Countering the Current

The current of our culture is extremely fast, highly reactive, strongly opinionated, and can often feel overpowering. From my own experience, the world seems set up for us to get caught in the rush, in the pace, in the discourse, and the generalized freneticism of our times. 

For me, this movement practice is about creating an environment where we not only counter that current - but cultivate enough awareness to recognize the ways in which its effects can make their way into the body.

A fish moving upstream, or “against” the current, is not overpowering the river through force; it  does so by way of sensitivity. They are listening to the water through a finely tuned sensory system that allows them to perceive “seams” in moving water — places where fast and slow currents meet, or where rocks or downed limbs create small eddies and pockets of reduced resistance.

So rather than fighting turbulence or opposing the world head-on we try to find seams of softness, of ease, and of reduced friction.  

As the Tao Te Ching says: the force that is forced is not the true force. 

In this practice we seek to minimize excessive muscular effort in favor of well organized movement that arises through sensing, timing, orientation, and a deep sense of calm. When we listen deeply to our bodies, we put our trust back into it’s innate intelligence, helping us to find the calm that exists within the current.