E The Holistic View 155
security line, airport, and check-in as hindrances to his eventual
goal. He is going somewhere to do something and the result is a
focus of movement.
Center of gravity
Personal trainers and physical therapists have a specific
physiological meaning for “center of gravity.” This is my own cre-
ation and definition for center of gravity. I use the phrase to mean
the center of a person’s movement, where the energy is focused.
Elements such as gender, weight, and culture play into this and
simple observation has taught me to recognize it.
When was the last time you saw a young man wandering aim-
lessly and looking unhappy? Though thin and light on his feet, his
energy has sunken to a point well below his face. An idiom such as
“down in the dumps” captures the look. Men who walk solidly and
land squarely on the heels of their feet appear grounded. Higher,
more expressive energy centered around the upper body appears
more feminine. The expression “light in the loafers” to describe an
effeminate male refers to this look. All of these points of focus for
energy play into my view of the person’s center of gravity.
A young American man will typically have a center of gravity
that is high and somewhere around the chest. Contrast this to an
American woman who will have a center of gravity somewhat
lower-typically between solar plexus and hips. Gymnastics equip-
ment and events are one example in which center of gravity plays
a key role in the design: men do parallel bars and rings to take