“That’s not possible,” they said. “Do not squint with your eyes – you will remain like that,” they frightened. But were our teachers right? Is grimacing really that bad? If we discard modern conventions, turn to the origins and recall the relationship between the body and the psyche, then we can find a lot of interesting and useful things.
Dance of life
Ritual dances are an ancient tradition of mankind. One of the most interesting that has come down to our times is the haka, the dance of the Maori people. Nowadays, he has become the “calling card” of their sports team, gaining more than 11 million views on Youtube.
And do you know what they do there? Make faces! Unlike many of us, the indigenous people of New Zealand have retained a connection to Mother Nature and their unconscious. The dance in which they goggle menacingly, stick out their tongues, bare their teeth and show off their muscles is not a “naive” way for the natives to scare an opponent.
This is the perfect embodiment of the unity of the body and spirit, that is, the physical and mental in a person, the most healthy way, from the point of view of many psychotherapists, to express emotions without leaving them in the form of clamps in the body and without harming others.
Aggression
Before the start of the match, two teams perform a ritual dance, demonstrating fighting spirit, readiness for battle, and aggression. Aggression is almost taboo in our culture. But after all, we do not choose whether we want to feel it – it is simply born inside us. In response to negative words, actions or events, for example. This is energy, a storm that arises in us, and what we do with it … That’s right, we usually suppress it.
And then it remains “sores” in the body or splashes out in inadequate actions. In some cases, it manifests itself in crimes, violence, causing harm to others. But what if we release this energy through facial expressions and gestures? Bare your teeth and roll your eyes, stick out your tongue and growl? Show your nature and throw out aggression, but environmentally friendly for yourself and others?
Perhaps this is exactly what we lack in civilized life. And maybe that’s why the coloring of the haka dance is so mesmerizing. And our reaction to it can tell us how we deal with this energy in ourselves. What did you feel while watching this video?
If disgust, irritation, rejection – do they not speak of an excessive level of self-control, lack of spontaneity, suppression of aggression and a high level of shame (after all, “this is not the way to behave”)? Is this not evidence of a loss of healthy contact with one’s own body?
Live in your body
Gestalt therapy and many other psychotherapeutic areas pay special attention to the body. The ability to be aware of what is happening with the physical state is of great importance for the psychological self-regulation of a person. We often do not notice how nervous we stop breathing. We do not “catch” the moment when the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle “get stiff” from emotional stress. And then we are tormented by headaches and other somatic problems.
What can we learn from those who live in harmony with their nature? The dance of the haka begins with rhythmic deep breathing. People puff out their cheeks, each exhalation comes freely from the stomach, sometimes with a sound. Vigorous blows to the chest (by the way, higher primates show aggression in this way), on the sides and hips not only help to discharge, but also energize – for a fight, competition, victory.
We may not feel all the inner harmony of the dancer, but we read it from the side, the plastic and life-filled movements fascinate. The body becomes a conduit through which emotional energy freely passes and leaves.
“Making faces!”
In dealing with each other, we are used to keeping a face. This is given special importance in Western culture. To “lose face” means to lose oneself in the eyes of others. And how many artificial smiles and “poker faces” are around … In addition, there is a general ban on looking where it is interesting.
We learn this rule from childhood. Sometimes the easiest way is not to look anywhere at all, but to bury your head on the phone. There we have more freedom to look at what arouses curiosity. These are the conventions, the behavioral code, and for life in society it is necessary to navigate in it. Not everyone thinks about how much energy it takes and how it affects health.
Try to remember when you used facial expressions uncontrollably and naturally. Without limiting themselves, looked back at everything that was interesting. Five years? At ten? Foolishness and spontaneity have long been replaced by seriousness and control. But “a serious face is not yet a sign of intelligence, gentlemen,” as “the same Munchausen” said.
Mimicry in the haka dance is not a thoughtful theatrical performance, but a spontaneous manifestation of internal energy. Remember the dog’s face before the attack? The teeth are bared, the upper lip is raised (as people express contempt), the nose is slightly wrinkled. It is natural.
The “terrible” faces from the haka dance resemble the “lion pose” from yoga, in which, when the neck muscles are tense, it is necessary to stick out the tongue strongly forward. It is considered useful, even TV announcers practice it – it perfectly helps to eliminate stiffness in the muscles of the face and increases blood flow to the throat, to the vocal cords.
Practice
One way to release the accumulated tension and reconnect with the body can be a practice based on the haka dance. You can perform it both for a long time and “on the run”, situationally.
For example, if at work you feel anger, irritation, but it will be unsafe for you and / or for others to show them. Who’s stopping you from hiding in the toilet and baring your teeth while looking in the mirror? You can also try to roll your eyes and stick out your tongue, realizing anger and rage, giving yourself the right to experience and “release” them through facial expressions and body movements.
For a more thorough practice1 you need to find a place where no one will disturb you and you will be alone with yourself.
- Think about how you feel here and now.
- Try to feel where they are in your body – in muscle tension, holding your breath.
- Begin to breathe, being aware of each inhalation and exhalation. Do not hold the sound if it will “beg” in this process.
- With thoughts of what causes your anger or irritation, allow yourself all these “bad” feelings. Start making faces as described above – if possible, in front of a mirror. Do not think about whether it is “beautiful”, direct internal aggression into movements.
- Try slapping your sides, let your body move naturally.
- Try to feel all the muscles in motion. You can even imagine a “fight” with the enemy.
- You can finish the exercise with yoga shavasana: lie on the floor on your back and walk with conscious attention through the body, relaxing all the muscles from the tips of the fingers and toes to the center, not forgetting the neck, face, crown.
- After a while, “scan” the body again, returning to a feeling of strength and freedom of movement.
Well, if there is someone with whom you can share your anti-stress practice, showing each other your tongue, then you will experience a pleasant feeling of unity – perhaps this can only be done together with someone who is ready to accept you and not reject you in a variety of manifestations.
1 Like many other physical exercises, this can have limitations. If you have health problems, you need to consult a doctor.