My Yoga master was helping me get rid of some especially difficult knots and kinks. She cautioned me to not to force it, not to apply pressure to the muscle until it had been warmed up. She said a muscle needs not to be threatned at first. She said, “Always show it tenderness first, before you begin to more forcibly stretch and apply pressure.”
As I followed her instructions, I was reminded of the need for stretching and limbering before we engage in any strenuous sport. The same applies to our dealing with people. Before we get to the issue on the table, it is normal and often necessary to engage in a little warming up. Think about it. How much better a result do we achieve if we know a little bit about our adversary in any negotiation and if we are familiar with them before we dig in to a knotty problem.
As I was stretching and being pulled, I thought that my Yoga master’s wisdom applied to myself too. Isn’t it important to know myself, to loosen up on myself, and to show a little tender loving care toward myself before I apply pressure. If Yoga wisdom applies to my body doesn’t it apply to my brain and soul just as much. Show yourself kindness first, become familiar with your limits, before you pressure yourself.
It is important to apply pressure only after your become familiar.
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