Episode 78: Clench and Melt: A Practice for Softening When Things Aren't Going Your Way

Photo credit Nicolas Comte

I wanted to share a tiny practice that you could use whenever you find yourself resisting. 

Perhaps things aren’t going your way, or to plan, or they’re changing faster than you’d like them to.

Whatever the reason, there are times in life when resistance is more of a hindrance than a help. It creates more tension in the mind and body. As we know well, the body speaks the mind. Holding on wastes energy. Held tension can lead to discomfort and pain. It inhibits our ability to get creative and find solutions. Instead, our thoughts go round and round as we try to figure out all the different scenarios.

Now I’m not suggesting to just think positive or relax. It’s easier said than done.

But instead of gearing up for resistance as a state of ‘no’, I encourage you to find softness for the ‘yes’ to the situation, even if it’s something that you don’t want. 

If you’ve been holding it together, this is a practice to let go.

You can do this short practice with your eyes open or closed, and in any position, whether you are sitting, standing or lying down.

Scan your body from your head down to your feet. 

You can just place your awareness on each part of your body, or rest your hands there.

As you move from each of these areas, clench as tightly as you can and then let go to soften and melt…

Scan your face, your jaw,

Clench and melt

Your neck, your throat,

Clench and melt

Your shoulders and chest,

Clench and melt

Your arms and back,

Clench and melt

Your hands and fingers,

Clench and melt

Your belly and hips,

Clench and melt

Your buttocks and legs,

Clench and melt

Your feet and toes

Clench and melt

Now start to shake and shimmy. You can go from your head down to your feet, shaking different parts of your body in turn.

Or you can shake everything all at once. When you shake and shimmy, you can’t hold on to tension. So shake and let go. 

Now scan your body again from your head down to your feet.

Notice where there’s still some tension and clenching.

Shake and shimmy again in that part of your body.

Notice how you’re feeling. You can repeat this practice over and over as much as you need to. 

Let me know how you find it, and if you manage to ease resistance.

Keep in Touch with Avni:

Sign up for my free course ‘5 Days to Wellness with Ease’