When will I be able to do the splits?
One of the joys of teaching Awareness Through Movement (ATM) is the delight people find in changes they notice in themselves.
These changes happen at a subconscious level - no cognitive effort is needed. Rather than forcing change to happen, we simply find ourself changing. That we are capable of change - whatever our age and whatever our past experience - is a testament to the adaptability of the human brain and central nervous system, which control our movements and behaviours. This lifelong ability to adapt is called neuroplasticity.
But being capable of change is not the same as being able to do anything we want just by wishing it. What kind of change are we capable of, and how do we access that capability?
I (a middle-aged man with no great talent for sports) cannot do the splits. No amount of neuroplasticity and training would enable that to happen from one day to the next. But can I get closer to doing the splits today than last year? Hell yes.
I am different today than I was last year and than I was yesterday, in ways that I can feel. I have better balance and more freedom of movement. I know this because I notice that certain movements are less effort than they used to be, and I'm aware that I use myself differently. This is true when I walk, ride a bike, or sit at a desk.
How did that change come about? Here are some key points:
I am aware that I can and do change from day to day. I used to believe the way I am is fixed and there was nothing I could do about it. But experience has shown me that's not true.
I look and listen for changes in myself and am open to them. I practice the Feldenkrais Method and am curious about exploring my possibilities in movement and in other aspects of life. For example, over the last couple of years I’ve noticed a gradual increase in range of movement in my hip joints.
I am not in a hurry. I have no goal to do the splits, or any other specific movement. I feel under no pressure and simply observe the changes in myself without feeling frustrated or impatient.
As a consequence, I progress at a speed my body can adapt. To do the splits, in addition to building up an internal sense of how to organize myself for that movement, I need some of my fascia to adapt. This physical change in fascial tissue takes at least a couple of years, often longer.
Let's go back to those people experiencing change by coming to a weekly ATM class. They get used to the idea that they can change themselves as a result of their own actions. That piece of self-knowledge goes beyond the ability to move more easily. It's an embodied attitude that affects other parts of life, leaving us feeling more capable, confident, and hopeful.
How do you experience change in yourself? Please leave a comment.