That’s Not Normal

“That’s not normal….do you do yoga or something?!”

Once, while at a sporting goods store looking at a floor to ceiling wall of shoe inserts, I squatted down to get out of the way of others and get a better look at the merchandise.

As a stood up I heard a voice behind me: “That is not normal. Normal people cannot squat like that….” I laughed. I was so taken aback by his definition of “normal”. I turned around to see two people who looked rather oddly at me– like I was an escapee from the circus. Then they talked aloud to each other while I stood between them. “Would they choose a flexible body or a flexible mind?” Hmmm. Interesting that they thought they had to choose.

One of the pithy ideas that Moshe Feldenkrais put forth is: If we have only one way of doing something, we have compulsion, two ways, a dilemma, three ways, more possibility. Our options begin to open up.

Do you notice this insightful little ditty can apply to either body or mind? If we can change our minds about what is normal, we can also change our movement. Because movement begins with how we perceive ourselves. With gentleness and awareness we can begin to appreciate how we organize our whole self around what limits us and then begin open to what’s possible. That’s the essence of a flexible mind and a flexible body.

In your own life, what do you assume is “normal”–where could there be greater possibility? Do you have the support you need to open to what’s possible? What do you need?