“We have a word for that in Japanese,” he said. “It’s called ma. Emptiness. It’s there intentionally.”

Is that like the “pillow words” that separate phrases in Japanese poetry?

“I don’t think it’s like the pillow word.” He clapped his hands three or four times. “The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb.”

Which helps explain why Miyazaki’s films are more absorbing and involving than the frantic cheerful action in a lot of American animation. I asked him to explain that a little more.

“The people who make the movies are scared of silence, so they want to paper and plaster it over,” he said. “They’re worried that the audience will get bored. They might go up and get some popcorn.

But just because it’s 80 percent intense all the time doesn’t mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions–that you never let go of those.

— Roger Ebert in conversation with Hiyao Miyazaki

9. movement–feel the difference 

what this is not: a double demand to exercise AND to enjoy it

what this is: an open invitation to explore movement that feels good to you, whenever, however, if ever you’re interested 

let’s first be clear that exercise is only a minor health determinant. our health status is much more affected by our social location than our individual behaviors. the benefits of exercise have been grossly exaggerated in popular culture. exercise is not a cure, a guarantee, or available to everyone. i like the word “movement” bc it removes the false promises, strictures, and inaccessibility of formal exercise. movement can be a LOT of things.

what feels good to you? a deep inhale with arms stretched upward? rolling your neck? vagus nerve yoga? gardening? dancing? walking? flipping giant tires? lifting weights among grunting men? scrubbing the bathtub? swimming? shopping? playing with kids? any of these can be practiced as movement. notice the sensations it brings, check in with your body. where do you feel it, and how? even sitting upright can be a movement practice when we turn our attention to the muscles it engages and the feel of the position. our bodies are always working.

what you want w movement is something that feels good while you’re engaging in it, and afterwards. if you do something you hate, you’re unlikely to benefit from it long term. if you do something you love but which has negative physical or emotional consequences, also not beneficial. this is a tender approach, right? that’s the deal in intuitive eating! we are kind to the body. 

intuitive movement honors the changes that life brings. what feels good at one time may not feel good at another. 

intuitive movement incorporates rest.

intuitive movement requires no “discipline.” it is a practice, but one that is driven by its intrinsic benefits–if those are absent, the practice is unlikely to improve health status over time.