Body of the tongue - Perception, projection, presence and the mystery of speech

"The way a person feels can influence the organisation of their body. So too the organisation of a persons body can influence the way that they feel. How does a fish with a centre of gravity in its thorax experience the sensations of being? Our development from a single cell to a functional adult in many ways mirrors the evolution of life on earth. Do we carry within us the capacity to feel like a lizard? Modern day humans are often lost in time. Projecting then reacting to memories of past experience at the expense of the present moment. How do we navigate our world? Lizards use their tongues - Each side of the tongue picking up molecules of scent. Recent research indicates that our tongue may contain olfactory receptors. Can we navigate the world with our tongue? My contention is that we do. It’s just that the drivers are no longer scent molecules but words. The ceaseless narrative of our inner life is expressed in the dance of the tongue, often wringing its hands as we choose where to go. Is this a cause or a consequence? What happens if we pay attention to scent with our tongue? or to how its movements relate to our internal state and in particular to the feelings in our gut? This session will use the Feldenkrais Method to pay close attention to the experience of our tongue and its relationship to thought and feeling. Working with the tongue in this way can distract us from its habitual responses to our inner commentary. If this is the case, and we can have a holiday in the present moment - What is the mystery of speech and what is the role of the tongue?