The E Word
On the wall of my clinic waiting room is a plaque that reads “Exercise ONLY on the Days that You Eat”. Clients tell me that when they first read the sign they initially feel a sense of relief since it appears that exercise is optional. Then they step back and realize that actually, this means I need to exercise everyday! What a concept.
How are you doing with exercise? Do you embrace exercise as a blessing and ritualize the experience? Or, do you find it difficult to find the time and motivation to move your body? The obvious and well documented benefits of regular exercise (optimizing cardiovascular and circulatory systems, mood, metabolism and immunity boosting, bone strengthening [just to name a few]) are good incentives in themselves but all too often knowing the benefits are not enough to nudge us in the direction of conscious, directed and inspired regular exercise.
One of the greatest catalysts for me to get into the workout gear daily is simply the positive emotional and spiritual pick me up that I gain from every cardio, yoga or strength training session. All motion can help to create positive emotion and choosing to move your body can help to move your mind! How does moving your body move your mind?
When we are overly sedentary and do not get regular exercise we discourage the flow of energy in many ways. The couch potato lifestyle tends to slow things down, thereby inhibiting optimal circulation to body, brain and mind. This then interrupts your body’s natural affinity for the best possible physiological, psychological and total body energy flow.
In Hinduism, energy is said to be born out of “prana.” I love this word. It reminds me a lot of the use of the word “quan” in the movie “Jerry Maguire.” Quan suggests that we are one with something. It unites athleticism with love and respect. Similarly, prana is the sustaining life-force that unites body and mind. When we forget to move our bodies, we suppress our prana and we lack quan. When we choose to move regularly with purpose and conviction we unleash prana and set a cascade of powerful “chemicals” (called neurotransmitters) in motion. These substances are responsible for maintaining and sustaining energy, motivation, and optimism.
Momentarily setting aside the physical benefits of exercise, I must mention that the emotional benefits of exercise can grow exponentially when they are combined with mindfulness practices. You do not need to overcome your phobia of the gym, of spandex or leg warmers in order to be moved by moving. Open to the idea that you can let go of the “boot camp” ideology or the less than encouraging aphorism of “no pain no gain” and resolve to evolve your exercise experience to one of healing and peace promotion. Exercise can be meditative when you choose to move to chanting music, to the natural sounds and beauty of nature or to the spirited rhythm of your own inspired breath. You can make your exercise ritual even more sacred by seeing it as an opportunity to come closer to yourself; gaining awareness and appreciation of the loving act of self care.
By allowing willingness and not will power to move you and your body, you begin a trust-walk away from the conspicuous consumption model of doing and over-doing toward the balanced conscious experience of moving meditation. This helps create greater well-being and peace in every step, stride, rep and breath.
Choose to move by whatever type of exercise moves you. Allow yourself to be creative with fitness by choosing the form that speaks to you. Dancing may feel better than running; hiking may broaden your perspective more than a step class. Choosing what you love will help you to celebrate exercise as a way of life rather than a heavy burden to your day. Choose fitness activities because you can enjoy and express them and not only for their “best body” or calorie burning potential but more importantly because you find greater connection and inspiration to your body and the blessing that is exercise!
Let this auspicious time become a fresh beginning or a deeper experience of commitment to loving self care with regular exercise and mindful movement. All that is important, amazing and of high desire requires heart, discipline and an enthusiastic presence of mind to carry it through to fruition and success. Daily exercise and mindful movement will encourage freedom and inspiration of body and mind-circulating love and peace in every step and breath. Put your prana in motion and enjoy the emotion that follows.
March 23, 2010
by Optimum WellnessComments
Leave a Reply
