What happens on the table is JUST the beginning

Maybe you can relate? You've had something nagging going on in your body. You took the steps to seek help and support. Patiently waited for your scheduled session. During the treatment, you experience such relief by finally giving attention to what has been troubling. And you think to yourself, 'Great, I'm so glad that is taken care of'. Only to let life take over in the time following your session and you find the old, nagging sensations creep back in. 

This happens. All too often.

We can make profound and lasting changes within the body. Because MFR is, ya know, pretty much magic. Yet sometimes the changes don't hold as long as we'd like. Life kicks back in and our body reverts to its old patterns, familiar symptoms and usual pain. The body recognizes these patterns and clings to them for dear life. UNLESS, we claim the space we make in our body.

Do you claim it? When the body feels good and is moving freely, do you acknowledge that? Do you take some time to mindfully move, stretch or roll in recognition of the spaciousness within your body? When you have some internal freedom do you fuel your body with goodness? Do you outwardly express thanks to your body for working in your favor?

Taking ACTION steps of gratitude, acknowledgement and appreciation for your body can make all the difference between lasting changes and reoccurring dysfunction. If you want to fully move through nagging and limiting physical symptoms, make the choice, take the steps and commit.

During the last decade and a half that Myofascial Release has been a part of my life, I've had the chance to learn certain lessons. And learn them again. And again 🙂  Because lessons repeat. This one of 'claiming space' is one I have had to learn more than once, both as it relates to the body and otherwise. If you make the effort to clean the garage, empty a closet, leave a relationship, give up habit xyz, you better be damn sure to consciously choose how to fill or claim that space... otherwise all of the effort taken to clear things out can be done in vain.

While you are taking steps to heal, clean (internally or externally) or break habits, the work isn't done in the 'moving out' phase; the phase where the pain, mess or habit begins to leave... the dirty work. The beauty of the work happens when you move in to the new. 

But! But the phase in between the grit and the bliss, well, that's where the real work is done. The claiming, owning, and TRANSFORMING phase.

How familiar are you with this phase? The one that holds both mess and bliss. Both heavy and free. Both out worn yet unfamiliar. The phase the begs you to commit, come hell or high water, to your new direction... even when you have no roadmap. 

When you are on the table, releasing/feeling/healing, you have someone to help you with the heavy lifting, so to speak. But that is just the beginning. As soon as you walk out the door, you are back in your own hands. How adequately stocked is your toolbox to recognize, claim and transform all of the changes that you want to make? Be clear and commit. (Both of which take conscious, daily focus).

I write this post today coming from a place of a current reminder in my own situation. During this last week of school vacation, I took a couple of days to relinquish my parental and work duties to tend to myself. To get out of town to immerse myself in MFR and other healthy habits to give attention to some less-than-optimal physical sensations being held in my body.

6 sessions in 2 days. A decent drive on either side. Returning home to snow, frozen pipes, a failing Burton the cat (whom many of you know) and a full work load... life, basically. My body so badly wants to retreat. Oh, I feel it. The tension is just waiting for me to let down my guard and creep back in to those open spaces. The therapeutic sensation of the treatment wants to take hold as pain. I say, NO FREAKIN' WAY! Stretch, write, roll, tend, slow down, walk in nature, eat good food, listen to music. Utilize every tool I have accessible to me to keep my mind clear, my body open as it processes and my spirit grateful for the wisdom to choose.

Continuing to tend to the body's needs AFTER time on the table can't be overstated. It is imperative to tidying up all of the changes that occur during an MFR session. What YOU do for you, is Gold. 

Be confident in your Self-MFR skills. Stockpile some tips and tricks to aid yourself and engage your fascial system. At StillPointMFR, we do this once weekly on Wednesday evenings in our Group Therapy class. And on the First Saturday of each month. This unique class is therapeutic, educational, experiential and welcoming to any level for those on a self-care journey.

We're in this together. Learning, experiencing, transforming, healing, claiming.