Shake out the Crazies - A Little Madness Prevents the Big Madness!

With all our mental smarts, so many of us are still struggling with poor self esteem, aggressive behavior, depression, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, addiction and chronic stress. On top of all this, how many times have we squirmed in anguish when suddenly faced with the bedeviling frustration of losing a job, having an accident, or watching a thirty-year marriage fall apart? And what's even worse is having few skills to deal with it. There are so many paralyzing myths that box in what every child knows and is taught to forget — shaking out a little madness is a healthy thing to do, especially when you're going crazy! In spite of everything we've been taught, there is nothing more insane than being sane all the time! As infants, was heaven on earth to be unexpectedly tossed in the air and caught in loving arms. Our favorite game was peek-a-boo, sudden, brief distortions that jolted us awake to the moment of moments. When holding ourselves up in the crib, we entertained ourselves throughout the day by pulsing our knees up and down and wiggling our spine. As we learned to stand without effort, our favorite occupation was squealing with delight as we bounced on the bed or the couch. Well, that is until someone yelled, "Stop!" As kids, whenever the slightest tension took hold of us, we started to bobble, shake, wiggle and make lots of noise! Within minutes, the frustration was transformed into renewed calm. In spite of everything we've been taught, there is nothing more insane than being sane all the time! Short bouts of spontaneous, chaotic expression effectively release stress, and depressed ruts of mind into being unashamedly alive. Bobbling on a big ball while audibly breathing and sounding out your feelings, even for a few minutes a day, is the secret of releasing stress and inhibitory barriers quicker than anything I know. You can also shake loose what ails standing on the floor. To begin, put on some fun music with exciting rhythms and abrupt changes. Pulse your knees with light, bobbling motions while imagining a fountain of radiant energy shooting up through the arches of your feet, uplifting your body with ease. With erratic bobbling and wiggling actions, shake your bones free from tight muscular density. Take an extra minute to become all bones rattling with pleasure! You can't release tension unless you are aware of it. Once you're comfortable bobbling, tighten and release different parts of your body. For instance, keep bobbling while tightening your neck hinge. Notice how this imposed tension rigidifies your head from responding. Holding the head in a set position is what gives us a pain in the neck. Now shake out the tension while audibly breathing as the wind! Unleashing free-spirited breathing gets endorphin's [the chemical that stimulates excitement and joy] cooking! Trust me, you won't get flabby if your muscles shake like jelly. In fact, your muscles will look more streamlined with extra-added circulation traveling through them. Bobbling with outrageous breathing antics inspires your youthfulness of spirit to shine at any age. As a mover and shaker of spontaneous impulse, the creative art of 'risk-taking' becomes a highly practical way to live in an uncertain world.