Sitting with Stress

It's the start of Summer. A time when most people take some well earned time off to slow down and rest. However, in the modern day we'd be lucky to slow down for a season and not feel the internal bubbling of stress and daily demands. We all know the spacious experience of days that flow as we move from one task to another, and yet other times the pressure lands when jobs are stacked breathlessly.

You may have heard the saying that you should ‘sit silently’ for at least an hour a day, unless you are too busy, in which case you should sit for two. Well the irony of stress is that it does not enjoy considering its antidote. But it is much simpler than we could think.

Whether you're sitting at an office desk, commuting or even standing in a queue what I'd like to offer you here is a simple technique to feel more physical space and hence restore and relax. If you allow five minutes it may feel timeless. Over years of facilitating physical embodiment I notice the most simple techniques can shift a person from doing, to being. My invitation is to read and try - closing your eyes after each instruction - and taking time to feel before opening eyes and progressing to the next. So when you're ready let's start.

With a breath, in or out, form a gentle fist. Notice the touch of your fingers against your palm. 

On another breath, open the fist slowly, fully, and pause to notice the space between your fingers. 

We're going to repeat with simple attention, so again with breath, take time to gently close the fist and feel the sensations of the full journey from open hand to closed fist.

When you next open your hand try a breath through your mouth and notice how your jaw hinge releases a little. 

Try this again, a breath through your mouth while the hand opens and notice your jaw.

Now you know what we're doing, continue to offer you attention, closed eyes if you're comfortable and notice how your opening and closing hand fits with the rhythm of your breath for you. See what changes. 

When you feel complete, I encourage you to stand and take a walk around, with attention to breath and an increased sense of space. 

You'll see for yourself that this exercise can apply to any movement that opens or closes body parts, even say, raising your toes up from the ground while sitting. Simple encouragement to breath is what many stressed bodies are crying out for in our society. So if this exercise is relaxing for you I encourage you to try it through your day. And seeing as it takes only five minutes, not an hour, it really is possible to include double on stressed days.

Leela Fisk is a conscious movement practitioner who teaches Soul Motion™ dance practice to adults and children interested in embodiment practice www.leeladance.com