Strength and Flexibility

Oh boy! Another 2 months has passed! Spring is on the way, although we had a dump of snow a few days ago!

I am just beginning a year long journey to become a Certified Sage-ing Leader (CSL). We started our training yesterday. I am excited about it! I love teaching others how to do a Life Review, how to write their Ethical Will, how to create a legacy and how to be a mentor for younger people around them. This certification program and qualification will take me deeper and wider into my ability to facilitate workshops for others on these topics.

We did a simple, yet beautiful and effective exercise yesterday. I thought of you all immediately and wanted to share it with you. It’s an exercise to help us access the feelings of strength and flexibility in our bodies.

Here are the instructions:

“Stand for a moment. Imagine an oak tree in front of you. Now stand like an oak tree- sturdy, and strong. Stand with your legs apart, firmly planted, and raise your hands gently, but steadily towards the sun. Feel the power. Feel your strength.

Now, imagine a willow tree. The weeping willow bends with the winds of change. It is flexible in difficult times. Now stand gently, softly, like a willow, and allow your arms to move gently as though they were the limbs of willow tree in a breeze. Feel how limber and flexible you are, ready to move with changes, to grow, to go with the flow of life.

Remember, whenever you need strength, to feel the power of the Oak. Whenever you need to adjust, grow through, and move with change, feel the flexibility and joy of the movement of the Willow.”

I loved this! To lock it into my body further, I went for a walk down a nature trail near my home and found an oak tree to stand beside and practise standing like an oak. Then I found a willow tree to stand beside and practise feeling and moving like a willow. Then I walked along the trail stopping every once in a while to practise standing like an oak and then standing like a willow.

We need to stand strong sometimes, and other times we need to be flexible. This little practice I have described helped me to embody these feelings. I am going to go for a walk each day for awhile and practise being like an oak and then a willow. Hopefully this will translate into being able to access the feelings of strength and flexibility more easily during times when I need to feel them.

I hope it works for you too!