When my husband and I approached Jay to do some movement/embodiment classes during the quarantine, we/I thought we were going to see him twice a week to stretch and possibly work our muscles. I thought we might go deeper than just a work out to a more grounded, get in your body, present place. I’m guessing my husband thought we were just getting into pilates. What neither of us thought was that we were entering into an extension of our couples therapy that we’d sought out a talk therapist for 2 weeks before the shut down. 

What’s really blown my mind is that without intending it to be so (on our part), this practice has become integral to the issues we are working on in therapy. And not only that, but our twice a week “play” has become an exploration of each other. How we move, how we express, how we channel creativity, how we simply be. And what’s more is that we’re participating together, co creating this space where we’re allowed to literally and figuratively dance with one another. 

While the relationship bit has been the most unexpectedly exciting take away, there’s also been an aspect of solo work, while together. Two lines, one path. I’ve been able to experience what I think yoga has meant to the ancients of past (and maybe today, but I live in LA and yoga is exercise, not meditation). I’m able to see my “issues” come up and experience them while moving my body, or rather the movement of my body allows the issues to come up and be seen objectively. There’s an exquisite interplay of action and integration in our sessions and I’m grateful to be able to see my issues coming up in the moment instead of just thinking about them in an intellectual capacity.

And finally, this practice IS about embodiment and grounding into the knowingness of my body. I’m learning that my body has both wisdom and trauma stored in it, and that is separate yet congruent with my mind (and up to this point, my mind is the only thing that’s gotten any attention).  This really has been about moments of play and discovery, experiencing that wonderment that is oft described as the beginners mind (child’s mind) in Buddhism. And to say once more, the fact that I get to experience and do this with my husband has added a level of depth and play and spontaneity to our relationship.