Metaphor to Move and Move as Metaphor

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” - Wittgenstein

Just so - the limits of your movements can limit your experience of your world

I often think the limits of our language and of our movements are intertwined.

Have you ever had a  trainer, yoga teacher, PT or doctor ever try to describe a movement to you? 

“Externally rotate your shoulder- mindful to be moving from the gleno-humeral joint and not the whole shoulder girdle. Let’s test your range of motion by flexing your shoulder. And be sure to depress your scapula.” 

Unless you study anatomy and have a real mechanical sensibility, it’s really hard to understand that language and translate it into something that you can use.

Another approach to talking about movement is to use metaphor: 

Imagine you’re holding a beach ball between your elbows, and try to lift it up over head. 

Imagine your shoulder blades are the weights of an elevator - when the elevator rises, the weights pull down - just so - when your arms raise up think about the shoulder blades pulling down.

Or try moving “like”… 

Move like a spider

Move like a wolf

Move like a raindrop splashing into a pond. 

Images and metaphors awaken the creative parts of our brains, and can often help us bridge that gap between language and movement that so often literal descriptions of movement fail to do. 

So next time you have trouble understanding or accomplishing a movement/exercise - See if you can complete some sentences that start with: 

“Imagine if this movement were…” 

“What if this movement were like…” 

See what comes up in your creative mind and then notice if you move just a bit differently - maybe more embodied? Which is to say more present in your body. 

And if that’s fun for you, the next level to play with is flipping the metaphor around: 

Play with a movement or exercise - and then bring to mind some problem or issue you’re trying to solve in your life. Ask yourself how is this movement like that issue? 

How is lifting this kettlebell like getting my taxes done on time? 

How is swimming these laps like having that conversation I’m avoiding? 

How is standing up from this chair like writing my novel? 

The possibilities are endless, and the more you can physicalize the metaphor, the more likely you’ll light up the creative centers in your brain that might just come up with the insights that were hidden from you previously. 

Whether you’re working on embodying a movement or diving deeper into the nuances of life’s experiences, metaphors are a fantastic tool that can make new worlds accessible to you. 

What metaphors have helped you in your movement? 

What movements have worked as metaphors for you life? 

And if you’d like guidance towards enhancing your movement practice, finding your answers to life’s issues or both, book a free consultation and let’s chat!