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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Helpful Structures




I strive to keep myself lined up and balanced, and at the same time I want to be free and flexible...

How can I be free without chucking structure?

The freedom piece is about the fluidity of mind. To be helpful, I can probably do best by learning and building structure in my life, not as a prison, but as a refuge, and a control center-a place where more structure and ideas can find their feet.

With the freedom to think creatively and build structure there must also be the process of distruction. There are times when the old structures must be taken down to make room for the newly inspired plans.

So there are times when the old structure must be chucked. So I must discern what supports me and what holds me back from expressing my best self in a community of selves.

I want to build helpful structures, and dismantle ones that no longer serve.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

4 comments:

YogaforCynics said...

"How can I be free without chucking structure?"

What an important question. I've tended to be very anti-structure in my life, and only recently have been coming to realize that structures don't need to be cages--they're also essential to hold our homes together and keep them from falling down...

Anonymous said...

I have always felt that structure is actually what creates TRUE freedom.

Martha Graham said that technique allows the dancer to dance without strain.

Exactly true about life, I think. :)

Anonymous said...

From both martial arts and dance, I've always been taught the importance of structure: that its the gateway to true spontaneity.

Because how can we know what freedom and spontaneity really are?

One way, is to practice. Over and over and over again. The same moves, the same patterns.

So then, when you dance or spar or fight, you have the background of structure to support you, but you go your own way.

And eventually, one of the movements you do will be more natural than breathing. And it won't be based on what you've done before, or what you normally do. It will be what is appropriate in that moment.

That is how I've been taught the definition of freedom!

Unknown said...

How does that quote go? Something like "art exists in limitation" or something like that.