Finding a Fascial Pattern: The Nanosecond of Almost-Engagement

The basic benefit to using imagination is to notice, in that pre-initiation time, who gets recruited. For instance, if I imagine coughing, I can feel tightening in my tongue and in some weird muscles under my chin that I hadn't been aware existed. Then, maybe a hint of a ghost of a start of a grip in my belly. And then the diaphragm. (Somebody else might notice the diaphragm first.) But if I coughed and then tried to figure out what went into it, I would miss many of the details, such as the grip under my chin.

Another example: if I prepare to go about solving for the cube root of 7,862 – not doing it, but getting ready to do it, then I feel my eyes wanting to converge. Likewise, if your scalenes are chronically contracted and you want them not to be, developing the skill to notice the nanosecond before they actually contract – well before you would actually tilt your head – is really helpful.

In this way, by peeking at the initiation, you enhance your understanding of what you do. And if you know what you are doing, you can do, or let go of, whatever you want.

"If you know what you are doing, you can do whatever you want." — Moshé Feldenkrais

Awareness Through Movement