For most of us, walking is so commonplace that we do it automatically, even though walking is a very complex activity. We can walk while looking around, adjusting to the surface we walk on, talking with a companion, finding our way and checking the time, all at once.
The complexity of walking can be illustrated by comparing it to moving a puppet, managing the parts by pulling certain strings while letting go of others. The fact that we can walk with no strings attached is actually truly amazing.
Unlike four-footed animals, which get on their feet right after birth and are soon able to move with the herd, humans go through extensive development and learning before they can get up on their feet and move around. After that, it still takes time before walking becomes automatic.
In this workshop, we will explore and refine some of the elements of walking and give our system the opportunity to reset and reorganize some of the habitual patterns that have formed over the years. Since we have no strings on us and are affected by gravity, we will play with the idea of being held up by strings versus becoming aware of how the ground supports us and clarifying the role of our skeleton.
All this will be done in a playful manner, with a nod to Pinocchio, the puppet who comes to life and is very excited when he discovers he can walk with “no strings on me”!
Photo credits
- Photo – © Lital Levy