This is a guest post from Lenora Toscano, my former marathon running buddy, which makes her a friend for life. Honest to God, she’s probably the most normal, stable human being I have ever met. I’m going to interview her one day so you’ll see what I mean. Recently she completed her yoga teaching certification, and walked away with some new tools and a completely different mindset. If you’re someone who is prepetually stressed out AND detatched from your feelings, you just might want to take her advice and ….
A friend of mine has been encouraging me to write about my yogic journey for many months now. I love her for that but sometimes you’re just not ready till you’re ready. Well last night someone gave me some sound advice. It was what I needed though exactly what I was trying to avoid.
It has been on my mind since and I wanted to share with you beautiful women. I thought this might help you too.
I just returned from a two week trip to Asia. A few days into the trip, I noticed I was smuggling a golf ball sized knot in my mid back just to the side of my spine. In retrospect, I am sure I brought this to Asia with me. I would prefer to think I got it from 15+ hours on a plane in coach.
Anyway, for years my stress has hidden in this area. I like to shove my thumb in it and wait for the pressure to release. I am not sure how often it is there because I noticed now that I don’t always seem to “feel” it.
I staggered to yoga last night half asleep but forcing myself because I am petrified I will revert to a sedintary winter. Yoga, or rather this class, was exactly what my tired body needed. At the end of the class I decided to talk to my instructor about my golf ball. He is, after all, a physical therapist and has helped me in the past with some nagging sports-induced injuries. As I write now, I realize none of them are truly sports-induced but more life-induced and it is easy to blame a lot of running or biking. Why do you think I run and bike so much?
So I told him I was smuggling a knot since my trip. He laughed. “Is there any stretch I can do or should I lay on a tennis ball and wait for it to release?”
His response. “Sit with it. Find a seated position, supported if necessary and sit with it for 30 minutes. Work it out through your sitting, something will come up and then let it release.”
Oh shit, I smiled and tried to get out of it. I told him I don’t feel it unless I dig in there with my finger. He said I would feel it if I sat and that digging a tennis ball in there is an attempt to wish it away.
Ah! I smiled with a strong sense of realization that, though what he said was not what I wanted to hear, it was exactly what I needed. It is amazing that we have gathered all these tools throughout life and through our training but we still resist using them sometimes, usually in times of need.
I hope sharing this helps you through your daily journey.
Namaste.
