Spasms
Involuntary spasms are actually a healthy release of tension, but they can be off-putting. Here’s some advice on how to handle them.
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So there you are, getting some head space one day and all of a sudden, your arm moves or your leg just kicks out in front of you. You didn't ask your leg to move, you didn't ask your arm to move and the fact that it has just moved is more than a little disconcerting. But, please be reassured that there's nothing strange going on. It's perfectly normal and is very much part of the process. So, if you think about the body almost being a container for the mind, when we sit to get some head space, when we sit to quiet the body and the mind, on those days when the mind is very active, very busy, we probably feel a little bit, kind of, restless in our body. Again, if you imagine the body as a container for the mind in that way, it kind of makes sense. When the mind feels very relaxed and at ease, we may well experience that in the body as well. Now imagine if the mind is, sort of, very active. All of a sudden it, kind of, it kicks out, if you like. Then sometimes, very occasionally, we can experience that as a physical sensation. It's nothing, as I say, it's nothing to worry about, it's quite normal. Happens to most people at some stage or another. It's not that it's going to continue after the session. It's not that when you're walking down the street, your arms and your legs are suddenly going to be moving around without you wanting them to. It's just during the session. And this isn't just an involuntary movement. This is actually a really healthy release of tension. It's as though the body, kind of, almost doesn't know how else to release it. And so, as much as possible, just allowing that to happen. Now, it can definitely interrupt the flow of the session. You know, the mind's just, sort of, calming down, just settling, starting to gain a greater sense of focus and then suddenly the body moves. But treat it, if you can, in exactly the same way as when the mind moves. Okay, it happens. You notice it, so you make a note of it, and you then simply return to the object of focus. Whatever that is and whatever technique that might be. In short, know that it's a very normal, very natural phenomenon, nothing to worry about and as long as you approach it in the right way, ultimately, it can be a really important part of letting go....
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