As we move into May I wanted to share with you both some movement thoughts and experiences.
A friend was talking to me about the “doldrums”. She was recounting a story about a group of women who were sailing from Hawaii to California, and while out in the middle of the Pacific they experienced the doldrums. Now not being much of a sailor, as well as someone who rarely lets a word that I don’t understand go by me, I asked her for further explanation.
It turns out that to sailors, being in the doldrums means being out at sea with NO wind…..NO movement. So these women waited 10 days for a wind to carry them along. Just sat and waited. And as it turns out, when the doldrums come, garbage also just sits and waits for a breeze, so while they were on hold more and more garbage piled up all around their boat.
I was fascinated by this story. Always in search of a great metaphor, I couldn’t let this one float by me 🙂
How many times in our movement lives do we feel in the doldrums?
Lack of energy, lack of motivation, lack of joy, lack of fun and playtime……..these feelings strike us all at one time or another.
And when this happens our own garbage starts stewing and we can feel stuck waiting for that breeze to carry us forward. One of the reasons I first launched my website was to create a community of people who would encourage each other when the wind seems out of our sails and we’re in need of a fresh breeze!
So if you’ve been in the doldrums lately, contact me. There are so many ways we can get moving again and I am here to help you launch those sails!
Another moving experience I had this past month was with a student of mine.
She is recuperating from an auto accident. We met for a two mile walking loop walking. As you can imagine she is moving very slowly, so we walked very very slowly.
Some of you may not be familiar with moving meditations or with doing ANYTHING very slowly, but the experience of moving slowly produces a very different feeling energetically and mentally.
We walked the loop mindfully in just over an hour and I could immediately feel the benefits. My mind felt very relaxed and refreshed like I had taken a nap.
It was very rejuvenating and reminded me of what I had learned at meditation retreats about moving in this manner.
When we move slowly, we sense very different information because we have the time to observe and take in so much more. Our senses come alive in a different way.
It is important to incorporate this kind of movement experience in our lives.
Try it while you’re eating, for instance. I eat very slowly and when people try to pace themselves with me it can bring on a great sense of frustration for them. We’re not inclined to do anything slowly, right?
Think about other areas of your life where you are always MOVING so quickly. Slow down and see what joy, insight, and peace can come from slow movement.
Thank you for your continued support and great e-mails. I love hearing from readers!
Until next month, mix it up—–find ways to move that feel authentic for YOU! Play and live your life with purpose……..and keep the wind at your back!
shelli
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