Say this thought to yourself little and often throughout the day. Or may be wait until you can enjoy a nap or its bedtime.
Write it, draw it, meditate on it. Stick a Post It on a mirror. Set yourself a reminder on your phone if you’d like to.
Practicing this thought throughout the day will help you notice this sequence and support you to navigate daily life in many ways.
As many of you know, one of Alexander’s major discoveries about us mammals is that the relationship of the head and spine govern the coordination of the rest of us. Yes – all of us! Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual – we don’t separate – its all one thing – our Self.
The white duck at Forge Dam, Sheffield S11
“I agree with the ground force reaction”
Yesterday we noticed the relative ease of agreeing with gravity, rather than resisting it. Its a strong and natural force which keeps us tethered to the ground. It takes too much energy and tension to try and resist it.
And I wonder if you know that Gravity has a twin?
Scientists call it the Ground Force Reaction – I call it Up!
Newton’s third law of Physics states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so for example
slideshare.net Reference: sciencing.com/using-newtons-third-law-explain-rocket-accelerates-14164.html
- Newton’s Third Law. Stated in modern language, Newton’s Third Law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction. For example, when you’re stepping out of a boat, the force your foot exerts on the floor propels you forward while at the same time exerting an equal force on the boat in the opposite direction.
So, as I understand it, when we are standing on the ground, resting and agreeing with gravity – there is an equal and opposite force – pushing us up away from the ground. Whatever pressure we exert on the ground – it pushes the same back up.
This helps us stand upright with ease. If gravity was the only force at work then we would all be as flat as pancakes! If gravity was really pulling us down south more heavily as we get older, then every person over 70 or 80 would be stooped over. I know several people in this age range who are very upright, spry and energetic.
We can learn to harness both these natural forces – to our advantage.
When I was in Infants school we learned a song about gravity –
It’s gravity, it’s gravity
It makes things fall so naturally
It’s gravity, it’s gravity
G-R-A-V-I-T-Y
There was no equal and opposite song for Up, or Radiance. I’m sad that I didn’t learn about this other natural force or how to work with it as a child. I am glad I can share this knowledge with you now and you can mull it over, experience it, enjoy it, relish it, share it and pass it on. I’m happy I get to tell my son about this so he doesn’t have to fight or manufacture it – he knows its there already, I am just naming it.
In the same way as not needing to push or dig, nor resist gravity – we don’t need to stretch or strain to gain the Up! It just is there, we can simply agree with it. I am free to agree with down – gravity – at the same time as agreeing with the Up – and it’s proper name the Ground Force Reaction.
We are suspended between these two forces – gravity draws us towards the earth’s centre and the ground force reaction which pushes us up away from the earth’s surface with the exact amount of force we bring to its surface – be that a chair, a rock or a pond of water.
This makes standing upright very easy. Light and restful – just the least amount of effort to be upright and agreeing with these twin forces as they support us equally in both directions at the same time.
I’d love to know how this thought exercise is for you? What do you notice? How does your body respond?
I love hearing what you are enjoying about these daily writings and how your are benefitting and applying this in your lives. lucyascham@hotmail.com
