“There is a lot more pleasure when we do something with the amount of effort it requires.” - Belinda Mello, as quoted in Your Body is Working Harder Than It Needs To by David Lobenstine
Do you feel a spark of joy when you say "yes" to something AND really mean it? The sensation of being in agreement often feels like “lightening up”! Or maybe you feel relief, like you’ve dropped a weight.
The pleasurable feeling of moving with agreement is akin to moving with efficiency. We tend to do the things we want to do with just the effort required. Think of the contrast between a child reluctantly dragging their feet versus their buoyant steps of happiness.
I have time
Giving yourself the time you need to agree to your actions is crucial to managing your effort and avoiding strain. This is at the heart of AT (Alexander Technique) practice.
I was recently interviewed by David Lobenstine for his article, Your Body Is Working Harder Than It Needs To, published on Medium. It’s about over-efforting, and how to avoid strain. He has quoted me on the issue of anticipatory tension. When we are ahead of ourselves we tend to add more work or tension. Having an agreement-first attitude sets us up to be in the moment and ready.
Of course we all have things we are obligated to do that we don't enjoy. Sometimes we need to take a moment to pause to see the bigger picture. Moving efficiently means taking care of yourself — using Alexander Technique to move through a task with the support you require. There is a lot more time for pleasure when you move with freedom and ease.
One of my favorite poems by Gurdjeiff evokes embodied agreement: ...
I stand
I walk
I run through the fields
I leap
I leap
I stop without a sound
I jump up on a wall
I reach for the bell
I ring
I ring
I ring
I see far
wide
high
still taller
I stand...