Life Through Dance

Doing Without Doing

By Elizabeth Dickinson

Foot spins are problematic. They're supposed to be done on the sole of the foot and look effortless. You're not supposed to need a lot of momentum to execute them.

I have found them pretty hard to do (and it's annoying how easy they seem when teachers do them). I have worked (and worked) on them. Balance is sometimes an issue. It doesn't matter if I start down and come up in my legs to finish or start up in my legs and come down to finish; I don't always feel balanced.

I had a bit of a breakthrough a couple of weeks ago when I tried to stop (yet again) putting too much effort into them. I just set an intention to do it and, lo and behold, the foot spin took care of itself.

This reminds me of the meaning behind the Rune Othila from the Norse alphabet. It says, in part: "When you refocus on what you're trying to achieve, fix your mind on the goal and let your thoughts attract the energy you need to reach it. Concentrate, but don't try to force the issue. Your objective is like a wild bird in your hand; if you grip it too tightly, it will kill it."

In life, sometimes intention can do what effort cannot. It's hard to remember that when you've put a lot of time and energy into goals. Our culture rewards striving and has little to say about effortless intention, but like foot spins, certain goals are best served by intention.

The summation of the Rune meaning is: "You do without doing, and everything gets done."

May we pursue our paths, knowing where and when a simple intention will work.