There is a force that is always present around us….
If you are a fan of sci-fi, I’m not referring to ‘the Force’ that gives the Jedi knights their superhuman powers in Star Wars. No, I’m referring to the all-powerful, unremitting, omnipresent and very real force of gravity.
One paradox of humans is that when something is ubiquitous we become less aware of it. What’s more, we perceive gravity mostly like a limitation.
There are good reasons. As young children, learning to stand and walk takes efforts, months of daily practice punctuated by many falls.
As adults we occasionally trip, fall and break bones. And as we transition to old age we feel the pull of gravity more and more.
It’s no surprise that being able to escape gravity like birds or superheroes is a recurring theme in our imagination.
Snowy experiencing low gravity in Tintin’s adventure ‘Explorers on the Moon’.
However, as we get carried away by our imagination and poor posture or injuries make us feel heavy, it becomes easy to forget a fundamental. It is the earth gravitational field that allows humans to stand steadily on their feet and provides the foundation for movement.
If you are not convinced, then watch this video which shows the extreme difficulties of astronauts to stand vertically and walk within the low gravity field of the moon.
Good postural alignment allows to stand steadily and to minimise strain on the body. When this happens gravity is no longer perceived like a restriction. Instead it becomes a resource. Gravity allows to experience the joyful feeling of being supported, to relax and express our full potential in walking and in movements.
Enjoy the video and most importantly ‘May the Force (of gravity) be with you!’