Movement Ecology, Part II
Movement Ecology (from Dave): The A to Z study of human locomotion.
Today, I want to explore some of the "whys" of human movement by seeking to ask and answer (at least rudimentarily) the following questions:
Why do humans move?
Why do we want to move? (What motivates us? What prompts us?)
Humans move for A LOT of reasons. Chief among them, because, anthropologically, we're part physical/biological in our essence. Because of this, our primary means of mediating with the outside world (basically, that which [and who] exists outside the outer surfaces of our physical bodies) is of a physical nature. Even the act of listening requires movement (physical embodiment).
Human beings move because we cannot help but move. In every moment, a human is an unfolding, psycho-physiological event. Without a body, one cannot live on this planet. Humankind is an embodied creature; and, as such, to be human (to be the unfolding event of the moment) requires complete embodiment of every act (even thinking and feeling). Humans cannot but move. To not move is the definition of dead: the cessation of all movement. The word "human" is not just a noun or adjective, it's also a verb. In fact (and to be more precise), "human" is a verb first and foremost; after that, it's an adjective or noun.
Keeping all this in mind, there are many reasons why we move (or desire/choose to move). Provided below are a few that "move" to the forefront of my mind:
To acquire resources, we must move.
To breathe, we must move.
To ingest/digest/assimilate sustenance, we must move.
To eliminate waste, we must move.
To rest, we must move.
To relate to another (to give love and care, to receive love and care), we must move.
To fear (or be repulsed by) something, we must move.
To protect or shelter ourselves, we must move.
To increase our comfort (or decrease our discomfort), we must move.
To change our position or location, we must move.
To perform, we must move.
To create or build something, we must move.
To bring order or effect life-dominion, we must move.
To observe, document, or learn something, we must move.
To improve our ability to move, we must move.
To improve (at anything), we must move.
To enjoy something (actually anything), we must move.
To feel good, we must move.
To be healthy, we must move.
To express ourselves genuinely (openly and honestly), we must move.
To worship, we must move.
So, what are your thoughts on this? Are there other, perhaps even more fundamental, reasons for moving that come to your mind?
Next week, we'll explore a few of the forms and systems of human movement. We'll attempt to ask and answer (again, rudimentarily) the following questions:
What are some healthy (and unhealthy) forms of movement?
How can one move more healthily (or less unhealthily)?
How can one do so more often?
Peace to you, friends...
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A Note to All My Blog and Social Media Friends and Followers:
I've made it a point, over the last decade, to accept friend and follower requests from any who ask. I think I've "defriended" only three or four people in the last ten years and did so only because they posted inappropriate material to one of my walls or timelines. Thankfully, it's been several years since anyone committed such a breech of etiquette.
I write all this to indicate I have many "friends" and "followers," whom I do not know personally (yet!). Lately, I've been getting countless (sometimes more than 200 a day) messages from people I don't know. Please know this: I speak a brief word of blessing over each person who sends me a message, but I can respond directly to only a few each day. If I did not discipline my activities in this way, I could, conceivably, spend my entire day every day responding to such messages.
By disciplining myself to the above social media activity-limitation plan, I in no way want to belittle or disrespect anyone or hurt anyone's feelings. My hope and prayer is that, even if I don’t respond to your message directly, you will know I cherish you and pray you'll experience God's love and grace personally and deeply. Experiencing God is the highest Good anyone could ever experience. May each of you experience such Good through your pursuits of Divine Union with Jesus Christ, the Eternal Living God.
As always, may the Lord bless you and keep you…
IKIGAI Weekly Blog Schedule (per The Training Trinity):
Mondays: Meditative Prayer
Wednesdays: Holistic Discipline
Fridays: Martial Arts Practice
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