Movement Therapy of Anthroposophic Medicine
We humans are constantly moving. Even the little daily routines are exacted through movements: we climb stairs, open curtains, prepare the table, and take in food through movements. But, do we exactly know, how all this happens? Mostly, we just do it without reflecting how the organism of movements actually functions.
Not only these external movements of the body, performed through the limbs or head, but also in the inner we find very complex movement-processes. The processes of the heart-circulatory apparatus as well as the processes of respiration, metabolism or the movements of the inner organs are rhythmical.
Also the soul´s movements like happiness or pain, being at ease or full of tension are movements. Yes, even thinking is an intimate movement, situated deeply inside; whether we think straight or complicatedly, gaining a result after many detours. All these movement-steps are deeply correlated.
Sieglinde Don Vollen
Human movement in development
After birth, the baby´s movements are not yet under control. By time, it learns to coordinate the eyes and grab things with the hands. After crawling, the child starts to straighten up, to keep the balance and learns standing and walking.
The animals are capable of laboriously acquiring all that is needed, just shortly after being born. After walking speech develops. This refined process demands fine-motor skills and is based on the gross sensory motor skills. Ability of speech again leads to developing the mind; movements become more fine, more internal. It´s a causally interdependent process: walking, speaking, thinking, as descibed by Dr.Karl König in ”The first three years of the child“
Movement, speech, music
The correlation between walking, speaking and thinking is the basis for Eurythmy. Man´s body, the facility of moving oneself in harmonical inter-play of heaviness and lightness becomes an expression of speech and music and the underlying thinking processes. Movement, speech and music being three original forms of expression conflate into one union.
We instantly recognize every human by his voice. And we recognize him by his individual gestures, expression of movement, duct. Body language has not become significant today without reason. Animals are depending on specific patterns of moving: all cats move similarly, any kind of bird has a certain pattern of moving the wings.
Only man can learn to consciously deal with his movements. He can practice movements and even realise acrobatics. By movements we can also learn how another human feels and think: posture and individual motion sequence display it.
Through Eurythmy towards conscious movements
When practising Eurythmy, one can fully enter the physical law of the body, the physiological-anatomical correlations of one´s shape as well as the laws of speech and music. There, I experience a tremendous harmony, like here the real movement of man would be. Here, heaviness and lightness play together in balance. It is a holistic way of moving in which body, soul and mind sound together.
Sports promote power, strength and endurance. Eurythmy adds the creative power of expression living hidden in every human being. In my opinion, a really adequate expression of music and movements is possible through this art of moving. With Eurythmy, I can show how a melody rises or descends, how it condenses and decomposes again or how a composition expresses through colors of the harmonies.
Also speech can be expressed adequately by Eurythmy. I learn to permeate any movement more consciously which empowers the strength of the will. But, I also learn to experience music and speech in a deeper way. By this the soul grows; grows more into states of abundance and matureness. Joyfulness develops enabling a wider perception of all movements around, in nature, animal and human, in the clouds or stars. By constantly practising Eurythmy with others, social abilities like mutual perception, sensitivity and self-control can be acquired as well as the ability to work in a team and cooperate.
Eurythmy is a path and a practise maybe connected to a lot of labour but also to joyfulness, a key to experience man holistically again.
Published in magazine “Quinte“, Vol.16; www.quinte.ch
Contact:
Klinik Arlesheim AG
Pfeffingerweg 1
4144 Arlesheim
Switzerland
www.klinik-arlesheim.ch
info@klinik-arlesheim.ch
Comments are closed.