English with Co-pilot
A stick figure is a simplified drawing of a real or imaginary person, drawn one-dimensionally (without spatial extension) except for the round head, which is two-dimensional.
It takes just five lines for us to perceive the figure. Sometimes the arms and legs attach directly to the torso line, sometimes shoulders and pelvis are drawn. If the arms are crooked, we perceive them as bent; if the leg lines are crooked, we perceive knees. Hands and feet are sometimes drawn but are not necessary for the basic understanding of the figure. Not even the head is needed.
A similar image consisting of five lines represents a part of the self-image. In English, the terms "cardinal lines" or "essential lines" are used. These can be expressed as main or principal lines, as well as fundamental and vital lines. These lines are deeply embedded in perception and self-awareness.
For example, when we see a person, we perceive five basic skeletal lines: the torso including the head, the arms, and the legs. We perceive whether the person is coming towards us or moving away. We can also interpret what the person is doing. In a stick figure, the lines are straight and schematic. The torso line is actually curved, with curves and counter-curves bulging in different directions. The straight line is an exception.
It is possible to imagine and feel these five lines within ourselves at any time. This brings awareness.
You roughly know your posture as you sit and read this. Pause and feel it. If you are sitting with your legs crossed, you know it. You know if one or both feet are on the floor or if there is more pressure on one sitting bone. You know if you are tilting your head or turning one ear or eye forward. You know if your arms are straight or bent or if you have them crossed. With a little attention, you know how you are holding your hands, the position of your thumbs and fingers. It is harder to follow the torso line or the curves of the spine. Perceiving the position of a single vertebra is difficult. The awareness required for a Feldenkrais process makes the five lines visible with full attention and full distinction.
These five lines are part of the self-image, which in turn precedes the action image. In action, these lines form the basis for everything we do and are – and we can be aware of this. The lines are the foundation of biological posture.
In the Feldenkrais system, attention to the lines and their changes is an active tool for learning. Sometimes there is an experience that they change by themselves during the lesson. But they are also a guideline for adjustment and self-correction.
If several images are put together in sequence to form a film, it is called animation, and it is possible to perceive a sequence of events and how the figure moves. But one figure is enough to get an idea of what it is doing. There is also a general human consensus to interpret the figure that transcends different cultures. It is something we recognize and it is deeply rooted in the mind/brain. By deeply, it means fundamental, early, or primitive. It is also possible to understand a figure with the fingertips if the sense of touch is used instead of sight.
