by Michal Grossman
During the last Independence Day a radio interview was broadcast, featuring a veteran fighter pilot and a prominent brain surgeon, which focused on different aspects of their respective field, particularly the creative side of it. An interesting and even surprising dialogue was formed, especially towards the end: the interviewer mentioned a certain situation in their work, describing it as very exciting, what led her to ask if they feel a divine connection, of conquering the skies? The brain surgeon replied emphatically and straightforward (and in English) it is just a job! And the pilot said – and here is the surprise – it’s a job… but a job rich in esthetics… and the thrill is not always necessarily in the intensity… sometimes, what is thrilling is actually the slow flight… the quiet flight… the economical rotations… when there is little fuel left… above the layer of clouds… with a red setting sun in the evening..
This depiction was touching, inspiring, and led me to think about the Body Cognition field. I wondered (and was enchanted by) how the quiet place, the slowness and minimalism is preserved and shines through from behind the commitment of achieving a goal, the supersonic speed,
the force, the weight…
These qualities of quiet and slowness rise and shine through from the deep clandestine part of our inner soul. Also, the gentleness, delicacy, grace and other qualities – concealed in the depths of our souls, are interlaced and present in each other.
It is not simple to write of this inner aspect of our soul, which is so latent and hidden. But these things correspond with Body Cognition, and after more than 30 years of studying it, and gaining awareness through it, to that very aspect, I dare say something about it (and also that these things
relate to the Jewish studies I have been engaging in for the past few years).
The Body Cognition teaches proper movement, which is also, by way of being correct, healthy and beneficial. That is, while we acquire proper and corrected movement, we may achieve, compatibly, optimal orthopedic health and many physical benefits; and vice versa: a movement that is not corrected may cause damage and disrupt our condition.
As for the question – what is proper movement (which is certainly a fundamental and important question in the grasping of Body Cognition), I will not get into it here, but rather, I will present one aspect of it that relates to the core issue of this article: a proper movement is a movement
connected to and which is drawn from that deep inner part of the soul – where our spiritual qualities are kept!
The enormous significance of it, is gaining the understanding that it is impossible to attain proper movement, which is optimal and truly beneficial, without getting in touch with these qualities! If, for example, we fail to sufficiently develop our quality of gentleness, we will find it difficult to reach a precision of movement, an understanding of it, and so, it seems, we will not be able to gain a true physical benefit, prevent damage,
heal conditions and be free of pain.
It may seem demanding and hard to achieve, but in fact, this is a process of mutual nurture: when we practice proper movements, we not only feed on our spiritual qualities, but also, simultaneously, awaken and develop them. While we notice the physical – movement precision, we create the connection to the inner spiritual level: to the gentleness, delicacy, quiet, and also to beauty and truth…
Let’s make one thing clear, the Body Cognition method is based, first of all, on vast knowledge, understanding, physical-scientific laws and rules (anatomy, physiology, etc.) however, as mentioned, we must strive to connect the abovementioned to a wider and broader wisdom, which includes our spiritual values (and indeed – as an example of the unified message – the knowledge “changes” within the whole, the conclusions and modes of implementation derived from it are completely different in the Body Cognition). The unity formed allows us to achieve, not only proper movements and physical health, but also the refinement of the body and mind, as well as the strengthening of the spirit and the soul.
If we dig deeper, we will see that there is something very special here – a unique illustration which shows how work that is connected to the physical, supposedly lower level, (physical problems, pains, etc’) compels the “intervention” of our highest level – our spirit – soul level, in order
for it to succeed and be executed seriously.
May 2012