How to relax and be a drop of water
I went to go get acupuncture today because my nagging back flared up again – she thinks it is my L5 nerve that runs down the side of my leg. She said that I have a lot of stress in my shoulders so I told her about the whole right side aggressive and left said passive theory and asked what she thought.
She said in talking to me over the past few months she thinks it is more that I am a sensitive person and I take things in deeply and that unfortunately manifests itself as stress. She said, “Believe me, it’s a blessing and a curse. I’ve met people who were so insensitive that you wouldn’t believe it.”
I told her I find it extremely hard to relax. She said to do something then that is relaxing instead of trying to just relax – she said try gardening, walking, or even Tai Chi, which is so good for you – it’s the drop of water she said that yields the greatest results. “Everyone thinks they’ve got to do all of these very large acts, but it’s the drop of water,” she kept saying.
I like that analogy because water is the strongest force – we live here in New Orleans because we are surrounded by its forceful nature – water imbues us with a sense of power and wonder – we love it and we fear it – and water moves continuously, it never stops, it goes through, around, under, over, seeping, undulating, covering, falling, rising – it surrounds us as we are carried in the womb – it is a mighty force.
So instead of trying to recline and do nothing, or get up and move like a chicken with its head cut off, I’m going to try to relax and keep top of mind the drop of water concept.