Needless to say, I’m no stranger to locker rooms, gymnasiums, practice sessions, games, and tournaments. I’m also well versed in ways to stretch my muscles before and after working out so as to prevent injury.
Early in my athletic experiences, stretching was always
uncomfortable. It felt as if my muscles were tight, and I was using various
poses to take the tight muscle and pull on it slowly until it submitted and
loosened.
I remember when my whole approach to stretching changed in
the mid-90s, which was approximately the same time I began to practice different types of
meditation. I was in the middle of my stretching routine, and I just didn’t
feel like yanking on my own body anymore. Instead, I just remained in the stretching
position, relaxed, breathed deeply, and stopped trying to make things happen.
To my surprise, the more my breathing, mind, and total body relaxed, the more
my muscle loosened and stretched out. Whoosh! My body part just “melted” into
position, smoothly and easily.
The difference between stretching and relaxing was like the
difference between cutting into a cold stick of butter immediately after it’s
been taken out of the refrigerator and moving the knife through the stick after
it’s been on the table for a few hours.
In recent years, whether it’s an athletic pursuit or some
other activity, I think to myself, “Relax into it,” and things tend to go
smoother and easier.
Don’t push or pull. Relax and flow.
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