Last week I fell, and have been in enormous pain with a trapped nerve. I have been forced to return to the basics.
Sometimes I experience in my everyday household jobs (I am not naturally houseproud and do them mostly with a certain resentment) a connectedness that I associate with my chi gong or aikido practice. The chi gong exercises often have names that connect them with activities (rowing the boat, the monk serves the food).
I have been practicing the chi gong of hanging up the washing, wiping the breakfast table, and the aikido of connecting and engaging with my boisterous children without making my symptoms worse.
When I have the time and the space to do this, I feel stronger for it. As soon as I disregard my own rythm, (also know as end gaining) I disconnect the activity in my hands and feet from the support of the centre, and interrupt the healing process.
More than this, the accident itself resulted because of an imbalance in my system, which has been a chronic strain on my system. and drain of my energy over the last years. The pain is a wake up call to me to finally address some unfinished business.