I’ve been quiet about this one (true confession inside)

I'm a chaser.

Are you?

Let me clarify what I mean.

I chase sensation. I look for the stretch, flex and feel. I want to know that how I am moving my body is actually doing something. I want to feel my muscle contract. I want my muscle to pull. I want to feel the exertion of my hard work.

As I type this out, it really sounds like an addiction to chasing.

Case in point.

In April 2021 I was in my first yoga therapy certification course. I was all in and one day on break I took a walk in my neighbourhood. With delight, I realized my pain was gone. GONE! I've had 'stepping on a tack' sort of pain in my left middle toe for years. It comes and goes. It loves to rear its head when I am tired and trying to push myself.

It vanished. Almost to the point that I felt like I was walking with a new foot.

Crazy - I know.

I was hooked.

What did we do in this training to give me such amazing relief?

I reviewed my notes and gosh darn it, I am doing this sequence every day from now on!

Whoa there sister! Let's back the truck up.

But I didn't.

I chased it.

The pain of course came back. I didn't have the infrastructure to hold the ease.

I chased it more.

And sad to say, on the last day of training, we covered the exercise I had thought had relinquished my pain. I did it and I did it well. I forced myself to go further and farther. Because of course, more is better.

Well, in fact it was not.

I came out of the position and instantly knew I had gone to far.

The toe didn't hurt but my back sure did. I didn't listen to my body. It was telling me that I was going too far, too fast, too soon.

I'm a chaser.

I blew up my low back and couldn't move.

All for my middle toe. All in the pursuit of more.

I see this all the time. Now that I know I'm a chaser. I can see all the chasers among us.

I suggest to a client to dial their movement back. They keep chasing.

I suggest to a client to find ease. They keep chasing.

I suggest to a client to breathe and find space. They keep chasing.

They are part of my chasing club. Are you?

I invite you to join me in jumping off the chasing train and simply notice. Sensation does not prove that you are doing something. There are times when you don't physically feel anything at all.

You breathe 12-16 breaths per minute.

Essential to your life.

Do you feel every single one of those breaths? Likely not.

And yet, life continues on. Oh how I love the physiology of the body!

Feel. Yes!

Chase. I say slow down. Something IS shifting and changing.

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa