Day 10

Today the teacher from Day 2 wears a baggy T-shirt tucked into shorts. We begin by floating, gradually taking up more space as we articulate our hips, shoulders, and elbows.

“Be more asymmetric.”

(As in make different parts of the body do different things.)

I can barely juggle 3 balls. This is way harder.

My mind says, “We got this.” 

Unfortunately, my mind has never been a good judge of what my body can and can’t do. Like the time I rented a windsurf board in Greece. I had to be rescued at sea, and towed back to shore. While everybody watched.

My mind reconsiders, “Um… Maybe we don’t got this...”

Most of us don’t got this. The teacher notices too.

She gives us a new task. 

“Create texture in the left arm while the right arm floats.”

When I give my left arm texture, my right arm cannot relax. 

“Now, switch.”

When I relax my left arm, I cannot give my right arm texture. How is it possible these two different sensations can occur in the same body?

Why asymmetry anyways? 

Isn’t it symmetry that’s desirable? 

“On the side with texture, feel the flow. On the side that’s relaxed, feel the float.”

My left and right sides are terrible at this task. But terrible in different ways. Like two differently-abled people.

New pathways are lighting up my brain. A dialogue is happening. They’re learning from each other! 

Symmetry may be pretty.

Asymmetry is beautiful.