vendredi 10 mai 2013

Structure, posture, and choice


"Structure is our physical body: the bones, muscles, and other tissues which comprise our bodies. Structure is affected by our heredity and by our life experiences in terms of nutrition, illness and body use and abuse. Posture is the way we live in our structure - the energy and attitudes which moment by moment shape our bodies. Our posture affects our structure, and our structure affects our posture, and both can change. 
For example, if we are born with an extra vertebra or curved lower legs, our posture will be affected by our structure. If we stand with our head forward for many years, our bones will respond to the stresses of our posture. We can observe this dialogue between posture and structure by looking around a room at a group of people: we can see that we share a common structure, but the way we inhabit that structure is very different. 

Both posture and structure are about choice. We choose how we live in our bodies and our life choices affect our underlying structure. 
A healthy body remains able to respond - responsible - to the changes in situations, people, and personal growth which occur moment by moment throughout our lives" 

Andrea Olsen, Body Stories, University Press of New England. 

Dancers image found here