Working Towards Wellness
In my Essential Feldenkrais course, we’ve been exploring topics of living with these concepts off the mat, not just moving differently. How do we improve our overall wellness through the Feldenkrais Method? Recently we’ve been talking about making mistakes in order to shift from fixing to learning, and coordinating our action pie of thinking, sensing, moving and feeling. I was preparing a class on shifting around our coordinated action pie for the next morning, when I had the opportunity to test out these very skills on a hike in Carmel Valley.
Tackling Limiting Beliefs
I’ve been hiking around Garland State Park for years, but had never gone all the way to the top near Snivley’s ridge, which is about 1200-1400 ft gain in elevation, depending on where you turn around. There are many twists and turns within the park that get you back to the main entrance, but when you get above a certain point, there are less signs, and it’s hot because you’re no longer in the tree line. So, in a blissful decision to conquer my fear of going to the top, I pushed my not-as-in-shape-as-I’d-like-to-be body up the mountain. I had a ton of water, sunblock, an apple, a baseball cap, and my journal. I was set. Listening to podcasts, I distracted myself and enjoyed the dream-like atmosphere. Often I stop myself in this type of situation, with limiting beliefs about my overall wellness or fitness level. I decided to challenge myself and my limiting beliefs.
Set New Goals
In the Feldenkrais Method, I talk to my students a lot about developing what I call their coordinated “action pie”: the four ingredients being thinking, sensing, feeling and moving. While hiking, I was delighted that I was achieving my goal of reaching the top with relative ease, by slowing down, stopping when I needed to, and really focusing on whole body engagement movement. I wondered what had stopped me all these years prior, when I likely was more in shape. I found the most amazing view of Carmel Valley and the fog trickling in from the Pacific ocean off in the distance. The vast beauty and pride upon reaching the top was rewarded with a 360 degree view of Carmel Valley.
Embracing Mistakes!
Here’s where my mistake came in. Because I have spent so much time in the past 13 years in the lower portion of the hike which alway brings you back to you car. I did not think to consider that I was supposed to turn back and take the same trail back down the top ridge. I was feeling good and keen to keep pushing myself, so I happily followed the ridge towards my left. It was so inviting.
Releasing Perfectionism
Upon my descent, I became aware of my mistake, as this trail was taking me further west and out of the park. As I followed the trail back into the tree line, I realized I was nowhere near heading in the right direction, and the decreasing battery on my phone showed me in the maps that there was no connection back except by the local highway. I had a coaching call scheduled that I was determined to get back to wifi for, but it was increasingly obvious that I had to bail on that plan. I hate canceling, but I realized even if I hurried, I didn’t quite know how I was going to get back to my car. This was a moment to release perfectionism. I was clearly becoming lost, and had very little phone battery left. And, it was hot.
Shifting Attention
At this point, I decided to put my coordinated action pie into full swing. through shifting my attention around my thoughts, sensations, emotions and movements. I did an evaluation of how I was doing, and decided to slow down my thoughts in order to not let the emotion of panic take over, so that I could make another choice. I consciously shifted my thoughts to making sure I was sensing my secure legs as I moved down the mountain. I realized that I would be descending right onto a private exclusive golf club, and could get help there if needed. I opened my senses and took in the sights and sounds, and I shifted from the emotion of self-admonishment towards wonderment at the capacity of humans. Continuing to evaluate my situation, as I approached the main highway with 10% phone battery and my one apple long gone, I hailed an uber to take me the 3.6 miles back to my car, and sat on a rock for 25 minutes in a vibrant gratitude meditation. I turned my potential disaster into an epic adventure. My uber driver’s advice, don’t hike alone. :)
Call to Action: Practice your coordinated action pie!
My Essential Feldenkrais course is almost over, but I will be running it again next quarter How can you practice shifting around your action pie this week when you’re in a tough situation? Drop me a line and let me know!