Course feedback

[Olga]

One month into the course, I thought I'd write a feedback.

First of all, I have not been following the progress of the Stretch Therapy website, so I had no idea there were online courses - and of such a high quality. GREAT job: easy to access, easy to use, short, bite-size exercises and a clear structure. Good for beginners and for those familiar with the Stretch Therapy. Thank you for doing this!!

I am through with the Level 1 (as of today). I tried to do an exercise a day, and had some breaks for holidays and travel. I was surprised to find out that I had neck pain - this usually does not come to attention while I exercise other parts of the body (and supervise and lead other people's exercise routines), but I do have neck pain. It didn't go away easily after a month of easy stretching, I guess there are deeper reasons and a longer-term approach is needed.

How I have used the exercises after taking a lesson: there were a few exercises from Level 1 that I particularly liked and I found myself coming back to them every day. I feel great after the stretch but the following day the neck pain/tension creeps back after a particularly strenuous physical activity. Will keep up with the stretch practice.

What was a nice surprise however is the impact of (almost) daily relaxation (!!). One of the reasons I bought this course was to force myself to do daily relaxation practice. I have accumulated a library of Kit's relaxation scripts but wasn't able (willing to take time?) to actually do it on a regular basis. But now when I purchased a course where daily relaxation practice is prescribed I feel driven to actually do it   So after about 3 weeks of daily practice I realised that I am less "reactive" to the events and stresses of the outside world, I cannot care less of the latest Covid statistics or Boris Johnson Party-gate or any piece of news that does not have an immediate and direct impact on me and my family. What a wonderful gift - I can live with the neck pain if I could only keep this "couldn't care less" attitude.

Finally, it is very soothing to watch and and listen to Kit's videos, anyone who has taken his in-person classes can relate to that. Thank you again for bringing this course!

Edited January 25, 2022 by Kit_L
changed "leave" to "live"

[Kit_L]

Dear Olga,

What a lovely way to hear from you! And I completely get what you say about being gently encouraged to do the relaxation practises; Liv may chime in here, but she experienced massive resistance to doing these practises, too, for many years. If one has any interest in diminishing one's personal suffering, then doing the relaxation practises is the 'one-way street' to that goal. Actually, in saying this, I am plagiarising one of the most important suttas; the Satipatthana sutta. 

Once firmly established on the practice path, the practitioner is on a 'one-way street that leads to liberation' (this is a rough précis).

Finding oneself less reactive: what a gift! Swami Rudi is famous for haranguing his students, "You think you're enlightened? Go spend a week with your parents!" Personally, I have found being less reactive is the only place from which to think clearly. Thanks so much for posting—and please post more often; I love the way you write.

[oliviaa]

Hi Olga

Happy New Year (it's almost February!) and best wishes for 2022. Kit and I were talking about you on Tuesday, to a local resident here who has been suffering with plantar fasciitis for two years – we told him about you going barefoot in Hong Kong!

Re. me and relaxation practice, I wrote a little article about that last year, find it at https://stretchtherapy.net/relaxing-is-letting-go/. 

With love
Olivia

[Olga]

Dear Olivia,

thank you for the link to the article, I read it with interest. I, too, am used to "hold" positions in tension and I am only a teacher of Pilates 🙂  never did - not even attempted - a somersault in my life. But teaching other people a perfect way to move (and on the machines loaded with springs) is a hard work and a lot of "leant" muscle tension. I think my neck problems originate from there.

xxx

Olga