Earth as Witness • Linda Hartley

At the heart of the Discipline of Authentic Movement is the cultivation of a loving, compassionate and accepting witness within. Essential to this process is the presence of another who has travelled the path before us, an external witness who can see us with clarity and compassion. Moving in her/his presence, over time we gradually internalize the loving and compassionate witness; a place of clear awareness within is revealed. Authentic Movement is a relational practice – through relationship with another we come into deepened relationship with ourself, and through this we in turn deepen and expand our sense of connection with others, with Nature, Earth and the Sacred in its many expressions.

During the last year the lockdowns necessitated by the pandemic meant that many of us who practice Authentic Movement have been unable to meet to practice together. For some, sessions by video link have substituted for the embodied presence of another in the studio. For others, solo practice has deepened.

My practice space is my garden studio. It overlooks a field and is loosely surrounded by trees – oak, willow, fir, rowan. The skylight windows look up into the sky and the branches of an oak tree grace this view. Birds visit for a while or fly swiftly by, and their song is an accompaniment to my movement. During this time of intensified solo practice my relationship with the nature that surrounds the studio has grown.

I watched this studio space being created. First, a great deal of rubbish, some dead trees and shrubs, and three old garden sheds had to be cleared. It was tempting to leave the space that was revealed open and empty. The view over the fields invited settling into spaciousness and quiet – I could have left it just like this, a quiet, empty space to reflect in. But I continued with my dream of building the studio. Once the timber frame was up, again I was tempted to leave it as an open structure; I loved being in this open space, the wind blowing through and late afternoon sunlight filtering in through the upright wooden supports. Having known the building like this, I had such a clear sense of the walls, once they were installed, as being no more than a thin membrane containing some of the external space within them. From the beginning the boundary between the space within the studio and the vast space outside felt transparent, the separation barely present. Now, when I move in the studio, with its windows on three sides and above, and trees all around, I feel close to Nature.

My sense of Earth as witness has deepened during this period of sustained time at home and solo practice. What I have come to experience as Earth’s witness consciousness expresses particularly through the birds and trees, sometimes through clouds, rain, sun or wind. On a number of occasions, I have opened my eyes at the end of a movement session, looking up through the skylight window to see a bird – wood pigeon, blackbird, chaffinch – sitting on a branch of the oak tree, looking down into the studio. Head tilted slightly to one side, one eye looks directly at me. I cannot ascribe interest or curiosity – that would be to attempt to humanize a wild bird’s experience – but it is clearly looking at me and seeing me. I feel met.

The oak behind the studio has a strong presence that often pulls me towards it. With eyes closed, I often find myself sitting or standing by the wall behind which Oak stands, perhaps leaning into the tree’s support, or bowing to it. Occasionally kneeling and praying for help. We have gradually grown an intimate relationship. It has a quality that I would call masculine – clear, direct, unsentimental but strong and supportive – though again, I am at risk of humanizing the tree by ascribing human qualities. If I listen attentively, I may receive messages that offer guidance or comfort or inspiration.

Along the horizon, across the field at the front of the studio, stands a row of trees, also Oak. I see three of these through the windows, clear shapes against the sky, their innermost branches covered in ivy that gives each a distinct and unusual shape. Sometimes they greet me as I open my eyes at the end of a movement session, in such a way that I feel witnessed by them. One has a wide embrace of branches which brings me to, and reflects back to me, feelings of compassion and kindness; another has an energetic upward reach that I feel as inspiring and energizing, and have felt my own movement and feelings mirrored by this uplifting gesture; the third has fine dancing ‘fingers’ emerging from boughs densely covered by a mass of ivy – they evoke a light and joyful feeling, they make me smile.

Towards the end of the moving time, my hands become pure clear energy. They are rotated outwards and draw my extended arms further out behind me, and up. Just a brief moment. A moment of clear energy. Fresh. Both warm and cool. Full and empty.

Now, as my movement comes to a close, I am standing with my hands out in front of me, fingers gesturing upwards. I smile. My heart feels light and joyful.

Opening my eyes, I see the oak tree on the horizon, with its many arms lifted, fine fingers of branches emerging out of the dense heart of ivy and reaching directly up into the sky. I feel my own joy and lightness is witnessed through the gesture of the tree, reflecting my own gesture back to me.

Dancing tree. I know my connection to this tree, and bow in greeting. We are the same. I smile again as I recognise this. I feel she could be smiling back at me, laughing in joy.

(Excerpt from Authentic Movement journal)