Gait and Personality

Our walking gait is one of our most distinguishable features! In fact, from a distance, one of the first ways our brains can interpret whether we see someone we know is through their gait. There's even satellite technology that can identify people from space, in part by using their walking gait. So our gait is highly individualized and it is developed through our family culture, our environments, our particular activities, and our injuries. So, when we embark upon a program to change walking gait patterns, we may encounter some ego resistance that might see these exercises as attempts to change one's personality toward some "perfect" form. That's far from the case! There really is no perfect form because one's gait should be adaptable to all the variables in the environment. However, what we are doing is bringing up a better awareness of how we walk so that we are better able to choose how we want to move in the world. You may ask yourself: Are you allowing unconscious patterns choose who you are? Or are you willing to consciously choose the direction you wish to guide both your body and your life?

In any case, by working on your gait, you'll still have your individual nuances, but you'll be able to move with more freedom and enjoyment.

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