I believe the following principle of Aesthetic Realism, the philosophy founded by American poet and critic Eli Siegel, is true about the art and science of physical therapy: “All beauty is a making one of opposites, and the making one of opposites is what we are going after in ourselves.”
As a fortunate recipient of both physical and occupational therapy at the Gouverneur Hospital in New York City, I’ll try to give some of the reasons I think this is so:
Self and World, Body and Earth
The aim of physical therapy, as I understand it, is to have a person able to meet the world and interact with it in a way that has strength, accuracy and ease. We come from the earth and our bodies are in constant physical relation to it, including to that primal force, gravity. Physical therapy aims to make that relation as strong, efficient and pain-free as possible.
Criticism and Encouragement, Assertion and Yielding
The therapist has a job of asking more from you than you may feel inclined to give, while at the same time trying to make sure they’re not pushing you too far. Likewise, the patient has to want to challenge oneself, but not so much that there’s excess pain or harm.
Expansion and Contraction, Stiffness and Flexibility
In my case there was terrific stiffness in my left leg; it was too tight. The therapists have had me expand the muscles there through steady exercise, and the result is that each day, those muscles are able to contract and expand more naturally, with much less pain and stiffness.
Familiarity and Newness
Physical therapy brings back activities that you once did easily and took for granted, and has you gratefully return to that ability and see it as something both familiar and new.
Pain and Pleasure
In the course of physical therapy, you are sometimes asked to do things that bring on more pain, and you can think, Why should I have to do that? It hurts! But in the long run, overcoming the pain gets you to a state where you are better able to move, and as the pain lessens over time, there’s a satisfaction in knowing your ability to move as you want to is growing. So along with the pain, there is pleasure in witnessing your progress.
The Aesthetics of Good Will
Aesthetic Realism defines good will as “The desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful, for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful.” That second part is very important. The therapist has to feel, “I’m taking care of myself in a big way by working to have this other person better off in this world!” Otherwise, there will be something like patronizing or a sense of just going through the motions. The patient will feel the difference and the effect will not be all that it can be. Also, the therapist will feel something important is missing, and will be dissatisfied.
I invite the readers of this to think of more ways opposites are one in physical therapy. I’m thinking of more myself: hard and soft, small steps and large goals, energy and grace, freedom and exactitude.
Feel free to comment below.
Kevin Fennell
To learn more: www.AestheticRealism.org