When life is happening at a pace which makes it hard if not impossible to stop and simply relax what do you do? One of the great touchstones over the last few weeks, and there have been many of them, has been my tai chi class. I can say that without exception on a Monday night after my tai chi class I have slept like a baby!!
For me it is something about the physical movement, the total concentration that has to go into getting the various body parts in the right place, whilst at the same time remembering to breathe! As a novice, I have found it to be totally absorbing in a most relaxing way. I have enjoyed the peace and calmness, the stretching, the cameraderie, the small signs of progress...
It's interesting that at other times I have been on a swing between normal concentration levels and high performance and at the other end of the swing I've been struggling to keep motivated and just get things done. Stress has many effects on our body, mind and 'spirit' when we are faced with life threatening or life changing circumstances. It's important to remember that our bodies are not designed to stay in a stressed state over extended periods - so find something completely absorbing that leaves you with no alternative but to switch out of the stress state. Even one hour a week will have it's benefits. When did you last sleep like a baby - if you can't remember maybe it's time to find a tai chi teacher!
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