Survival is not guaranteed in the womb, or even beyond. Although the exact numbers are difficult to assess, researchers agree that many lives end very early, estimating 30 – 75% die in the first days before implantation (Jarvis, 2016). Every step of development involves meeting challenge (e.g., van der Wal, 2005). I remember as a child being thrilled watching baby plants pop their little heads out through the earth. The resistance seedlings encounter while pushing up through the earth keeps their stems from growing too long and stimulates stem thickening. Without adequate resistance, as well as water and nourishment, seedlings would not thrive. Embryos similarly need appropriate challenge and nourishment in order to move to their next stage of development. A basic principle of embryological development as presented by Blechschmidt (2004, p. 62) may be stated as “No performance without resistance.” (Van der Wal, 2016, p. 8).
Movements in a metabolic field are a fundamental characteristic of the process of development. The movements of particles in these fields always occur against resistance on the part of their surroundings and thus represent real work in a biophysical sense. This work, when expended over a period of time, in turn signifies a particular (biophysical) power, which represents an embryonic performance or achievement. This means that the development of a human being from the earliest stages onwards, can be interpreted, in a dynamic and biological sense, as a performance specific to an individual (Blechschmidt, 2004, p. 62).
We are truly brilliant beings with great potential. We already know how and have already performed the necessary work to form an entire, complex body beginning with just one intelligent cell! How we know this remains mysterious, even as science is able to describe the phenomenon with increasing detail. Entering into the mystery of this powerful phase of development enables us to access this early potential. While science is investigating how to utilize stem cells to support health, Emilie Conrad (2013), perceived the embryo as representing a universal motif, and suggested we can each access this original potential more directly through movement practice for our own health and well-being. The embryo develops as an organism orchestrating cell multiplication, which goes wrong in the rampant growth of cancer (Van der Wal, 2017a). The embryo teaches us that we can organize our bodies in cells, as Van der Wal (2017a) describes. We can remember and return to our original potential. This is the theme of this book. Let us begin with an exploration of the beingness state of the embryo, an important aspect of the context for development.
Doing Not Doing – Wu Wei
The ancient Chinese expression, wu wei seems to apply to the activities of the embryo. Wu wei is a Taoist term meaning “action that is non-action.” (Wikipedia). This is a natural action. A tree, for example, grows but it is not active in this growing. Human embryos develop in the same way.
When we begin to examine how embryological development relates to our experience later in life, we may at first be stumped. An obvious contrast is our level of activity. While we spend most of our lives busily exploring and interacting with our worlds, the embryo appears to be just as occupied passively growing and developing. How can we compare the two?
Herein lies the essence of the potential the embryo has to offer us. Far from being inert, the embryo is actively engaging in its life, albeit at a much more subtle level than we are often aware of. What if we were able to join the little one in that level of subtle activity? We may discover a remarkably rich way of being, where doing and not doing meet. While this is natural for the embryo, I maintain it can be highly nutritive for all of us.
Embryonic Wu Wei
The Taoist notion of wu wei refers to a natural doing without attachment, action through inaction. As far as we know, the embryo forms itself naturally, without attachment to how it evolves. Beginning as a unicellular organism, known as the zygote or fertilized egg, emerging from
the meeting of two cells, embryonic experience occurs at a cellular level. We will see later how it may be more accurate to say the egg is “pollinated” by the sperm (Bhuner, 2004), and I shall avoid using the popular term, “fertilization”. Re-visiting this subtle aspect of being, we discover embryos as apparent masters of being. Their activities of metabolizing, growing, dividing, shapeshifting, and migrating all involve communication at subtle levels. Rather than actively working to change their shape, grow, or move, cells interact with what surrounds them. They are simply being with what is! Wu wei. They are active in many ways, but they are not exactly doing.
Cells communicate through being. The bio-energetic and bio-magnetic fields of cells interact through resonance. Rather than picking up a phone, choosing a number, then speaking and listening (or these days, typing), cells radiate and receive. Yet, they do this without active doing. They communicate through internal activities, like digestion. It’s a bit like when your stomach gurgles in response to the sounds of a friend’s stomach near you. It’s not that you are trying to resonate with their digestive tube; it simply happens.
Note: This is an excerpt from the recently published book by Cherionna Menzam-Sills, Spirit into Form: Exploring Embryological Potential and Prenatal Psychology. (References referred to are available in the book.)
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I so appreciated your book Cherionna.
I found myself getting new insights and working with new processees in my adult life through the exercises you have sprinkled throughout it.
One of these, for example, was the concept of umbilical affect – and the dilemmas we can have with needing to let some things in through the umbllical cord (nutrients, for example) while keep other things out (maternal hormonal reflections of anxiety, as an example). I’d heard of this before and done a lot of personal work in the pre and perinatal realm but had not quite grasped it as fully as I did when I read about it.
I love your example above of the little sprout whose stem gets strengthened and prevented from growing too long as a result of its relationship with the earth it pushes through. I don’t remember that one from your book and it was a lovely reminder.
I have resubscribed to receve your blog posts as I somehow stopped receiving them, so it’s nice to be back :-).
These days I’m practicing and working with “we wei-ing” !!
Veronique, thanks so much for your comment. I’m so glad that my book helped with your understanding of the important concept of umbilical affect. In reference to the little sprout, I suppose we are all little sprouts, pushing our heads through the challenges presented by life!
Great that you are resubscribed. I wonder what happened! Welcome back! And thank you for your important work.I hope readers of my blog will also check out yours. I particularly appreciate your recognition of ABEs – Adverse Babyhood Experiences. It is so important to acknowledge that adverse experiences that can have lifelong impacts on our health and well-being often occur long before we can talk about them.