In a recent Yamuna® newsletter, the founder of Body Rolling spoke of an interview where she was asked how she defines a beautiful body. She gave a dynamic and thoughtful response. I found her words inspiring and important and want to share them with you . . .
“To me, a beautiful body is a free, strong, flexible body. It stands tall, with great posture and full expansion of the lungs and ribs. All the joints move freely. There is no pain or discomfort. Such a body does not hold a person back from achieving every desired goal. Nor does it collapse as it ages—it only gets better. As life experience and wisdom grow, so the body should also improve.
She went on to describe the 5 elements required to achieve this beautiful state:
- Develop a strong practice of continuously working the feet, so they become a solid foundation that supports and grounds the body while also enabling it to lift.
- Increase your lung expansion by developing a mindful breathing practice as a big part of your body wellness and maintenance program. Increased lung expansion not only oxygenates all the cells of the body but also builds inner strength and helps keep the vital force moving throughout the body. You can also develop your breath as a powerful self-healing tool.
- Correctly align the skeletal and muscular structures. Aligning the bone first allows the muscles to unwind and work with the bones. Most people focus on the muscles, but in fact alignment should start with the bones. Then you can retrain the muscles to best move the bones.
- Increase range of motion in all your joints, so restrictions don’t hold you back from doing whatever you want to do. This requires releasing impact from bones and freeing tendons that grip at the joints.
- Reduce stress and built-up tension. Find ways to relax and rid your body of stress. Use meditation techniques or whatever relaxes you and makes you feel happy. A high level of happiness is crucial for being comfortable within yourself.”
To me, Body Rolling is one of the most comprehensive and profound systems for realizing these kinds of results. In my 10+ years of rolling, my body has learned how to release tension and relax all the way to the bone – where peace and tranquility come alive and flood me with freedom – a sigh of relief for my body that influences everything. I have experienced moments of great awareness, deep intimacy and potent physical release that revive my soul and liberate my mind. I am not alone in this type of experience, it’s pretty universal – you roll, you find freedom. If you haven’t experienced this work, please find a way to check it out. There’s nothing quite like it!
Contact me to attend a class or schedule a private session – AND, there’s an exciting new series of classes coming this spring that you won’t want to miss (see the sidebar).
cheers, Carol
