The path to Tranquility (spring)
67. Making the body and mind more flexible
In turbulent environments, we always hover between being positive and negative. Living positively, the dangers naturally increase. But being negative and passive, we will lack vitality and not feel the joy of life. Facing the crises and tests of life, how to live positively while avoiding danger has become an important topic for us. Only by intensifying our exercise and making our body and mind more flexible can we remain calm in the storm and be unafraid of change.
As we age, our body's reaction speed gradually slows down. At this time, we need to exercise ourselves in different ways to adapt our minds to the changes in our bodies and let reason continue to effectively command actions. This kind of exercise should not only include physical activities but also focus on mental training. We can improve our consciousness level and thinking ability through reading and writing. This also allows our brains to create new thoughts more actively during the day and organize memories more calmly at night, which helps to control the emotions and increase the efficiency of problem-solving.
This kind of exercise should be eclectic. We can walk, dance, do housework, or play the piano. During exercise, it is not advisable to be too tense or too relaxed. We need to maintain balance in various postures and pay attention to the coordination of breathing and strength. The focus is on the flexibility of the trunk and limbs, as well as the conscious control of the body and psychological adjustment. The purpose of exercise is to internalize the flexibility of the body into the freedom of the mind and form a positive attitude towards life. Our consciousness must be fully engaged to achieve these effects. Therefore, before making each movement, we need to think about its purpose and seek ways to improve it.
Through conscious exercise, we can maintain calm and focus, make the body flexible, emotions flow, and thus improve the ability to cope with crises. For example, dancing can make us focus on every movement and not mind the eyes of others. Playing piano allows our left and right hands to cooperate better and express emotions autonomously. This means that our body and mind are in harmony, not only can we make various movements, but we also have more courage and optimism in the face of difficulties. When encountering illness or setbacks, we can respond with a flexible body and mind, proactively resolving life's problems.
Most importantly, this kind of exercise allows us to understand ourselves better. Through observing our own movements and feelings, we can recognize our behavioral characteristics, thereby replacing habits with consciousness and cultivating self-confidence. For example, when we observe that our postures are incorrect, we can correct them early, so we will have more confidence in our posture. Or, when we feel uncomfortable in some parts of our body, we can also change our lifestyle early. In addition, when we need help from others, we can express our needs more clearly and establish good cooperative relationships.
Therefore, making the body and mind more flexible is about improving consciousness and psychological adaptability while increasing the flexibility of body. Through this method, we can combine emotion and reason, cultivate a free mind, and achieve truly autonomous actions. This allows us to choose a positive life more easily in any environment, unrestricted. When the body and mind become more flexible, we can bravely accept tests, overcome difficulties with wisdom, and live a fulfilling and abundant life.
