth, sometimes challenging waters — to keep our awareness open to whatever arises in our path. The captain of a ship (your awareness) does not control the body of water (your body), but feels the waves in the ocean, notices what lies before them (Other ships? A whale? A bridge? A violent storm ahead?). The captain observes the journey unfolding as they are charting ever-changing territory.
If you are a writer, perhaps you already know this: the word essay comes from the French verb essayer meaning, “to attempt.” We choose a subject with the purpose of seeing it from all conceivable angles. Attempting as best as we can, not to judge what we see, but to observe all we can in an effort to gain perspective — to sharpen our perception — to expand our sphere of awareness. We go round the circle not just once, but again and again. From above, and below, and in front, and behind, reaching into every corner with all the power we can source. Indeed, it may feel like we are spinning ourselves around in the process of weaving this web. Surprising ourselves with where our curiosity leads us. Coming out the other side as someone entirely different than who we entered as.
To be an essayist requires the same tools as are required to be the captain of a ship. There is a body of wisdom to be revealed through your curious awareness.
With our bodies as our slowly unfurling maps, and our awareness — our navigation system — both wide as the sky and sharp as the needle of a compass (or the tip of your favorite pen), we can become more expansive in our roles as the creators and navigators of our journeys.
Let us voyage!
We should never forget that every gesture and action of our body is a deeply rooted mystery. — Rudolf Laban
After your practice, take a moment to reflect:
What did you notice during this practice? What came forth in your awareness hen challenges arose? Did you remain present for the physical journey? How did it feel? Did your awareness jump into thoughts and judgements about your experience? Can you let go of the judgements and remind yourself that wherever you are in the process, right here, right now, is the perfect place to be?
I invite you to share any insights or questions in the comments, or if you prefer to remain private, send me a direct message!
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Mapping the Territory of Our Bodies: Becoming a Human Compass and the Deeper Meaning of Choreography | Monday Moves #2