Of Beliefs and Muscles and Old Quaker Sayings…

I had quite the ah-hah! during my last Physical Therapy appointment. A bit of context will be helpful…

Beth Kemper works with a piece of equipment that, at least from the client’s perspective, looks a bit like the sketch I made. It’s called a Red Cord machine.

I am, to say the least, a beginner! Beth, however, is a genius. And, she listens!

So, there I was, exploring our new plan to strengthen some of the muscles involved in the wandering and getting stuck my left knee cap uses to make my life more exciting these days.

It didn’t take long for the learning to begin in earnest!

The plan was to stand with my weight on my right (better) leg, while my left foot was supported in a small hammock-y thing attached to big bungie cords.

Then, I was to move my left leg gently. This, dear friends, is where things fell apart.

There’s a band of muscles that runs up the front of the body, from the arch of each foot, up the leg, on up the abdomen and then up to somewhere in the shoulder/neck vicinity.

All the muscles have different jobs, and names.

Once upon a time, I could spell all those names!

About 30 seconds into the whole stand on right with left in hammock bit, that band of muscles on my right side had a fit.

Everything locked up. And hurt. A lot.

Things started improving as soon as my left foot made it back to the floor and I was, once again, standing on two legs.

And then the light bulb came on! (Go with me, here…)

Despite the reality that my left leg was the one doing the new movement thing, the muscles in my right leg were terrified. Nothing about that adventure felt safe.

Which is to say that nothing about it felt familiar.

Which led my mind directly to what my paintbrushes have helped me learn about my Inner Critic and my Muse!

The simple version of this realization is that, while the Critic and the Muse both love us, the Critic is utterly convinced that new equals scary, which equals bad!

The Muse, on the other hand, is inclined toward, Hmmm… I wonder what might happen next!

All of this realizing happened in an instant.

Blessedly, that inner lightbulb – that question in my head – allowed my terrified muscles to relax!

Beth was relieved, too!

The moral of this story is, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, that muscles aren’t the only things that work this way!

So, tomorrow, I’m headed back for another learning experience in PT Land, with an old Quaker saying written on the inside of my left hand, where I can check it as often as I need to:

In order to learn, we must be willing to be changed.

And, Saturday, I’m going to help some folks just like you lay down some of the beliefs that might be holding you back from what you long for… all the info is just below. And it’s free! And there are re-runs! And gifts! And lots of other fabulous women leading fabulous things!

ps… I’ll be Laying it down… on Saturday, 12/17 at 2pm ET. Here’s all the info on the fabulous Feminine Frequency Festival! Sign up. See all of our classes, workshops, meditations, performances, and more: https://bit.ly/frequency22

pps… you could win a tank top like Daphne’s! Just sign up for Laying it down… and enter your email when you attend, for gifts and a chance at the cool prize! Grandmother Moon will be thrilled!