The Strength of Being Relaxed & Open

Hard and Closed vs Soft and Open

Once we realize our minds and bodies can work together as equals we can dive deeper and explore the ideas of power and protection.

When most people feel threatened or challenged, whether from trauma, jobs, sports, school or any of life’s challenges, they typically contract their breathing, posture, movement and attention.

We speak of “Bracing for a crash,” “Hardening for an attack,” even “Focusing in on the task at hand.” The truth is, we’re more effective when our minds and bodies are working together in a free, loose, relaxed expansive state.

This allows the body to move and react in powerful, graceful, functionally sound ways while allowing the mind to act in open, expansive inquiring fashions. With both systems working together we’re able to break free of constraining situations, whether pre-conceived or forced upon us.

From here the fun begins and we’re free to explore the present situations and moments you’re in, but now you face them from a BodyMind state, armed with a new set of tools to reach your desired goals.

Relaxed and at ease

Often, when people are asked to relax they slump their shoulders, almost giving up control and putting themselves in a weak state where their muscles and mind are like jelly. It’s like they’ve simply hit the “off switch” to living. Their body turns weak and limp and their mind is easily moved by the whims or commands of others. They’ve given up control of themselves and simply collapsed.

While this state may be good for some controlled conditions its certainly not a good way to walk through life and is the exact opposite of what relaxed means to me.

I define relaxed as using the appropriate amount of energy or force for the given task at hand.

Use too much and you’re wasting precious resources. Don’t use enough and nothing gets done.

If you watch an elite athlete, musician, teacher or anyone who’s mastered their craft or profession, they seem to excel while being completely at ease. Even in highly competitive or stressful situations they seem to not only handle whatever is happening but thrive, and do it a way the seems effortless. It’s as if they can’t be thrown off and they’re one step ahead of whatever obstacles are thrown their way. This is a state of “flow.”

It’s a state that can not only be achieved competitively and professionally but also in your personal life. It’s a state where you seem one step ahead, ready to stand and confidently handle whatever twists occur. A state where you calmly respond to things instead of frantically reacting to everything that seems to happen to you.

This is a state where both your Body and Mind are not only relaxed and open to everything around you but are free to respond together in an appropriate meaningful way.

I’m not promising a state where everything is always great, happy and shiny. What I teach and offer are a set of tools, approaches and skills that can help you become present and open to the possibilities that are available AND have the POWER to pursue those options. One of the main ways this is done is to learn how to be openly and powerfully relaxed.