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Have you ever tried to tell nature what to do--and expected a result? In Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King, an aging monarch barks at the rain to stop, then expresses consternation as nothing changes. Within his kingdom, it turns out, his commands have always worked until now.
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We are that king. In our youth, the bit of nature that is our body is largely under our command. But the older we get, the less subject it is to our will. Like the kingdom in the play, our body begins to follow laws we didn't lay down for it and don't much like. Parts of it start to stiffen, slow down, or freeze.
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How can we honor the power of nature and work with it to keep ourselves moving and feeling well? How can we deploy our remaining powers to inhabit our bodies gracefully as they change? Understanding how nature works inside our bodies is a good first step.
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The slowing and stiffening in our bodies occurs in the connective tissue, or fascia. While we are motionless, fascia lays down reinforcing cross-links that support the body in its current position--making it harder to change that position. The gel surrounding the fibers then solidifies, like drying glue. As our tissues dry out over the years, this gel becomes more gluey and stiff.
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Moving our bodies and hydrating more often offsets this trend. That's one reason I manually move your arms, legs, or neck during a session. I'm here to help keep you moving and comfortable. Reach out if you'd like to schedule a session or ask about my weekly yoga class.
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