Why Subtlety Matters More Than You Think

Have you ever known someone who speaks loudly, even in seemingly calm situations? While hearing difficulties can sometimes play a role, it's often not the case. Instead, this person might struggle to perceive the difference between loud and soft, or they may not be fully aware of the impact their volume has on others.

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This month we're highlighting the quality of subtlety, one of the 9 essentials of the NeuroMovementⓇ Method, our secret sauce here at The Moovy Studio. My hope is that sharing knowledge will spark your interest, and your interest will lead you to take meaningful action. 

What is Subtlety, and why does it matter?

Imagine yourself pushing through an intense workout, focused solely on lifting the heaviest weight or achieving the fastest pace. In this state, where you're pushing to the limit, it's easy to miss the subtle signals your body is sending – a slight twinge in your back, a burning sensation in your muscles. Ignoring these subtle cues can easily lead to pain and injury. Just like in exercise, neglecting subtlety in our daily lives can have similar consequences.

Instead of viewing the world in broad strokes, missing the finer details and nuances, embracing subtlety allows us to perceive a richer tapestry of information. It's like gaining the ability to distinguish the intricate brushstrokes and delicate shading in a painting, where previously we only saw the basic shapes and colors. By honing this skill, we expand our awareness and understanding of ourselves and the world around us, fostering deeper connections and navigating life's complexities with greater agility.

Think of subtlety as creating a receptive environment for information to flow. And here’s an interesting phenomena: By practicing subtlety in movements, we enhance our brain's capacity to discern finer details, not just in physical movement, but also emotionally, cognitively, and even in our perception of space and time. In other words, our brain itself becomes better at detecting subtle differences, independent of the content we’re perceiving.

Remember, as I mentioned before, the embodied brain thrives on integrating information flow. By practicing subtlety, we essentially upgrade our brain's ability to learn and adapt in all aspects of life.

And when it comes to healthy movement, the goal is functional health, not winning or being the strongest or looking good in your swimming suit. Those are very different goals than developing a healthy, flexible, functional, adaptable, mobile body that serves you in living your life. 

And that’s why using subtlety in movement is so potent.

How to use Subtlety with Movement

The trick with perceiving finer details is to remember that they are always connected to a greater whole. Just like appreciating the delicate brushstrokes in a painting doesn't negate the importance of seeing the entire composition, honing our ability to perceive subtle details allows us to integrate them into a bigger picture. We don't want to "mistake the forest for the trees," as the saying goes. Instead, we want to integrate what we learn, to gain a deeper felt experience of the whole enchilada.

Ready to experiment with subtlety?

I want to share a fun movement lesson that invites you to explore subtlety in movement. When you experience how these subtle shifts affect your perception and feeling, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the power of subtlety in waking you up to your beautiful aliveness!

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You can find the lesson at this link.

Enjoy!