| Lately, the theme of flexibility has come up with | | | | our persuasive attempts. |
| many clients, ranging from children to elderly | | | | * Do I allow myself to expand beyond traditions |
| adults. | | | | to embrace new experiences and ideas outside of |
| How can we increase flexibility to enjoy a full | | | | my psychological and cultural comfort zones? If |
| unobstructed range of motion? | | | | not, challenge yourself to expand. |
| Often, I recommend using gentle qi gong | | | | * Do I get easily fixated and become a creature |
| stretching, which resembles yoga only that the | | | | of habit to the extent that I find it hard to shift |
| poses are specifically designed to open up energy | | | | out of certain behaviors or expectations? If so, |
| meridians related to the spleen (an organ that | | | | choose a different activity. Order a different dish |
| energetically influences our muscle tone) and liver | | | | than your usual selection at a restaurant. Instead |
| (an organ that energetically influences our | | | | of spinning on thoughts if that is your pattern, |
| ligaments and tendons). | | | | redirect your attention to a physical activity. |
| These stretches are then combined with dynamic | | | | Often times, we develop an internal rigidity and do |
| (moving) postures to deepen flexibility-as it is | | | | not realize that we have lost our flexibility until |
| easy to flex when one is statically stretching, but | | | | challenges in life occur. |
| the true test of flexibility comes when we are | | | | Examples of internal rigidity include: |
| moving. | | | | * Co-dependent behaviors where we become |
| This is true of life as well. When we sit in a static | | | | stuck in relationships that involve over-merging |
| meditation and allow our minds to stretch behind | | | | our needs and desires with others in a rigid way. |
| the usual chatter in our heads, there in that space | | | | * Addictive and obsessive compulsive behaviors. |
| of calmness and serenity; we can drop ego and | | | | These behaviors are rigid because they are based |
| feel the full flexibility of our spirits. | | | | on fixation-being stuck in a certain pattern. |
| Yet, when we leave our sitting meditation and | | | | Interestingly, when internal psychological rigidity |
| become more dynamic as we engage routine | | | | exists, people often respond well to |
| activities, it can be more challenging to maintain | | | | movement-based therapies because when the |
| flexible attitudes and thoughts. | | | | physical self becomes more flexible, we are then |
| Just as it is important to integrate our physical | | | | able to transfer success in that area to our |
| stretching postures into motion, we also need to | | | | mental selves. |
| integrate our mental stretching, attained in | | | | Also, the process of increasing physical flexibility |
| meditation, into our routine activities. | | | | becomes a metaphor for moving through life. |
| Awareness of rigidity empowers you to redirect | | | | For example, I had a young client who held a rigid |
| and recreate an experience that is more flexible. | | | | belief that being perfect was the only way to be. |
| Perform this quick checklist as you move through | | | | When he tried to learn new things, he became |
| your day. | | | | easily frustrated because he was not yet perfect. |
| * Is my body tense or rigid? If so, breathe | | | | Therefore, he rarely enjoyed the challenges of |
| deeply and consciously relax whatever is rigid. | | | | new experiences. |
| * Do I believe there is a steadfast rule-that | | | | His body matched the rigidity of his beliefs. He |
| something must be a certain way to work well? | | | | was not able to bend over and touch the floor, a |
| If so, challenge yourself to break that rule just to | | | | task most young children can do easily. |
| see that there are other possibilities. | | | | As we worked on increasing physical flexibility, he |
| * Am I open to making adjustments in the | | | | began to expand a willingness to try new activities |
| behaviors I am choosing so that I may grow? If | | | | outside of qi gong class. In learning that flexibility is |
| not, introspect about the cost of remaining | | | | achieved in stages, he allowed himself to be less |
| resistant. | | | | than perfect in the early learning stages. Thus, he |
| * Am I invested in a certain mood or state of | | | | was not as easily frustrated or discouraged by |
| being such that I am defined by those moods or | | | | new experiences. |
| states? If so, consciously choose to respond in a | | | | So, if you find yourself stuck somewhere in your |
| different way-instead of being angry, try another | | | | life, invest some time into increasing your physical |
| emotional state such as compassion. | | | | flexibility. Also, give me a call at 512.468.6588 to |
| * Am I agenda driven? An example of this would | | | | explore further ways of using the beautiful art |
| be trying to persuade someone of our view | | | | form of qi gong to increase your flexibility across |
| points or beliefs with such rigidity that we create | | | | all areas of your life. |
| stress for those who are on the receiving end of | | | | |