Mind the Body: Mind the Body: Unearthing the affiliation between Unearthing the affiliation between

the conscious body and the the conscious body and the reflective mindreflective mind

Eeva AnttilaEeva AnttilaTheatre AcademyTheatre Academy

eeva.anttila@teak.fieeva.anttila@teak.fi

PresuppositionsPresuppositions

Bodily knowledge and mental reflections are Bodily knowledge and mental reflections are intertwined intertwined

It is possible to facilitate their relationshipIt is possible to facilitate their relationship

Research questionResearch question

What kinds of mental reflections does bodily What kinds of mental reflections does bodily presence generate? presence generate?

Bodily PresenceBodily Presence

Being attuned to bodily sensations as they Being attuned to bodily sensations as they become present to consciousness; become present to consciousness; “listening to the body”“listening to the body”

By and large mediated by the By and large mediated by the proprioceptive systemproprioceptive system

Intertwined with bodily consciousness, i.e. Intertwined with bodily consciousness, i.e. historically and culturally constructed historically and culturally constructed bodily knowledgebodily knowledge

Mental ReflectionsMental Reflections

Contents of consciousness, the whole Contents of consciousness, the whole sphere of human experience sphere of human experience

Prereflective and reflectivePrereflective and reflectivePossibly conscious and already conscious; Possibly conscious and already conscious;

more or less clearmore or less clearSensations, images, dreams, thoughts Sensations, images, dreams, thoughts

Focus of the studyFocus of the study Contents of consciousness that arise when attending to Contents of consciousness that arise when attending to

the bodythe body The interplay between different modes of consciousnessThe interplay between different modes of consciousness The relationship between prereflective and reflective The relationship between prereflective and reflective

consciousness (Maitland 1995)consciousness (Maitland 1995) The extent to which it is possible to become aware of The extent to which it is possible to become aware of

prereflective experiences (Maitland 1995, Rauhala 2005)prereflective experiences (Maitland 1995, Rauhala 2005) The meanings that our bodily experiences generate The meanings that our bodily experiences generate

when attended to (Rauhala 2005)when attended to (Rauhala 2005) The relationship between the living body and the lived The relationship between the living body and the lived

body: A “body-body” problem (Thompson 2007)body: A “body-body” problem (Thompson 2007)

Methodology: IntrospectionMethodology: Introspection Observing inner reality as part of physical realityObserving inner reality as part of physical reality Connection between neural dynamics and phenomenal Connection between neural dynamics and phenomenal

experiences (James 1890)experiences (James 1890) Neural, motor and cognitive structures are linked (Lakoff Neural, motor and cognitive structures are linked (Lakoff

& Johnson 1999) & Johnson 1999) ““Our bodies shape the way we think” (Pfeifer & Bongard Our bodies shape the way we think” (Pfeifer & Bongard

2007)2007) Kinship to the method of phenomenological reduction Kinship to the method of phenomenological reduction

(Vermersch 1999)(Vermersch 1999) The “fringe”The “fringe”: As we focus on a certain aspect in our : As we focus on a certain aspect in our

field of consciousness, other aspects fade into the field of consciousness, other aspects fade into the background and become less clear (James 1890)background and become less clear (James 1890)

Methodology, continuedMethodology, continued

High articulationHigh articulation means that the focal object means that the focal object becomes more detailed than we usually becomes more detailed than we usually experience (James 1890)experience (James 1890)

Our perception of the body is vague (in the Our perception of the body is vague (in the fringe) when there is no movement (Merleau-fringe) when there is no movement (Merleau-Ponty 1995/1962)Ponty 1995/1962)

The felt-sense of the body can be heightened The felt-sense of the body can be heightened through movement: different forms of paying through movement: different forms of paying attention to things and perceiving are learned attention to things and perceiving are learned (Rouhiainen 2007)(Rouhiainen 2007)

ProceduresProcedures Combining movement, or bodily activity, Combining movement, or bodily activity,

introspection and writingintrospection and writing Introspection: consciously directing attention to Introspection: consciously directing attention to

bodily sensations and accompanying mental bodily sensations and accompanying mental reflectionsreflections

Writing immediately after physical activity and Writing immediately after physical activity and introspection leaves a trace, a record, of mental introspection leaves a trace, a record, of mental reflections reflections

Five persons (including myself) generated 22 Five persons (including myself) generated 22 pages of reflectionspages of reflections

