Faculty 7: Anatomical Assessment

The Arms"It is good to be tired and wearied by the futile search after the true good, that we may stretch out our arms to the Redeemer." - Blaise Pascal

The Arms

"Support the Arms" 

When we consciously /unconsciously exchange our deficiencies for strengths we can wrap our arms around any challenge in an earnest embrace of what needs to get done. (f7)

To understand body language study how the arms move. While the hands may be the hallmark of our gestural personality, the arms inspire their every expression. Ultimately, the arms are the tunnel/funnel for pathways (brachial plexus) between the head, heart and hands.

Remember the scene in Dirty Dancing (1987 coming of age drama) when Johnny Castle is teaching Frances "Baby" Houseman how to dance? After several blunders he tells her straight, "Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame." From learning the mambo in Dirty Dancing to drawing a line in the sand, the upper limbs establish boundaries and sanction space.

Our arms are busy executing the "to do" list. Carrying groceries, chopping wood, folding laundry and putting away dishes are only a few of the many tasks in a long list of chores. Our arms also play a pivotal role in our pursuits. Holding bras au repos in ballet class, fly-casting in a lake and throwing strikes from the diamond are only a few of the many activities in an endless array of endeavors.

Our arms tell stories. Arm swinging plays an important role in making our stride more efficient. Crossing arms over the chest provides for safety. Open arms convey receptivity. A stiff arm may ward off a tackle. Flailing arms may signal we need help. "Office arms" may indicate too much thinking. "Where's the beach arms" or "Guns" may indicate too much vanity.

To support the arms, we layer together a series of actions to create efficient systems. For example, in a low push up position - if we rely solely on the strength of the arms to hold us above ground we will have less staying power than if we actively recruit the whole body.

In a mental checklist, we signal the parts in a bottom up sequence: Grounding the Feet, Individuating the Legs, Stabilizing the Hips, Engaging the Ribs and Organizing the Shoulders, for example, come together to Support the Arms.

Slender appendage like the limbs of a tree - sustaining demands from outer edges, the arms must root into a source connection to fully realize they needn't go it alone.

Marker Points: Heads of Humerus

Main Points: Humerus, Ulna, Radius, Deltoid Tuberosity, Greater and Lesser Tubercle, Medial and Lateral Epicondyles, Coronoid Fossa, Olecranon Fossa, Styloid Process

View Faculty 7 Purposeful Fidget