Stretching is more than the first stretches we do in the morning when we awake from slumber. The act of yawning is also considered an involuntary stretch - also known as pandiculation. And this relation can give us some clues behind the mental and body benefits to the behavior of stretching. Stretch can be considered both a verb and a noun, and from an action standpoint it has Old English roots meaning “to spread out, to reach and to extend”.
From a more body technology and practical standpoint, stretching has three main benefits:
Increase in blood flow and circulation
Downregulating your nervous system; otherwise known as the parasympathetic nervous system
Increase in Endorphins resulting in improved mood and a healthier reward system
While stretching does take time out of your day … not very much time, but time nonetheless. It is far more effective to take 5 to 10 minutes out of your day to stretch out stiff body parts then to hit up a hardcore yoga class for 90 minutes once every other day or week. I know, a lot easier said than done. But remember - excellence is more of a habit every day as opposed to this one off event.
That being said, when we hold onto limiting belief systems - when we worry, we can hold all of that stickiness in our joints and it can mpact the way that energy may flow in the body. This is where facilitated Somatic Stretch Therapy can assist.
The fascia itself functions somewhat like the internet of the body. It's how if you but just brush the tips of your toes - the rest of your body is aware of it instantaneously . That some magical and electrical kind of communication in your body.
When having additional resistance within a Somatic Stretch Session; and then adding supporting modalities such as Bioelectrical Tuning and even the Soundscapes played in the session; all assist in achieving a type of inner energetic balance and flow in your systems.
Another word for your body's electrical systems is "Chakra" but we do not need to be tied to the definition to be able to derive an ability to communicate about our bodies in a model that helps us to mentally visualize it. Stretching enables your body to clear out interference between your body's ability to communicate to itself - and that is a beautiful thing.
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