Female dance professionals, aged 30-50 Female dance professionals, aged 30-50

Data analysisData analysis

Analysis included transcribing, reading, Analysis included transcribing, reading, summarizing into one narrativesummarizing into one narrative

Qualitative, thematic analysis: classifying Qualitative, thematic analysis: classifying and labelling and labelling

11 topics and four themes11 topics and four themes

THINKING

About thinkingGender

Frictions

SENSING

EmotionsPain

Bodily sensationsBreath

CONNECTING

RelationshipsBody-Mind unity

OBSERVING

EnvironmentGaze

General notionsGeneral notions

Ease and swiftness of the movement Ease and swiftness of the movement between perceiving, sensing and thinkingbetween perceiving, sensing and thinking

Inner life seems to be spontaneous yet Inner life seems to be spontaneous yet purposeful purposeful

The experiences and meanings that arose The experiences and meanings that arose resemble improvisation where chance and resemble improvisation where chance and purpose are intertwinedpurpose are intertwined

ThemesThemes ObservingObserving: starts from the outer world, related : starts from the outer world, related

to external sensesto external senses ThinkingThinking: topics are characterized by “inner : topics are characterized by “inner

talk”; indirectly connected to outer perceptions or talk”; indirectly connected to outer perceptions or inner sensationsinner sensations

SensingSensing: directly connected to inner awareness : directly connected to inner awareness or sensationsor sensations

ConnectingConnecting: represents connectedness with : represents connectedness with others and the world, and a transfer from a others and the world, and a transfer from a bodily sensation to reflective thought.bodily sensation to reflective thought.

Connectedness: How meanings are situated Connectedness: How meanings are situated in our lived bodyin our lived body. .

Excerpts from data: Excerpts from data: ObservingObserving

“ “The air in the studio is quite bad and thick, The air in the studio is quite bad and thick, even though the door is open. The blinds even though the door is open. The blinds on the windows are closed, and we are on the windows are closed, and we are completely in our own world. Women completely in our own world. Women together.”together.”

ThinkingThinking

“ “There is a lot of tension in my forehead – There is a lot of tension in my forehead – as if my thinking action took place as if my thinking action took place there . . . I realize how thoughts and there . . . I realize how thoughts and concerns are located in my head – my concerns are located in my head – my forehead and face. How thinking forehead and face. How thinking generates tension in the face and in the generates tension in the face and in the muscles of the head. So, thinking blocks muscles of the head. So, thinking blocks me. How could I be not thinking for a me. How could I be not thinking for a moment.”moment.”

SensingSensing

“ “I feel that my neck is tight and there is a I feel that my neck is tight and there is a point close to my throat in which it point close to my throat in which it becomes difficult to breathe. Here I feel becomes difficult to breathe. Here I feel constricted . . . I feel that I am trying to constricted . . . I feel that I am trying to retreat, to withdraw from being seen and retreat, to withdraw from being seen and addressed.”addressed.”

ConnectingConnecting

“ “I become warm and sweaty, energy is I become warm and sweaty, energy is bubbling in me. Play arises from bubbling in me. Play arises from somewhere in my body.”somewhere in my body.”

DiscussionDiscussion

Meanings related to the body seem to bear Meanings related to the body seem to bear special significance for dancersspecial significance for dancers

They know through their bodies and about their They know through their bodies and about their bodiesbodies

They seem to be able to generate rich meanings They seem to be able to generate rich meanings based on their bodily experiencesbased on their bodily experiences

Often these reflections are poetic and Often these reflections are poetic and metaphoric in nature, and are related to metaphoric in nature, and are related to existential questions and complex issues related existential questions and complex issues related to oneself, others and the worldto oneself, others and the world

Pedagogical implicationsPedagogical implications

Deriving meanings from bodily experiences can Deriving meanings from bodily experiences can support self-understanding and personal growthsupport self-understanding and personal growth

Sharing one’s own reflections with others can Sharing one’s own reflections with others can support mutual understanding and a more caring support mutual understanding and a more caring attitude towards othersattitude towards others

Access to prereflective experiences may be a Access to prereflective experiences may be a significant resource in all learning: a wider significant resource in all learning: a wider conception of learning and knowledgeconception of learning and knowledge

Anyone can learn to “mind” their bodyAnyone can learn to “mind” their body

Why Mind the Body?Why Mind the Body?

Strengthening the connection between Strengthening the connection between different modes of consciousness is a different modes of consciousness is a matter of finding more complexity and matter of finding more complexity and clarity at the same time; it is one way clarity at the same time; it is one way towards a meaningful lifetowards a meaningful life

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