Most people are familiar with the 5 senses: Hearing, Sight, Smell, Taste and Touch and their importance to us daily. It is possible to live without one or two of these but it does make life a little more difficult.
During the middle of the last Century Neurophysiologists added a ‘Sixth Sense’ to the list of senses. This sense is called Proprioception and is the sense of balance, position and movement in space. Proprioception means ‘to feel within’ and is sometimes referred to as the ‘eyes of the body’.
The sense is reliant upon receptors in the joints, muscles and the organs of balance in the inner ear. Using these you can judge your position and mass in space and be aware of the muscular tension you use to keep you there.
Most of the movements you execute throughout the day are automatic and are not, under normal circumstances, dependent upon great thought by yourself. Usually reaching this state is good and allows you to deal, with and respond to, everyday tasks that life throws you. However, this situation can also lead to the suppression of feedback that you are getting from your body telling you when you are over-contracting your muscles. As a result, you will learn to disregard the messages telling you that your muscles are getting tight and fatigued. The inherent danger here is that if it is not checked your tensions and erroneous positions will start to feel normal and become embedded within the programming of your body.
Tuning into this sixth sense is a good way to awaken feelings and become more aware of your balance, position and movement in space. As practitioners of Wing Chun, we can make great advancements using our 6th sense to enhance the control and precision with which we use our bodies.
In 1890 a Tasmanian called Frederick Matthias Alexander devised a technique to help himself overcome vocal difficulties that doctors could not diagnose. Using mirrors and a personal study, he concluded that his problems were due to misuse of the postural mechanism and that this was probably the culprit of many of man’s ills.
Frederick progressed his technique and in 1932 described, in ‘The Use of the Self’, his process of self-discovery and the technique he had devised. Today the ‘Alexander Technique’ is widely recognised in many circles as a reliable and effective form of self-help, which achieves success by enabling you to ‘tune in’ to your sixth sense.
Wing Chun is renowned for its effective, REAL self-defence however the Wing Chun style itself runs much deeper than that. The mechanical and physical principles taught use proprioception so you can ‘tune in’ to your sixth sense to gain a more internal understanding of your Wing Chun, not just the external. Incorporating Wing Chun principles into your everyday routine isn’t just about martial arts; it’s a lifestyle choice that will boost your health and well-being.
Leave a Reply