Sharing Verbally as Witnesses

❤️ Know, truly, that the most important offering is the acknowledgement "I saw you".  Full stop.  

In fact, during the movement circle itself, "I see you" can be a nice, inner meditative prompt for ourselves while we're witnessing.  Know that we don't need to occupy ourselves in coming up with something to say or to work hard to remember what the movers did.  The invitation is to simply bring our presence.  Allow what stays with you to do so and what does not, to fall away.

 

It is always possible to contain (not to share as a witness). You are never required to offer any verbal responses.  Sometimes, offerings can be just as or more powerful through movement, art, sharing postcard images, etc....

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❤️ When/if we do share our responses verbally, we make clear that our reflections, images, sensations, narratives are our own -- they were what moved in us in response to the movers.  So, please make liberal use of "I statements" such as:

I saw...  

I imagined...;

I felt in my body... 

The story I made up was... 

I had you as a....

 

It might seem strange to "make the moment about ourselves" in this way, but ironically it actually preserves the primacy and authority of the mover's experience for themselves, while letting them know that we were present with them. 

 

In our practice we support self-authority on the part of the mover and humility on the part of the witness. 

 

❤️ Sometimes, it can be helpful for the mover for you to name where in the room the movement you're reflecting upon took place, when it was (ie. during which section of the session), as well as information about the posture, relationship of body parts to one another, etc...

eg.  "I witnessed you during the first section of the time.  When I saw you standing in the middle of the room with your arms out to either side, I imagined you as a crane standing in the river, wings outstretched" or "When I saw you in the corner, pushing against the wall with your feet, I felt a sense of power surge through my legs", and so on....

 

❤️ I highly encourage you to challenge yourself to refrain from utilizing the shortcut terms from another discipline/field such as Yoga, formal dance forms, Tai Chi etc... to apply to the movements that you witness in AM. (I actually do detail this in the Language, Wildness, and Being a Body...piece).  eg. not saying "when you did Tadasana," or "your movement was so flowy and Tai Chi-like..."

 

Why?  First off, when we label a movement as belonging to another discipline, assuming out loud that the mover is "doing" that other practice, we may very much mischaracterize the intent or experience of the mover themselves.  In so doing, we can cause a mover to feel unseen.  This can feel annoying at best.  At worst, unsafe.  

 

We will never know the intent or experience of the mover.  We are not here to know or understand it.  So, we take pains to try not to characterize it.

 

Secondly, by using these shortcut labels (even inwardly), in a way, we cut ourselves off from our own curiosity.  We curtail our availability and presence by "checking off a box" and categorizing movement in these ways.  Slowing ourselves down in the process of witnessing -- as in moving -- can yield unexpected rewards.  We continually challenge ourselves in all aspects of this practice to "not already know".

 

❤️ Offering appreciation vs praise is definitely tricky.  One might say -- I found this so "satisfying", or "soothing/settling" or "empowering in my body" or "invigorating" or "I felt inspired to try that out".  I'm acknowledging having been deeply moved by you and your movement, but/and am still taking ownership of my responses.

 

For all of us, when we can entrust to our witnesses  (both external and internal) our movement as not being evaluated or judged, generally speaking, over time, we may feel freer to follow our impulses without feeling that we must entertain, communicate etc....  This can be an enormous attachment healing for any of us for whom attention and connection were transactional or conditional based on our appearance or behavior.

 

In this practice, we re-learn that we do not need to be/do/act/perform anything to be worthy of attention, presence, care, acceptance and love. 

 

Speaking personally, as someone raised female in this society, who has navigated impossible, insidious, and often contradictory standards; who has received, daily and without request, the projections of others -- and who has also been a performer throughout much of my life -- I find it relieving and empowering to be invited to surrender to the wisdom of my animal body with less control and/or self censorship, and to find the gems of image, insight and interconnection that it holds for me.

❤️ Finally, sharing in this way, like moving and witnessing, is a PRACTICE.  A tender, vulnerable, and at times frustratingly awkward way of being and communicating.  

 

Please, brave the awkwardness.  

 

Please, keep trying. 

 

The intimacy and empowerment will be well worth navigating the "mistakes".