I was doing an audio CD from Erich Schiffmann the other day and he says that we gather tension unconsciously but release it consciously. In Savasana he asked us to try to make our toes feel more relaxed and our nose, as well as the more obvious spots in our body that need relief from tension. It’s an interesting thing to try – feel your toes droop or melt into total relaxation. It takes practice just like anything else.

Sometimes tension is daunting. I gather my tension between my shoulder blades and have a rock-hard knot on the left side. I’ve only become aware of how *dismayed* I feel when I’m conscious of a nasty knot. Why do I respond that way? Part of it is that it’s uncomfortable and I resist it because I know it’s hard work to get rid of. But it’s also a wake up call to do something differently in my life, and I’m generally too stubborn to want to do that much.

But sometimes I wonder if my dismay is just a way of holding it tightly. Maybe if I can soften my approach to my own tension, it would be easier to loosen the knots. Until then I’ll practice *melting* away the knot in my back….and I’ll visit the massage therapist tomorrow ;-)