Awareness Through Movement #390

Extending the leg from sitting to the side – Megan Hopley

Props: something to sit on, a towel or pillow - preferably something dense to keep a sense of grounding thySelf in reality.

As you can see, Megan will be reading this evening, and I prefer to keep the lesson a little mysterious so that I can experience it with you from curiosity.

I asked Grok to share the ontological benefits and it came back with this:

imagine sensing into your system such that the nerves were felt. Very often it’s only when people “get on our nerves” that they are given any credit. How can you/we change that?

“First, this lesson fosters a heightened awareness of your embodied existence.
As you move slowly—extending a leg, sliding a hand,
or turning your head to bring an ear closer to the floor—you’re invited to pay attention to subtle sensations and shifts in your body.
This attentiveness can ground you in the present moment,
reinforcing the idea that your being is not just a static concept but a dynamic,
lived experience.
It’s a way of being-in-the-world that emphasizes presence over abstraction.

Second, it encourages a softening of boundaries within yourself.
The gentle, non-forced approach—doing only what’s pleasant and comfortable—suggests a shift from striving or controlling to allowing.
Ontologically, this could reflect a way of existing where you’re less defined
by rigid expectations (of self or body) and more open to fluidity and possibility.
It’s almost like rediscovering your being as something adaptable,

rather than fixed.

Third, the repetition and gradual progression—moving farther each time, sensing the chest on the thigh or the hip touching the leg—might cultivate a sense of becoming.

Rather than arriving at a final state, you’re engaging in a process of unfolding.
This aligns with an ontological perspective where existence isn’t about a finished “self” but an ongoing exploration of what you can be, moment by moment.

Fourth, the interplay between effort and rest—extending limbs and then lying back—mirrors a rhythm of being.
It acknowledges that existence involves both action and stillness,
tension and release.
This could deepen your understanding of yourself as a balanced entity, rather than “being” a doer, (a DOing) instead BEing somebody who thrives in cycles of engagement and recovery.

Finally, when you stand and walk at the end, noticing “what feeling there is in the body,” you’re prompted to reflect on how these movements reshape your way of inhabiting space. Ontologically, this might suggest that your sense of self isn’t separate from your physicality—it’s woven into how you move, touch the floor, or gaze at the wall.
It’s a reminder that your being is intimately tied to the world around you.

In short, this lesson could enrich your existence by making it more tangible,
process-oriented, and harmonious.”

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Does this resonate with how you experienced this 45minutes worth of movement? I’d love to hear your thoughts!