Still, I wonder if we really do lose awareness of our bodies because we learn to keep our physical expressions in check. Fortunately, I can remember having done for quite some time doing some of the same exercises that Whitehouse suggested. I know that at least since elementary school, I’ve found myself taking small moments to notice exactly how I’m sitting or exactly how my body is completing a chore or task. I wonder if this is because I’m a dancer and have found importance in awareness of alignment and movement, or if the tendency to “check-in” with ourselves is more common than originally thought. Maybe, at the conclusion of the term, the members of this class will find themselves not only more aware of the state of their bodies, but also the degree to which body actions are congruent with verbal expression.

The Mary Starks Whitehouse article was an interesting read. She seems to be intent on the fact that as we grow older, we really lose both awareness of our bodies and the capability to, in everyday living, move freely within them. I was particularly struck by the comparison of adult movement to children’s; I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that we will often say one thing while our body language emits something entirely different. (I actually found myself conversing with a friend last night who said something offensive; he asked what was wrong, I quietly said “nothing,” and my body language led him to not necessarily believe me.) I never really explicitly thought about how rare this is in children, but it makes perfect sense. I don’t think the change that occurs as children grow up is a bad thing, but rather one of the first marks of maturity. Imagine if our body language always coincided with how we are feeling or what we are thinking; this may prove troublesome.

1. corpor | ate corpor | al corpor | at | or

2. ov | um ov | al ov | ary

3. san | e san | it | ary san | ity

Consider: The word is made of the assimilated prefix con- with the stem –sider, which means star or constellation. OED notes that the term may therefore have astrological origins, but such use is not known in to the Latin language. (Because the word “consider” can mean to contemplate mentally, meditate, or reflect on, maybe one “considers” like one contemplates about the stars… just a thought! J) Considering the word consider is a good thing.