Becoming real
A reflection on feeling more
“Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you.” – The Velveteen Rabbit
Real is a thing that is happening to me.
Last week I came to the edge of my capacity in a movement session with a new trainer. I’ve been meeting with him weekly for the last month with the intention of reducing pain in my back and re-patterning stuck places in my body. I have longed to have more energy and move with more ease. After nearly nine months of trying to get into sessions with him, I had the space to make it a priority and it has been illuminating.
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been re-learning plank, a core strengthening practice, from the ground up. It has challenged my psyche and body in ways that I did not anticipate. I thought I was pretty good at plank. I could get myself into the position and hold it for a little while. It turns out I’ve been relying too heavily on my upper back instead of my core and legs. It sounds simple enough, shif…