Our Shared Movement Story

A Garden of Life Reflection

Remembering the essential nature of movement, we can step into the harvest of self-expression and generosity by recognising one of humanity’s greatest, most overlooked strengths: our shared athleticism.

The latest research, led by George Brill and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, dismantles the myth that physical prowess is naturally divided along gender lines. Analysing over 900 ethnographic records from hunter-gatherer societies around the globe, the study reveals a stunning truth — whether it was running across Arctic snow, diving for food in tropical seas, or climbing into forest canopies, men and women moved with shared proficiency and purpose.

The Bajau women of Southeast Asia spend hours underwater gathering fish alongside men. In the Mbuti community of Central Africa, both genders climb to gather honey. The Copper Inuit in the Arctic tell stories of women joining hunting runs over vast distances. In Tierra del Fuego, Yahgan women were the main swimmers and divers, sometimes rescuing the men.

For our ancestors, movement was never a competition for dominance

it was an expression of cooperation and adaptability.

Their vitality was a collective investment.

Modern life has narrowed our movement into isolated moments: a workout session here, a quick walk there.

But movement is not meant to be boxed into exercise

It’s meant to be lived, shared, and celebrated in daily rhythms.

Reclaiming this shared heritage is part of our vitality business. It asks us to:

• Reconnect with our body’s natural versatility — walk, climb, swim, stretch.
• See others not as rivals but as allies in movement and in life.
• Restore a sense of community in our physical expression — whether that’s a park walk with friends, a family game, or a neighbourly gardening project.

This is generosity in action: moving not just for yourself, but as part of a living web of capability and care. Just as hunter-gatherers relied on each other’s skills for survival, our wellbeing now thrives when movement becomes a shared resource.

The way you move is already part of the world’s living story.

Happy Worthday!