What's The Value In Getting All Wound Up?

I used to teach Hatha Yoga and through the carefully constructed practice, I would see my clients visibly soften. And after the classes many would say, wow Paul, I feel so relaxed, open, alive and alert, thank you so much.

And no sooner had they put there foot out the door then they started winding themselves up again.

And my question is why, why would anyone do that to themselves, and to the rest of us?

Because, and despite of my best efforts to the contrary, they remained determinedly unaware

• of the possibility of both holding (and deepening) and working effectively from that space of relaxed open alertness 
• the enormous consequences, we all pay, for getting themselves all wound up again. 

And a question, one of a few, which has driven me to distraction - If a person can learn to let go in a class or in a coaching session, why can’t they do it consistently, because consistently is nothing more than a stream of ‘letting go’ ‘now’ moments, and if they did it once they can do it again.

The answer is deceptively simple, but four fold

1. we’re not aware or convinced we’re contracted and stressed nearly all the time and using that as a motive to get stuff done 
2. we’re just not clear on the staggering price we pay and make others pay for using push back as a motive. 
3. without resistance and push back we would find ourselves unsure of how to behave and what to do, because resistance defines our logic and gives us ‘a degree’ of purpose and clarity 
4. and we fail to grasp the startling significance of evolution, the creative process and co-creation. 

If you find yourself fighting with circumstances, your thoughts or behaviour, with the feeling that something is wrong or missing, if you find yourself stressed, angry, impatient and frustrated, know for a fact, you’re pushing back and using that as a motive to get stuff done, and although the strategy has some short term benefits, it’s long term consequences are disastrous.

The feelings in themselves are not bad or good, they are simply not useful as the gas in your tank, so do yourself a favour, relax and find yourself some other juice.