Create a Strong and Agile Body
We have been programmed to believe that we must push and pull our bodies to make them strong and flexible. We have all heard “no pain, no gain”.
But is it true?
I have been working with my own body and have also had the privilege of working with many other bodies over many decades and I find our bodies respond better when we stop pushing and pulling them all together.
I often relate the way our body reacts to pushing and pulling as being similar to interacting with a teenager. If you create tension by demanding something from them, what you meet with is resistance. Whereas if you can create a connection to them, often there is room to move in the direction you desire.
You can test this out in your own body. As a matter of a fact it is only when you feel it for yourself that it will become relevant.
Start to pay attention to what you feel when you push into your feet. You can do this standing, sitting, or laying down. You will notice when you push down, there will be a hardening around the hips and more rigidity around the lower spine.
You can try a similar experiment with your arms. Push them out in front of you, or pull them outstretched to the sides, or even pull your arms to the sky. You will notice tension around your neck and shoulders.
Now, try standing or sitting or lying down and tune into breath. You will see there is a rhythm. Breath is coming and going. You can receive a breath and then you can let it go.
When you pay attention to breath you might find you control your breath. Experiment if you can find the natural rhythm; let the breath be wild and free. If you notice you are controlling your breath, crack your mouth open for a brief moment and you will notice breath will still come and go.
Once you can feel that inherent release and receive rhythm going on inside of you, unfold your arm a little in front of you, or to the side. Then let them drop. Let them rise a bit, and then lower them a bit. Play with movement alongside the rhythm of your breath.
Observe the way that you can create movement without having to push and pull. It is possible to maintain arms up overhead without lifting or reaching or holding them there.
We achieve that ease of movement when we stop pushing and pulling and we start to tap into the rhythm of our breath and the rhythm of our body.
Another way to see the effect of pushing and pulling versus resting and receiving is to get down on a mat on all fours. Test this out for yourself. Push into your hands and watch your shoulders and neck get tight. Stop pushing and watch the tension drop away.
You are going to remain in the same position whether you push or pull. Structurally we are capable of many different positions. Unless we are trying to hold them perfect there is no need to push or pull. We can exist in our body, move in our body, without creating tension.
Tension is created from pushing and pulling. Tension causes wear and tear. Tension causes strain and pain.
By tapping into rest and receive, gather and release, you are starting to tap into ease of movement. I have watched my own body and many other’s bodies regain strength, agility and balance with this approach.
We realize the body loves to move. We realize we don’t have to force it. It is unnecessary to make demands of it. We start to work with the body. We form a relationship with the body. We tune into it’s natural rhythm and we regain a feeling of ease in our movements.
This concept is something that has to be experienced. If you want to give this approach a try, reach out. I teach daily online classes as well as in person classes.
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Book a FREE connection call to experience it for yourself.
