Move with Fluidity

"MOVEMENT is the SONG of the body. This song, if you care to listen to it, is beauty. We could say that it is part of nature. We SING when we are HAPPY and the body goes with it like waves in the sea." 'Awakening the Spine'  Vanda Scaravelli

These days there are many obstacles and challenges that are forcing us to think about things differently, to come up with solutions for new ways of living. Simple tasks can bring reactions of frustration, delayed outcomes, and try our patience. These feelings can be present most days with social distancing from family and friends, work issues, unknown school plans, and ordinary gathering of food and wellness needs. Compound that with the general lack of common sense leadership and decision making that is affecting our global health and safety, and with the continued violence, disasters, unrest and inequality, many people are feeling overwhelmed.

These are external experiences that affect our emotions, which then transfers to an internal experience. For example, notice how the body feels when you are angry, irritable, or sad. As we all have experienced these emotions, the effect on the body is one of clenched rigidity and tension. Conversely, when we are happy, calm, and at peace there is a sense of ease and relaxation in the body. For many of us, the practice of moving, breathing and finding stillness (meditation) enhances the ablity to focus, to stay steady in times of stress, and respond to difficult situations with more compassion. Yoga is a multifaceted practice that provides tools and resources for one to cope in this ever changing, tumultous world we are living in. 

In short, yoga helps us move with more fluidity on and off the mat.

Fluidity is the physical property of a substance that enables it to flow. This quote by Lao Tzu sums up the properties of water in relationship to our mental, physical, and emotional body. 

"Water is fluid, soft and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong."

Water is made up of two hydrogen molecules and one oxygen molecule, it is found all over our planet, and is the main constituent of most living organisms. Our bodies are composed primarily of fluid. The average percentage of body weight that is water will remain greater than half for most of our lives. The cells of our tissues live in an internal sea of interstitial fluid that moves, surrounds and permeates all of our functioning bodily structures and systems. The movement of the mind flows through thought, emotion, sensation, creativity, and our relationships with others. These internal actions are all similar to physical movement.

The breath is a good place to start to bring a more mindful approach towards moving with fluidity, as the breath is an action of movement. The air we breathe creates a current of inhalation and exhalation that releases fresh oxygen into our blood, tissues, bones, organs, interstitial, and lymphatic fluid. 

When we attune to what is happening inside our bodies it opens up a synchronistic exchange between the internal and external movement of our bodies through space. 

Connecting this internal and external awareness of how our bodies flow, we can use the imagery of how water flows to move with more fluidity in our lives. If we move like water, we stay open to possibilities. Water moves under, above, around and through many obstacles. Water flows in places that we may not be able to see right away, opening to new opportunities, and new pathways.

Slow Flow: Move with Fluidity

The focus of this offering is to flow with fluidity. To move and breathe like water. Breathing freely and in coordination with movement builds adaptability, flexibility, and resiliency. This video ends in rest pose. Feel free to listen to my newest guided meditation 'Calming Ocean Meditation'' on Insight Timer as you seal in your movement practice.

These breath, movement and meditation offerings are free, your donations to our local yoga studio and charity of choice are encouraged. 

With love and care,

Michelle