“So that he may live”

February comes from the latin februare "to purify," and a proto-italic word meaning “the burning”. Ancient Romans believed fire to be a vital part of life’s natural cycle —so much so, they held the purification festival Februalia honoring Februus; “the underground one”.

Our ancient predecessors understood that during this time of year, though superficially the cold and barren winter was still underway, there was also a movement at play beneath the surface preparing life for its spring rebirth. They mirrored this in their own lives by washing, cleansing, sacrificing— literally and figuratively burning away the things in their own lives that no longer served, to clean the slate for a new chapter’s potential.

There exist echoes of this concept throughout human history and culture. The story of the phoenix explains that one only obtains new life by dying in a fire and rising from the ashes. This is not unlike the first step in most seven-step programs we know of, commencing with some iteration of “calcination” (burning the prima materia into ash). As removed as we may feel from ancient Rome, any practice of “Spring cleaning” is essentially our present day Februalia.

SFL - Superficial Front Line

Our second myofascial line of the calendar year is the Superficial Front Line (SFL).

This weave of tissues connects the entire front surface of the body from the top of the feet to the side of the skull in two pieces;

  • the lower portion (left and right ) running from the toes to the pelvis,

  • and the upper portion running pelvis to head.

When the hip is extended (as in standing) this line works like one continuous rubberband of integrated myofascia. We fully extend the SFL in shapes like the “cobra” or a swan dive. We shorten this line in a forward fold. We contract the lower portion to sweep the leg forward or upward, and just like a cat arching its back to protect throat and bowels; we contract our upper portion to create a defensive/ fetal position.

Self and Awe

January commences the calendar year by broadening our awareness of poise, and that how we carry ourselves is a choice.

February introduces our oppositional line; the SFL, and with it, our second layer of awareness; Self and awe. The SFL embodies this duality quite literally. When we shorten our SFL we increasingly orient towards the “self” (think the fetal position, Gollum caressing his “precious”, the “desk shrimp” or “tech neck” while lost in a smartphone). Conversely, when we extend our SFL we take on a position of outward focused awe (think open-chested stargazing, or the shape when we yawn, a word meaning “to be wide open, to request” ).

Both of these shapes can be useful in different situations, but via the over indulgence of “self” shapes, society has visibly curled in on itself. It is for this reason that the awareness mantra I use during February is “self and awe”. I let this echo and bounce around my subconscious through the month to remind myself that my poise or lack thereof is in my own hands. If “self” has bent me out of a balanced alignment, I know the equivalent correction is to spend time in genuine, humble awe.