Spatial Awareness in the times of Corona
It started in line inside a gas station about 6 weeks ago. The crisis was still very much in the beginning phase in the Netherlands in terms of awareness and social distancing, and as I looked at the people in line for the cash register, they barely had any space between them. So, I chose to stand in another aisle (which was closed) and await my turn there. They all looked at me, and I told them (in a polite way) that I didn’t think they were standing 1,5 meters apart from each other. They all just shrugged. I felt like directing them where to stand, but refrained from doing so. In the following weeks, when I had to go shopping, or go to the post office, I noticed I would have to constantly be moving in order to keep 1,5 meters from all sides. It was at times a daunting task, but at the same time, in a weird way, fun; I was dancing I realized.
More than ever during the crisis, have I been aware how people move around outside these days. Or as the NYT dance critic, Gia Kourlas explains in a terrific article: ‘How are we using our bodies to navigate a pandemic?’ (New York Times, 31 March 2020)
In the Netherlands for instance, there is a partial lockdown in which people can go grocery shopping and have walks, but have to stay at 1,5 meters distance from each other. Suddenly things we have always taken for granted have been turned upside down. Walking outside isn’t the relaxing activity it used to be, and grocery shopping becomes a stressful event of trying to navigate our way around a limited space while still trying to keep distance from other shoppers. But we do have to realize, that for many, the gift of being able to move outside is still available to us, though we should use it very sparingly. And all we are asked to do, is abide the 1,5-meter (or 6 feet) rule in most places in the world.
As I walk and bike through Amsterdam in the very limited moments I go outside, I’ve noticed how I navigate my way around others and my heightened awareness of this process. Often to my dismay and utter frustration, I’ve noticed how others deal with being outside. Many seem to be oblivious of the distances; of their space. I just have to look outside my window and see the neighbors cross each other on the street with barely a half a meter distance, and runners passing an old couple without any perception or awareness of space. Apparently 1,5 meters means something very different to others, and I keep thinking; what’s unclear about 1,5 meters??
I was a waiter for a few years, and that experience, together with my theater background and training, has made me very aware of the space around me. When holding glasses of wine on a tray, I had to be extra alert, coordinated, and aware of everyone around me, so as not to spill anything. As an actor, you have to become aware of standing in your light, the audience, the stage, where the camera is focused on, and of the distance between you and your fellow actors.
And seeing how many people have very little spatial awareness has frustrated, and frankly, shocked me. Coordination and spatial awareness have of course always come into play outside the house. You pass each other on the street while carrying groceries and have to make room for each other etc. That is nothing new. However now, as Kourlas points out, the stakes are a lot higher: “It’s the difference between health and sickness, life and death.” We have to be much more vigilant and alert these days, especially when we go outside. Because you’re not only responsible for your own safety, but for the safety of others as well. So there’s an ethical and moral component to going outside; if you go outside (which you should do only if you really need to) then the more you practice social distancing, the more you are helping and caring for others, including those working in the care and vital industries, who are bravely trying to battle this virus and provide urgent care. You can literally help humankind by becoming better at social distancing.
And this requires a heightened alertness but also being much more mindful and connected with your body and space. It also requires Presence, in the sense that you have to not let your mind wander, but be centered and mindful of being in the moment and aware of your environment. Grounding while you’re outside and connecting with the space around you, both elements of Presence, will greatly help with this.
So here are some tips and suggestions for moving around in this new spatial environment:
· Your peripheral view is crucial during your outside walks. That way you can scan the situation and environment around you.
· When walking on a sidewalk; hug the edges, and use a wide berth around others. Give the other pedestrians enough room to pass you. And doing this, you also create awareness for others. And of course, be aware of people about to leave their house.
· Before you walk outside your house, peek out and look left and right as if you were crossing a busy street.
· Slow down; I cannot imagine many of us (besides those in vital industries) are in a rush these days. Slowing down will help you to navigate your surroundings and space, and also to allow others that are less aware, to be able to navigate around you.
· Let others go first; never before have I been so courteous! Because of the importance of spatial awareness these days, I just let all others go first. I’d rather wait, be safe, and err on the side of caution.
· Be kind and patient; this is also an opportunity to be kinder to - and connect with - each other. Eye contact is important here. I’ve had great little moments with other shoppers and pedestrians where in silence, but fully connected, we acknowledge the hard times we’re in these days.
· Practice mindfulness before you leave the house, and while walking outside; be present and connected with the space around you. Try to clear your thoughts and avoid looking at your phone. Center yourself and look around you and focus also on where you’re going. Increase your alertness and awareness before you step out of your house.
Spatial awareness is something that is innately in my body, but for others, I painstakingly realized; it’s very much not, and it’s perfectly understandable that people haven’t embodied this new way of keeping distance. Most of us are social animals, and so handshaking, hugging, and physical proximity are important to most of us. However, those are all not possible, and even dangerous, right now. We have to connect to the present, and also connect with our body, when we navigate outside. I’d like to send you all off to your outside walks and runs, with this thought from Kourlas:
If this pandemic is teaching us anything, it is that we need to return to our bodies. Life is precious, and so is movement.