WILD ANATOMY: Are you reclaiming the power of your wildish birthright? Here’s how — and why you must.
By Marcia Singer, MSW, CHt
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
My call to become a medicine woman began with a Guided invitation to create a work of art that was to be entitled, “Animal Nature.” Over the next three months, a mask affixed to a shield emerged, along with a new lover who shared my penchant for long hikes in meadows and forests, looking for bones and feathers along creek beds. Eventually the notion of wild anatomy came to me, as did the idea of an “Iron Jane” consort to Robert Bly’s much-celebrated Iron John. Both were primal, instinctual archetypes in need of reintegration in over-civilized, self-distrusting modern human societies. My personal reintegration of my “wildish” self blossomed with the help of author mentor Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Women Who Run With the Wolves). The notion was that my body, my mind, and my heart-space could be rededicated to wilderness. My native, natural, unadulterated, innocent, ever creative, sensual, sexy, harmless, curious, self-protective, and eminently playful self was being reborn.
I’ve delineated three facets of the wild anatomy, all equally important to freeing your passion and play potential. Each facet is discussed below, with its own affirmation and exercise to help you recognize and develop it.
MIND PLAY: Wild Mind
In order to play fully and freely, our minds must be open, imagination free to roam, thoughts uncensored. We can learn to dare to trust the vastness of our mental body, whatever images appear, whatever thoughts enter, whatever the voices in our heads may say. Our minds can play with concepts, systems of beliefs, patterns of behavior, or engage in rapt attention for hours with the unlimited opportunities of imaginary people, places, or things. Mind play, with awareness, is sublime meditation.
AFFIRMATION: I am free and safe to enjoy all my thoughts, entertain all my imaginings.
FIVE UNCENSORED MINUTES EXERCISE. Pick a time that is unhurried and a space that feels really comfortable and safe for you. While the exercise itself is quite simple, it deserves room to be enjoyed, or to simply allow for it to unfold fully. You can set an alarm or timer if you like, allowing a minimum of 5 minutes to just be with your thought process. It is akin to the meditation exercise of just being, watching your thoughts, much like clouds passing through a calm sky. You observe, you notice, you feel without judging or attaching to a particular thought or result, as best you can.
If you are in a good mood at the time you choose to do this exercise, it may be relatively easy for you to let your mind go, to be spontaneous with your thoughts, and perhaps really enjoy the experience. However, if you have suffered loss or trauma recently or have been repressing uncomfortable thoughts for a while, this exercise may seem a bit scary. You can choose to have a guide or helper with you. With painful experiences, we often go underground, burying our fearful thought processes and associated feelings. In either case, allow plenty of time after the exercise to process or integrate the experience, or just to be with it. Depending on your mood, your level of experience with mindful meditation, and how deeply you go with explorations into the interior of the self, this might be 10 to 30 minutes.
BODY PLAY: Wild Body
Play requests of us and offers us a chance to accept our physical bodies, whatever shape they’re in, whatever age or color. While some degree of self-consciousness or self-criticism is common in our society, we can learn to have humor and be willing to become more generous. The friendly acceptance that one playmate gives to another can improve body image and raise self-esteem.
If we are fortunate enough to be healthy, our playing bodies are flexible and naturally strong. But even those players with physical handicaps can be terrific playmates, attuned to nuances and subtleties of sensation, rhythm, energy. Whatever shape our bodies are in, they are apt instruments to house a spirit bright with the delight of playtime.
AFFIRMATION: I love to play with my body. I love the body I play in. I love the instrument that allows me to experience playing.
FLOOR DANCING EXERCISE. A remake of a trance inducing exercise taught me by a Korean mudang (shaman), floor dancing can allow you to accomplish four different but related things: give your physical body a healthful stretch, find out what body parts need your kind attention, help you breathe more easily and fully, and allow you to experience thoughts and feelings that match your physical states and movements. Allow a minimum of 15 uninterrupted minutes for this exercise, gradually increasing the time. Try not to rush, since hurrying tends to make us lose focus and the awareness of our process.
Lie down on the floor — on a carpet or mat is usually best. Be sure your spine is fully supported. You may floor dance in silence or with music that induces quiet relaxation. Choose music that helps you focus all your attention on your body and senses, music that keeps you out of your head.
