Relating to Gravity

One of our most powerful allies in movement in terms of support and force is gravity! When I work with clients, I always offer similar movements in differing orientations to gravity. Why? Let me begin to answer this from your earliest days post-birth.

Your very first relationship on earth is with gravity. The force of gravity creates tone in our muscles. When a baby lays on his/her tummy, flexor muscle tone develops; laying on his/her back will create tone in the extensor muscles of the back. In side-lying, muscles closest to the earth develop tone. This is a primary reflex known as the tonic labyrinthine reflex. Gravity draws us to the earth as a form of support! When we Yield to the force of gravity, we are able to bond with Mother Earth and we have a sense of safety and grounding. It is out of bonding that we are able to rise up and move with ease. This is true physically as well as psychologically.

As adults, it is essential that we can relate to gravity in any and all orientations so that our muscular tone is balanced and that we can Yield-Push-Reach-Pull (see 1 August 2023 blog) and move through space with ease, intention, and flow. I want to stress that muscular tone is a ‘readiness to respond, an aliveness in the cells’; it does not mean muscular strength. There are many people who are ‘strong’ but lack balanced tone. Often their muscular ‘strength’ is a resistance to the force of gravity and often leads to holding patterns, stuck-ness, tension, and can result in injury. When we change our orientation to gravity, our body negotiates a new relationship with gravity: our muscular tones change slightly and the forces (YPRP) of our movement find (ideally) new easeful pathways.

We need bonding before we can move onward in confidence.