“I move, therefore I am.”

~ Haruki Murakami, 1Q84

As humans it is hard to be still. We tend to want continuous motion or progression. Maybe it is because it has been instilled in us since a very young age with an evolving list of milestones, such as first steps, first words, first dates, advancement through school, first job, promotions at work, or accolades, awards and recognition for contributions or achievements.  As we get older, we seemingly are driven to get to the next milestone, sometimes not only for ourselves but for some type of social acceptance or inclusion.

Maybe our desire for continuous motion comes from the evolutionary process of the human development, whereby we progressed our physical and behavioral traits over a period of six million years from apelike to where we are today. As we are more advanced human beings (relative to where we began and where are are now, but noting via ascension progression will continue), there are times where we feel like we are being idle or, at least, not moving forward in our personal lives. 

In this state we seek more—to do more, be more—or to do or be something different.  We may feel that if we are still too long, we are not advancing or we are losing our “edge” and therefore losing our relevancy or sustainability. We ask ourselves are we personally becoming extinct or an “endangered species.”

It may be that we are not discontent or unhappy, but feeling bored. Our bodies and souls feel a need for new experiences, but where we want or need to have those experiences are not yet formed or built. We are waiting for various pieces to come together, and it can be difficult to see that our current experiences and people put on our path are all part of the evolution.

We can have gratitude for where we are and what we have but still feel a desire (maybe an instinct) to have forward motion. It is not that we are being ungrateful or selfish. We simply have the human desire to cultivate other things in our lives—to make a contribution, to be creative, to help others, etc., and this is movement.

If we have movement, we may feel more alive and in the moment. It may not necessarily be about advancement for more or better, but the movement is almost like a catalyst for our purpose and our existence.

Movement helps us make sense of the world and ourselves. Movement is fundamental to our sense of self and existence.