I’ve been practicing yoga for over 20 years and I have one of the greatest and quirkiest yoga teachers ever. If you’re ever in downtown Brooklyn, take a class with Paulo. He’ll ask you to flower your anus to the ceiling. I digress.
He also says in noticing your body that “Tightness means something muscular. Holding means something emotional.”
There’s a growing body of work and forgotten ancient wisdom about the physical effects of stress and old trauma on our bodies.
Through my work with a somatic coach,Jen Chau Fontan, I’ve become increasingly aware of my physical reactions to external stimulation and my internal interpretation of it.
Surprise, surprise: my body is not just a fancy container for my brain.
I’ve noticed that I tend to lean forward because I’m in a rush to get to the next thing.
I’ve noticed that my shoulders tend to creep up towards my ears Nixon-like.
I’ve noticed that my breathing gets shallow and quick under pressure.
Noticing is the first step. Breathing and releasing are next.
For now, my self-challenge is to open up and not scrunch down. As the yogis say, open the chest and unsquinch my toes.
The lightness of being starts with the body.
