Soaring
Freedom by Mastery
Discussions about individual rights and political freedom plaster the news, while other types of freedom are rarely discussed. Infants standing upright to take their first steps, gain freedom by moving beyond their crib or parent’s arms to explore on their own— freedom gained. An elder who falls and can’t get up without help will lose the confidence to move without fear of freedom lost.
I remember my 11-month-old-son learning to crawl backward in order to go down the eight stairs to our living room. For a half-hour, he went up and down while my husband and I watched to make sure he was safe. At the bottom of each trip, he would look up at us and grin. He cried when we got bored and picked him up to go somewhere else. Building muscles and the ability to master steps gave him great joy. The increased freedom he gained results from practice that strengthened his muscles and brain.
Dancers practice for years before they can leap and twirl with abandonment across a stage. They spend grueling hours focused on stretching, building muscles and training their brains to tell their limbs what to do. With each advance comes a greater ability to execute moves they imagine in their minds. They work hard and concentric to eliminate outside static and center on the moment. A dancer who gets in “the flow” or “the zone”experiences true freedom.
Musicians, artists, cooks, athletes, gardeners, and computer programmers speak about the transformation that occurs when the body they inhabit performs as they desire. They crave moments when they are so completely focused on the task at hand that they are unaware of what’s going on around them. When in the zone, you can float above the cares of everyday life until an insight frees you to create something unique. This is a freedom I enjoy when painting and writing.
Freedom can also be obtained from synergy. The effect of that comes from working together can be greater than the sum of the individuals in the group. Yet, as the group grows in stature and abilities, the individuals amazingly do too.
A teacher described to me what it was like to lead a jazz band of talented high school students. The youth were exceptional musicians who had been enrolled in private lessons since childhood. That they had mastered their instruments, led him to believe that if his students were free to express themselves, his band would create exceptional music. The result of everyone doing his or her own thing was chaos. It wasn’t until he took control and added structure, that their individual talents were able to shine through. With skills that perfectly matched the performance requirements set forth, the musicians entered a state of flow felt by their audience. They played so well the students didn’t need to think about how to execute notes but could give themselves over to feeling the music and to expressing their emotions. Within the constraints of the piece they were playing, the youths were free.
We cannot all be masterful artists, musicians, or athletes, but most of us are capable of nurturing body and mind and developing skills that match the performance requirements we set for ourselves. Establishing challenges, learning skills, practicing, and mastering tasks is a recipe for joy. Dopamine levels in the brain increase to make you feel good even when small tasks are accomplished. It is like a drug that makes you crave more. So, you set new goals initiating a cycle that increases freedom with every success.
The infant learning to crawl backward downstairs will later find joy in balancing a bicycle. The elder who practices how to spin slowly while going down and getting up will gain the confidence to move more freely. A quadriplegic with a functioning brain can find ways to transpose himself from the world he inhabits to the one he wants.
As the country struggles with issues around political freedom, remember there are other ways to judge how free you are. It is up to you to open your mind and soar.
Share your thoughts about individual freedom on my blog site.
Art is always for sale. Soaring is a 38” x 49” framed acrylic painting on canvas with feathers. Available for $765. For information, contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com.