Very slowly, move your body to the music, so slowly that it is like moving one body part or area at a time. Be as fluid and smooth as you can, allowing pauses or lulls if they come organically. Listen with your felt sense-ability. Enjoy the feeling of total support from the ground, letting all your muscles relax, your bones relax, your insides relax. Notice places that may be tight or sore or otherwise uncomfortable. Notice where you are flexible, where it feels good to inhabit your skin. Be non-judgmental. Cultivate “wild mind” as you allow any thoughts just to be part of the experience.
If you like, allow sounds to come out, natural sounds that match the movements, the way your body feels. Notice how doing this increases pleasure, relief, or your ability to relax.
HEART PLAY: Wild Heart
Having a “wild heart” is essential to play. When the heart comes into play, we express ourselves with abandon, freely giving room to others to be themselves, too. We are also receptive, accepting gladly the goodwill returned to us. Players whose hearts are open may enjoy an immediate friendship.
The play induced by a free heart is easily creative, inspired and inspiring, and naturally close — intimate. Trusting hearts are more open to feelings and to sharing real moments in each other’s company. They are the glue for our sense of belonging. At their core, our wild hearts relish a richness of experience, at once sacred and worldly, spiritual and earthy, deep and vast. As we follow the road of the Tao of play, increasing our trust of allowing the play of our moments to unfold, so do our hearts open and blessings come.
Not only can it be argued that freeing our loving hearts is the antidote to whatever ails us in spirit, research is showing the heart to be a secret key to wellness. Scientists and educators at The Institute of HeartMath (www.heartmath.org)—a research and educational organization — show neuro-cardiological evidence for a “heart brain” with its own intelligence. They advance a theory of “the appreciative heart” and are developing a “psycho-physiology of positive emotions and optimal functioning.” Happy hearts are healthier hearts in more optimally functioning bodies, and they contribute to choices that lead us to more balanced, quality lives.
The wild, soulful heart expresses itself with passion, with compassion, with kindness, creative spark, and authenticity. Both our interior and exterior worlds of relationship are in the domain of heart play. Our most rewarding relationships — both inner and outer — are open-hearted, “wildish” ones. Keeping them open is key to keeping us coming back for more.
AFFIRMATION: In this moment, I can freely give and accept all the love, joy, and healing that I want and need. My heart is a holy place and my feelings are a beautiful part of my being.
HEART-BREATHING EXERCISE. Do this exercise by yourself, or with a trusted other. For best results, allow 20 or 30 minutes of uninterrupted time, and choose a place that is tranquil or otherwise allows you to concentrate on your breath and how it affects your sense of heartfelt caring and your sense of overall peace or well-being. As you become facile at Heart Breathing, you can do it anywhere, anytime, and immediately enjoy benefits of less stress, fatigue, or restlessness, and healthier self-awareness.
Begin by feeling the support of a chair, floor, or bed under you, supporting you completely. Feel your muscles begin to relax naturally as you follow your breath with your awareness. Feel the air moving in and out through your nose (or mouth), and find the place or space of just “being.” Let your eyes close naturally when ready.
Place a hand (or both hands) gently over your heart, feeling the rise and fall of your breath. Let your attention fully come into your heart, perhaps dropping your focus to the upper part of your chest. Feel your physical heart beating. Allow feelings and emotions to be present as they arise, if they do.
If you are with a partner, be seated directly across from each other. Agree on a signal to open your eyes together, gently taking each other in as part of the whole experience of your conscious breathing. Gradually extend this experience from an initial 5 minutes or so to longer periods. It is common to feel a range of emotional states, as if you are riding a sea of possibilities. You may experience floating in a calm sea, sensing how vast your being is. Or you may experience tears, laughter, wonder, or even fear; any of these may arise in the simple but profound experience of breathing together.
Variation: With a special someone, lay together cuddling in a “spoon” position. If either of you is ruffled or upset, let that one lay on the inside, back covered. (Take turns, if you wish.) Breathe, finding a common rhythm. Experience yourselves each alone, yet together in a dance of relationship. Experience the paradox of being two breaths, now one breath, then two again.
If one of you is on the outside of the spoon, first pace yourself to the inside partner’s breath. Then lead them to follow you, especially if you are the more relaxed or calm of the pair. Pace the stressed partner into a more relaxed and assuring breathing pattern.
Enjoy the playful innocence and kindness of this exercise. Let it be a joyful or healing experience for you both.
