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More about Mindful Stretching
If we have an ideal *shape* of a pose in mind, whatever keeps us from “going all the way” into that pose (e.g. pain or stiffness) will feel like an obstacle. Negative. If, instead, we have an ideal *feeling* in mind, a pain becomes something we accept and respect (and avoid) and the stiffness becomes a target that we are curious about. So “all the way” in a pose becomes the point at which we generate some clear, nice & therapeutic feelings somewhere in the body while avoiding pain in another part. Positive. If there is pain, do whatever it takes to keep that area comfortable (e.g. knee) while using the pose to find feelings in other areas (quads, abs, shoulders…).If there is stiffness, use the pose to get as close as you can to the stiffness and feel what muscle activity and range is possible. Every little stretch feeling deserves congratulations for 1)new muscle activity 2)new muscle range and 3)new brain-muscle connection.I think we are so trained to focus on shapes - and to avoid stretching feelings - that this approach takes practice and patience to get :). For me, the little positivities add up to a physical confidence. The brain-muscle connections give me a sense of access and control over what’s happening in my body that I didn’t have before. --Will
