Neuroscience is clear: there is no plastic change without attention. The brain tracks where we direct our attention and allocates resources there.
Three layers of attention
In a session, attention usually works in three layers: noticing what is happening in a specific part of the body, noticing the quality of the movement, and noticing how that quality reflects in everyday life.
The moment all three layers light up at once — that is the moment a new connection is being formed.
A small experiment at home
Sit on a chair. Place your feet on the floor. Slowly lift one heel off the floor and place it back down. First at your usual speed. Then three times slower — and this time pay attention to how your ankle rotates. The difference between the two experiences is, in essence, why the method works.
More writings
Slowness: the art of building new connections in the brain
When we slow movement down, the brain begins to perceive the subtleties it usually misses — and that is where real learning begins.
ChildrenNeuroMovement for children: opening up possibilities
When working with children with special needs, the method's core question stays the same: what can we offer this brain to learn something new?