No. 16, November 16, 2018
THE WELLNESS SALON
Musings on wellness from Donna Simmons, Feldenkrais ® Practitioner
mutatis mutandis – a Medieval Latin phrase meaning “the necessary changes having been made” or “once the necessary changes have been made” (Wikipedia)
In this space, I have noted the relative attention we pay to our machines (car, smartphone, etc.), sparing no effort to keep them in working order, while we neglect the most important machine – our physical selves. In lieu of putting in the useful attention and exploration, some of us spend time (and money) consuming pharmaceuticals to deal with fundamental structural problems – I liken this to dumping STP®into the gas tank of a car suffering from a blown head gasket. It’s relatively inexpensive, takes no time, and has no chance to fix the problem.
Feldenkrais® is the practice of doing the work to understand our bodies as an organized system comprising mechanical and non-mechanical actions that interact at a fundamental level. Finding new, easier and more efficient ways of moving to allow our body-machine to operate without pain is what I am referring to as mutatis mutandis (the phrase has a unique application in logical arguments, but let’s leave that aside for now). Essential to this concept is the realization that we can achieve significant results with changes to posture, gait, manner of sitting, lifting, exercising, playing and working; by paying attention. In some cases, the changes may seem insignificant, and this can evoke a sense of insufficiency, unnecessarily so. (Some of us are psychologically prone to favor big-ticket interventions – there is a story from All Creatures Great and Small [1] about a vet who routinely used a special compound[2] to deal with hoof injuries in horses. It produced copious quantities of smoke but had little practical effect other than to convince the owner that something significant was being done for their animal.) Small changes are often the most effective at bringing about lasting and positive differences.
Try this: in standing, bring your attention to your whole self. Use the image of being a cylinder; your spine rests somewhere between the middle and the back of the cylinder, a smaller cylinder on top representing your neck with your head on top of that. Bring your attention to your feet, can you sense the contact under each foot…notice how your pelvis is hanging…the shape of your lower back; how deep is the curve? Can you sense where the opening at the bottom of the cylinder (your anus) is in relationship to your feet? Closer to the heels, the middle of your foot or your toes? Notice without making any judgments about what is right or wrong; simply gather the information about the way you are standing…Gently and without tightening your abdomen unnecessarily see if you can “hang” your pelvis in such a way that the opening at the bottom of your cylinder aims in between your ankles…no need to be exactly in between your ankles, sense what happens under your feet, in the curve of your lower back when you change the orientation of your pelvis…does your cylinder stack up a bit more now? Can you sense the opening at the top of your cylinder? Is your neck getting longer? Do you feel a bit taller, more comfortable in standing? What changes can you detect as you shift your weight over your feet? Mutatis mutandis!!
Remember to have patience with yourself, and with your body. Use an open and curious mind, much like an archeologist gathering information, eavesdropping on any changes that may or may not happen. Remember that nothing in our lives is static, we are in constant flux, moving and adapting according to the needs of the particular moment. We are truly marvelous machines, resilient, adaptive, and forgiving. In my practice, these concepts are fundamental to getting you to a better place. Mutatis mutandis. Carpe diem!
Namaste,
Donna
[1] James Herriot, St. Martin’s Press, 1972 – if you don’t know it, I highly recommend this account from a large animal veterinarian in 1930s England.
[2] resublimated iodine and turpentine