Integrating Thought and Movement - Two Sides of the Same Coin

I am an excellent worrier. I’ve been practicing all my life, but now, in my 30’s and expecting my first child, I feel as though I’ve really perfected the art. The trick is to let your thoughts spin out of control, preferably at 3 o’clock in the morning. Start small, be sure to check the bedside clock when you wake up. Worry about what time it is and how much sleep you’ve gotten. Then just let your mind wander. There is a lot of good material out there. Check the clock again! It’s good to know how much time you are investing into problems that you can’t fix. At some point, I suggest you give up and go get a snack or a drink of water. Breaks up the time a bit.

Seriously, I’m writing this at 5am and I’ve been up since 3. But… I think I’ve turned a corner. Here’s what I’ve come to, and what has allowed me to stop worrying this morning and start writing:

You get to decide what story you tell yourself. And you can choose to give yourself different thoughts when what you are thinking isn’t working for you.

This is a wonderful reminder that comes from our time in constructive rest, when we become aware of our present state, and then consciously direct our thoughts towards something else, perhaps lengthening and widening, releasing tension, and expanding into space.

We can observe symmetry between the right and left sides in insects and animals, such as the butterfly.

Worrying and not-worrying are really two sides of the same coin. The thoughts I am having are all mine. The flip-side of the worrying coin is whatever else I would rather be thinking! Instead of anxiety about the future, I can choose to be present in my body. Instead of fear, I can choose to practice gratitude. All of these thoughts are my own, and I am strengthened when I recognize my ability for conscious control. I can’t control what is going on in the world, or my city, or my family, but I can choose how I respond.

This week, we explore another two-sided coin: the idea of bilateral symmetry in constructive rest. Bilateral symmetry is the quality of being divisible into separate halves on either side of a plane. A majority of animals display this characteristic, sides that are the mirror image of each other, including us humans. In our lie-down we will explore the right and left sides of our body, and how they relate to each other.

Our thoughts are powerful. And our minds and bodies are unified in everything we do. When we learn to consciously direct our thoughts, whether it is towards practicing gratitude, or exploring our left pinky-toe, we strengthen our capacity for connection and integration in time and space.

Kateri & Alexandra

Imagining a line being drawn through center, from head to tail, in semi-supine.