Programming ourselves...

   Did you know, for example, that by walking briskly for twenty to thirty minutes, five or six times a week, you can achieve three-quarters of the physical stimulation achieved by an athlete following an Olympic training programme? Surprising, isn’t it?

   This has been demonstrated by scientific studies which prove that simple walking, carried out in an enjoyable manner, energises the body in a way that is comparable to hours of intensive daily training.

 You don’t have to impose draconian measures, or suffer and groan, in order to keep fit. You only have to apply the techniques I am about to describe and which are above all pleasurable experiences linked to a feeling of well-being.

   But, to give you a better idea of what I mean, let’s consider why a person’s vitality tends to decrease as they get older… rather than remaining “at the service” of a robust health which would allow them to remain in contact with their natural resources.

   A newly born child receives information from the world around it via the intermediary of its five senses and the sensations that occur within its body. Through exercise and play, it gradually develops the co-ordination of its movements and is soon able to move about and communicate with those around it.

   During this time, it sleeps when it is tired, moves freely and expresses itself unreservedly by means of sounds, gestures and imitation. Its instinct guides it infallibly through the various stages of its development.

   But the educational and social framework soon imposes limitations that will imprison the child within physical, emotional and mental stereotypes.

   And this is the crucial point: this conditioning does not take account of the natural needs of the body and the child loses the spontaneity of sleep, movement and expression. It is forced to adhere to timetables, get used to immobility and artificially imposed positions and to expressing itself in a socially accepted manner. If these educational constraints are imposed to early or too "severely", they lead to disturbances that leave the way open for illness, emotional or mental imbalance.

   And this is how premature adaptation to life in society makes us lose touch with the "child" within us. 

   Fortunately, when we become aware of its existence, we can – whatever our age – give it a new lease of life and allow it to develop.

   But to do this, we have to create "moments of childhood" for ourselves: within the confines of our private lives, we can allow ourselves to experience the natural freedom of the baby, the toddler and the child.

   This involves rediscovering the respiratory movements, sounds, stretching, attitudes, mimicry, sleeping, waking, discovery of the body and the environment specific to each of these ages and experiencing them freely in the privacy of our own home, since few people can bear the sight of an adult behaving like a child…

   These exercises release the tensions accumulated in our body, free us from our limitations, bring us the pleasure of movement and expression free from the constraints of conditioning.

   They form the indispensable preliminary stages to any attempt to achieve physical, emotional and mental fitness.

   The only obstacle to be overcome in order to practice them is the "ridicule barrier". Having the courage to cross it (and I know you have!) will take you into the realms of tolerance and understanding!