Running wild

When I first started Rolfing, my homework was about skipping and leaping, encouraging me to find a bit of joy in simple movements. I did my best, feeling a little foolish, needing to force the movements rather than finding them arising naturally.

More recently my Rolfing homework has been about my effervescent ears. Same underlying work I guess — feeling joy in my body.

And suddenly of my own accord I’m beginning more spontaneously to explore the joyful aspects of feeling my body move, finding my strength increase and my vitality grow. I’ve been cultivating these feelings on my mat with some stronger and more dynamic movements in my yoga practice, deliberately testing my strength and stamina.

But the yoga mat suddenly doesn’t seem big enough for me. I need to run wild. So I put on my trainers and skipped out into the spring air for a little run. Well, OK a slow jog — a mile in 10 minutes if the numbers are important. But they’re not for me. All that mattered to me was getting outside, finding rhythm in my movements, my breath flowing freely, feet beating the pavement, arms swinging and ponytail flying.

I felt wonderful and alive.

I know I won’t be running a marathon anytime soon, but to power myself along even just for 10 minutes was such a rush. Such a joy. Effervescent not just in my ears, but from head to heels!