Today I found this old blog article that I had written back in 2012. Nearly 15 years later, I understand this cyclical returning more deeply now.

Everything in life presents in cycles. Generations. Seasons. The heart beat. The breath.

All cycles contain opposite but interdependent aspects that, when experienced naturally, create a harmonious whole. We could not appreciate birth without experiencing death. We could not appreciate winter without enduring the heat of summer. And it is impossible to remain in just one phase of any cycle, the cycle is always changing and recreating itself.

Take the breath, for example. With inhalation, we are active, contracting the diaphragm, drawing air down and in. With exhalation, we are passive, relaxing the diaphragm, and air naturally flows back up and out. It is impossible to inhale forever, at some point we must relax and exhale. To lead a healthy lifestyle, we should look at our level of daily activities in the same way.

Just as it is impossible to inhale forever without relaxing into exhalation, we cannot constantly take in information, tasks, thoughts, and emotions, we cannot constantly be active. At some point we must have time to absorb what we have taken in, let some of it go, and relax. Those of us with very busy schedules have little downtime, always in the active phase allowing anxiety to build up, which can feel like we are always holding our breath. We need to exhale!

Letting go of information, tasks, thoughts, and emotions is a very healthy act. When we allow ourselves to relax, we are participating in a natural cycle of life. When we are not absorbing everything around us, our bodies and minds can relax and prepare again for the active phase of the cycle. And just like taking a deep breath requires a deep exhalation, so does efficient activity require a deep letting go.

When receiving bodywork, do not concentrate on what you are taking in - pressure, warmth, energy, and emollients - concentrate on what you are letting go. You are letting go of tension, letting go of your schedule of tasks, letting go of emotions that you do not have time to experience in your daily activities, letting go of the burden of holding your body up against gravity. You are letting go of activity. This letting go feels good! It feels good because it is a natural cycle. Learning to let go, can improve your experience of this natural cycle of life, reduce your discomfort, and allow for deep healing of your body and your mind.

These harmonious cycles exist within you... inhale, exhale.