I have not, in my dispatches, talked much about one of my latest obsessions, which is movement science. This could be because I am in the process of internalizing a lot of information. Or, maybe I am just cognitively lazy. It’s probably the latter. I don’t want to work any harder than I have to. But information is surfacing, moving from the murky depths of my subconscious to the clearer depths of my conscious.

Now, at the forefront of my consciousness, is the concept of releasing parking brakes. This is cognitively, when one lets go of acquired tension patterns. The brain, which has been compensating for pain related lack of movement, suddenly tells the impaired body part, “okay, movement is again possible.”

A case in point – I hurt my heel a few days ago running on the trail. I was then only able to hobble around. The brain put the physical and mental parking brakes on after this happened. I was hobbling around and I didn’t want to do any awareness work. I did do something though, and this something was to make a soft surface to stand on while working at my computer. It consisted of an Ensolite Pad, a standing pad, and a yoga mat. This served to increase proprioception and also cushion my sore heel.

Today my heel felt better, so I took Tyra and Tinni for a walk on our trails. I rightly figured that the uneven terrain would further release parking brakes. And it did. My heel felt even better.

At the same time, I focused on releasing Tyra’s and Tinni’s physical parking brakes. I let Tyra run around. She ran and kicked and bucked – this was so good for her. Then I let Tinni go. He would not move, so I put him back on his lead. I walked him a short ways and then let him go again. Same thing happened. Then on the return home, I again let him loose. He and Tyra then raced home. I knew they’d go home and they did. This was good for Tinni, who released some his brakes.

Once at home, I worked with Raudi and Hrimmi. I had one at a time stand on the mat, which is much like mine. And I had both do carrot stretches while facing downhill and sideways on the driveway slope. Asking for carrot stretches on the mat was X, something familiar to them. Doing this on the slope was Y. Y was a new puzzle piece. Both did really well though I could see where they were challenging themselves physically and mentally. I also granted them complete autonomy – they were free to go and eat and walk around when they wished, which they did. And they were free to resume work when they wished, which they did. This was their choice – and in doing the stretches they owned their own movements, which is what this work is all about.

To extend the parking brake metaphor – my being cognizant of the fact that I have physical parking brakes – and working at releasing them, has released mental parking brakes. Lately, I’ve been making major strides in coming to an understanding and an application of horse/human body awareness concepts.

And I have released a parking brake in relation to writing. The Recycling book is a challenging proposition. I am out of my comfort zone in talking with and writing about the more technical aspects of recycling and non-recycling particulars. But I am doing this by taking this project a step at a time.

Darkness descends, but I am seeing the light.

Next: 330. 11/29/17: Sometimes, Do You Find it Difficult to Move?