Less is more
Today I got yet more proof of that. No matter how well you have slept, your body is not at its most agile right after waking up. If not sooner, this becomes evident when you arch your neck and back. This exercise can be done sitting on the edge of your bed. It is very effective if you sit on the mattress with your legs straight in front of you, and you can make it even more effective if you sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and bend your forehead towards your knees. Do not force the stretch, though; just let the weight of your head gently pull your upper body down. Take your time doing this stretch and take a few deep breaths and gently rub your shoulder with one hand if you feel particularly tense. When you sit up again, you’ll notice how much more supple you feel. This easy exercise enhances the blood and fluid circulation in the area of your thoracic spine. It also activates your kidney and urinary bladder meridians. The more blocked and tense an area feels, the more important even small and easy exercises like this are. Good news for anyone who feels “too stiff to stretch”: Shindo is all about doing small – and sometimes big – but important things in your everyday life to improve your own well-being. Sometimes the small things, when done in a calm manner, may be even more effective than extensive performances.
The core of the Shindo method comprises six – yes, only six – stretches. This may sound like a small number in today’s world filled with entertainment and processes that focus on performance. Many members of established stretching groups, some of which have met regularly for years, feel that it is a relief to be able to concentrate on a limited number of familiar exercises. After all, the world outside of stretching classes is abundant in variety. Therefore, the sometimes almost meditative stretches (sometimes done at a brisker pace) provide a comfortable setting for relaxation and bodywork. Like many things in life, stretching is something that always remains a work in progress – even after 20 years. Different stretch exercises may have different degrees of importance at different times. Sometimes I spend a lot of time squatting in the forest, picking berries, while at other times there is a lot of raking to do – and sometimes it is necessary to sit for prolonged periods of time in the car or hunched over a computer. All these activities place a burden on different areas of the body. Chinese medicine offers another perspective on this: stretches that affect the liver and gall bladder meridians are particularly useful for myself and for many others for finding a rewarding challenge and an inexhaustible source of relaxation, both physically and thanks to the emotional aspect connected to it. According to the oriental concept of the human, the good energy and functioning of the gall bladder improve the quality of sleep during the early hours in particular, and support initiative and decision-making. If these meridians are burdened, distress, timidity and indecision are likely to take over. The energy related to the liver, on the other hand, may promote creativity and compassion. When burdened, it promotes frustration, hatred and irritability. It is also a common cause of fatigue and feeling faint.
The basic stretches are done on the floor (or on a chair) where you bend forward or to one side with your legs crossed or straight in front of you and take a few deep, conscious breaths. If another person, such as your instructor or a friend (there are also a few stories in circulation about Shindo cats and dogs that know just when to walk on your back) can support and attend to the tense spots by applying some pressure on them, you have everything it takes to be able to slowly let go of your tension.
Brushing your teeth, washing your face and doing the stretches mentioned above form a great everyday routine that “flushes” both your body and one or more meridians with the help of a gentle or a more intense stretch. These are routines that help you to clear your head at the end of the day, calm you down and prepare you for a good and regenerating night’s sleep. In addition to that, they are routines that can provide you with mental refreshment amid your daily chores. The easier the routines are, the lower the threshold of doing them. Just be present where your body is. Shindo always encourages you to do even just one exercise per day. Your body will be grateful for even just one.
Stretching and relaxation exercises can be done in groups or individually. Classes can be paid for with Smartum and other exercise vouchers.
