Planting Seeds + Stacking Ribs
Movement of the week:
Stacking the Ribs - expanding on last week's breathing mini series
So a lot of people think of movement in terms of muscles, but it actually starts with spatial /sensory awareness.
The better you can organise your bones in space, the less effort (wasted energy) is required from the muscles.
The muscles consume a lot of oxygen that the brain and vitals would rather have.
The better we can organise our boney structures, the less energy we consume via unconsciously fighting against gravity.
Breaking it down:
1. Sensory perception allows us know where the hell we are in space, and respond to our environment
2. Then we can organise / align our bones to maximise the strength of our structure
3. ...which allows efficient use of connective tissues (elasticity) while staying relaxed
4. we can then utilise muscle for additional force and to support the joints while they move
The rib-pelvis relationship (which includes the spine) is the fundamental building block of this boney structure, because this area of the body is A. where our centre of mass resides and B. absolutely precious and essential, housing the spinal cord and organs.
So if we can get really good at sensing this part of the body and organising the bones, we can increase our capacity while releasing excessive muscular effort and chronic (parasitic) tension.
Here's how that would apply to something simple like a hinge or a squat. Enjoy the old haircut, haha!
Insight of the week:
If you plant a seed of intention from a deeply present, regulated and embodied space, it will begin to germinate.
Your dreams will begin to take shape via small opportunities.
It may take a year sometimes, or even two.
Don't rush it.
You can't keep going back to disturb the seed and expect it to sprout any quicker.
So clarify your intent. Get clear on what the deepest part of you wants.
The intention shouldn't be good. It should just be honest. There is no goodness without honesty.
So plant the seed and then focus on supporting yourself in the most basic of ways, consistently.
What I’ve been doing:
I've been massively leaning into community, and it feels amazing.
I used to think I had to go and organise these special events or something.
Nah, it's way easier than that.
It's just a series of un-rushed moments.
Small choices to be present in conversations that arise in the street.
Micro gestures of appreciation and recognition.
And trust. Trust for sure.
I haven't just been leading with my mind, or my heart, or my gut... and I haven't just been revealing my work persona while hiding the personal one. I've been trusting that I can show others who I really am, and trusting that they will respond favourably because they sense my integrity and honesty. Trusting that people will feel safe around me and let their guard down, knowing I have nothing to hide.
And the old fears? They're being proven irrelevant by the warmth I've received in return.
And where I haven't received warmth in return? Well, that's an opportunity to offer more warmth to myself, and to have compassion for the suffering that causes others to act out from a place of pain.