When young, things are soft.
When old, things are brittle.
Stretching — both literally and metaphorically — is a necessary part of life.
Physically, a good program of stretching emphasizes all parts of the body. You loosen the joints and tendons first, so that the subsequent movements will not hurt. Then methodically stretch the body, beginning with the larger muscle groups such as the legs, and back, and proceed to finder and smaller parts like the fingers. Coordinate stretching with breathing, use long and gentle stretches rather than bouncing ones. When you stretch in one direction, always be sure to stretch in the opposite direction as well. If you follow this procedure, your flexibility will undoubtedly increase.
Metaphorical stretching leads to expansion and flexibility in personal growth. A young plant is tender and pliant. An older one is stiff, woody, and vulnerable to breaking. Softness is thus equated with life, hardness with death. The more flexible you are, the greater your mental and physical health.
“Truth is within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate’er you may believe.
There is an inmost centre in us all,
Where truth abides in fulness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in,
This perfect, clear perception – which is truth.
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Binds it, and makes all error: and to KNOW
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light
Supposed to be without.”
From “Paracelsus” by Robert Browning
Keeping flexible in body and mind keeps us young. I do a lot of yoga and Pilates, lots of stretching for my body. Recently I find myself doing stretches I couldn’t do a few months ago. So as I stretch, I am increasing my ability to stretch even further, opening up to even more possibilities.
I try to do the same with my mind, reading new and different ideas, things from different cultures and new perspectives. But I need to stretch my mind more – it’s gotten a bit lazy lately.
So how does the Browning quote tie in here? Imprisoned splendour – I just love that phrase… so many people spend their time looking for some light from without, when by stretching their ideas of who they are and their relationship to God or the universe or whatever, they might find the light is really within them, waiting to be revealed.
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