Feldenkrais highlights the absence of superfluous effort as one of the key components of any well-learned action.
“Correctly coordinated action seems, and feels, effortless no matter how great the actual amount of work involved may be.”
When there is an absence of that which is superfluous, intention and action are one.
In this not-twoness, when only that which is essential is present, grace comes through.1
But it’s not just about ‘doing less’ or relaxing. It’s about something Feldenkrais refers to as eutony. Derived from the Greek prefix eu- (good) and the Latin word tonus (tension), eutony refers to skillful and dynamic adaptation to the demands of a given moment.
“If you really relax you can’t do anything! A properly relaxed person has difficulty in collecting his members to move. What we want is eutony, which doesn’t mean lack of tension, but directed and controlled tension with excessive strain eliminated. This is not flaccidity, but muscular tension only equivalent to the demands of gravity.”
It’s a directional pursuit toward being in coherent, flowing relationship with internal and external reality.
A lute player who was frustrated with his meditation practice once came to the Buddha for guidance.2
“What happens when you tune your instrument too tightly?” the Buddha asked.
“The strings break,” the musician replied.
“And what happens when you string it too loosely?”
“When it’s too loose, no sound comes out,” the musician answered. “The string that produces a tuneful sound is not too tight and not too loose.”
“Just so, that is how to practice. Not too tight, not too loose.”
The thing is, on some operational level, part of us believes all the extra work we are doing is necessary, otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing it. To paraphrase Feldenkrais, everyone is functioning perfectly based on their perception of the options in a given moment.
And so, practice begins with clarifying what it is we are doing in the first place. With this knowledge, which is no small thing, we open up the possibility of finding new options, seeing that which is superfluous, and moving toward ease and grace.
Dear Reader,
The video above is my first pass at recording an ATM lesson. If you choose to take the time to go through the 20 minute lesson, I’d love to hear any feedback you have. I’d be interested in hearing anything that felt engaging or helpful for you, but I’d be especially interested in hearing anything didn’t make sense or was unclear. Hoping to refine and improve. I plan on posting new lessons once a month or so. Thanks!
For now,
Jason
This dialogue is adapted from the story of Sona Kolivisa from the Khandhaka, a book in Theravada canonical literature.
Oooo…eutony…thats a great word and concept. I also love the anecdote. I wish I had heard it earlier! I think I have spent a lot of time breaking strings and not making music.
Thanks for the lovely atm filled with such rich vocabulary and invitations! My hands feel wonderfully light and I can sense the spaciousness moving more centrally.