Do you ever feel self-conscious on the page? A shout-out to the Brevity blog for publishing these reflections on stumbling our way to consciousness through writing.
When my partner Emily teaches traditional circle dance to a group of newbies, they go through a predictable progression.
First, they stride easily into the class, unaware of their grace.
Next, Emily teaches a few steps. She’s patient, and the movements themselves are simple and repetitive. But students nonetheless trip over their feet, giggle to draw attention away from their awkwardness, scowl or apologize and sometimes give up. The circle jolts and falters.
Then, if the dancers continue practicing over weeks and months, their effort and self-consciousness fall away. They turn their attention away from individual steps to a shared, collective movement.
I know this learning progression from the inside because I, too, have been Emily’s student. Despite having two left feet, over time I’ve lost myself in the turning circle; I’ve closed my eyes and become the dance.
The pattern is uncannily similar to learning to write.