
Horse stance. I think of it as a power stance.
Again, in the shower, I had an insight related to healing.
I had the chance to test it out then and there, with amazing and curious results.
For somewhat more than a week, my back has been out. It went out when I lifted my backpack. When it happened, it felt like a hot knife had just gone through butter. My back’s ceased up immediately.
Yesterday I saw the chiropractor who put it back in but for a day or two I’ll be recovering from the swelling and still hobbling around like an old man.
So I’m bent over, in constant pain – learning to walk all over again (let your legs do the lifting, roll over onto your feet, etc.).
But in a flash I received the inspiration to reframe, recontextualize. It may have been that I was inspired to think of karate. I can’t remember the specifics now.
I noticed that the old-man stance highly resembled the karate student’s power stance – known more formally as the horse stance. Knees slightly bent. Back slightly curved.
Instead of cowering before the pain, I assumed the horse stance and put power in my lower back through focused breathing. I tightened the muscles as much as I could and then carried on with what I was doing.
It was if I said to my overwhelmed and aching muscles, I – the will – will take over. And then I tightened the whole show as much as I could, following which the muscles relaxed, and left me to manage.
I then gradually relaxed as well, after which the pain was gone.
Now, whenever I seem close to whincing with pain, I put power in my lower back and continue with what I’m doing. It causes release while at the same time strengthening my lower back.
What else can I reframe? What other healing uses of metaphors are there?