Wellness In-Sight: Stretch Yourself

Cindy E. Farrar

June already? The ever-changing 2021 journey feels to be moving at warp speed. In addition to time swiftly passing, for the first time in several years, we had a full Spring season. Despite the speed and seasonal change, we are presented with many opportunities. Specifically, Spring is the time of renewal, planning and visionary clarity. The creative growth of Spring helps prepare us for the active season of expansive manifestation that is Summer. Our smooth transition from one season to another is made easier by our willingness to reflect upon our efficiencies.

Some questions that may be useful to ask ourselves are: • How am I keeping up with the pace and associated demands? • How have I weathered the April showers and those that turned into May storms? • How have I responded to the unseasonably cooler temperatures we experienced in late April and throughout May? • Have I effectively employed existing skills for adapting and perhaps developed new ones?

The person I credit with sparking my interest in working with the body, Dr. Ronald Weinstein, DC, shared with me early on in his mentoring of me, “In the absence of genetic conditions or trauma, most often back injuries are due to lack of flexibility rather than weakness.” Dr. Ron’s insight has repeatedly proved to be true in the three decades since, with my own back and body in general as well as in my experiences with my massage clients.

Decreased flexibility indicates shortened or contracted muscles, resulting in limitation in range of motion. When expanded mobility is required the body is vulnerable to potential injury. The options we have, and we always have options, are to maintain the current state of our body, minimize the demand on our body to move beyond its current limitations, or we can engage in intentional stretching activities that may facilitate the lengthening of our soft tissues and increasing our range of motion thereby allowing for expansion in our bodies with the minimization of risk of damage.

The function of the physical body described above also parallels an aspect of our mental and emotional self. We can get stuck in our mental programming and perspectives. This can have the potential to limit us on our path if we are unable or unwilling to think or consider beyond them. Last month we considered the role of non-attachment on our path to lightness and peace. Being flexible, the ability to adapt and adjust, often on the fly, is a vital component of non-attachment living. The term “neuroplasticity” is our ability to literally change our minds. Reprogramming the brain, resetting our mindset by the words we use, conscious awareness practices, acts of kindness and expressions of gratitude. We have the ability to create healthy neural pathways.

Both our bodies and minds need to be intentionally ‘stretched’ for maximum healthy functioning and lighter travels on our journey. In the words of a friend, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not get bent out of shape.”

Cindy E. Farrar, LMT, BCTMB, CLC is a licensed massage therapist, certified life coach and the owner of Massage Associates of Atlanta, LLC (Lavista Road in Tucker). In addition, she is a certified Qi Gong instructor and a nationally approved continuing education provider for massage therapy and bodywork. Cindy enjoys sharing insights on wellness and personal and community development as a speaker and writer.