Written by Founder and CEO, Sara Potler LaHayne
This week I’m with our friends from Grassroots Soccer, Skateistan and others in South Africa at the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards. As I hike up Table Mountain in South Africa, grasping the staples nailed into the rocks and pulling my weight up the peak, I feel exhilarated, energized and focused. I am lucky to have this time for reflection on Move This World’s growth and also be surrounded by those who recognize that difficult social issues can be addressed through creative modalities like games, play and the arts.
Sports, games and movement provide outlets for expression to embody emotions and deal with them in a healthy manner. They allow us to face and embody our issues and take action to mitigate, reduce or eliminate them by literally moving through them, allowing the body to heal the mind. On the dance floor at a conference in Mexico this month, I felt connected to fellow participants through our own favorite dance moves. It doesn’t matter if we are funders, university professors, youth workers or nonprofit CEOs — we are sharing in a moment of “getting down” that transcends labels or assumptions.
The power of embodied experience is that we are able to explore and express what we may otherwise not have words for or be too confined to define. When we teach, learn, and interact experientially, we connect theoretical concepts or ideas to real life. We at Move This World are thrilled to be partnering with organizations like Beyond Sport who share this vision.
When we strip labels and allow ourselves to truly explore the mind-body connection, an authentic sense of consciousness emerges. Whether it’s to address public health challenges or conflict in your community, I hope you find the time to explore mind-body connection and maybe even dance like no one is watching.
