The Dance of Expansion & Contraction

Hello friends!

I hope that this letter finds you well! 🙂

If you’re feeling up for it, I have a short somatic practice for you.

You can explore this practice seated or standing–whatever feels most comfortable.

Before beginning, please take a moment to read over the instructions.

Somatic Practice:

1. An invitation to breathe in through your nose, and then softly release your breath through your nose or mouth.
2. On your next breath in, open your arms wide, lifting your chest and chin slightly.
3. Pause for a moment and observe how this expansive posture feels in your body.
4. On an exhale, bring your arms back in, curling inward as you round through your spine and bow your head.
5. Kindly pause here, noticing how this contracted posture feels in your body.
6. As you breathe in, open your arms wide, lift up through your heart space.
7. This time, tune into what sensations are present in your body. This could be a physical sensation, a thought, a feeling, or perhaps an emotion.
8. When you’re ready, an invitation to explore contraction.
9. Once again, observe what sensations surface.
10. I invite you to explore expansion and contraction at your own pace once more. Feel free to pause at any moment to send your breath into sensation.
11. In your own time, find a neutral position.
12. Take a moment to ground yourself by following the natural rhythm of your breath for a few moments.

You can take a moment to reflect on your experience. If you’d like, you can journal about what surfaced for you during your practice.

This somatic practice beautifully illustrates the dance of expansion and contraction–something we experience every day.

There are moments when we feel open, expansive, and ready to receive.

And there are times when it feels safer or more comfortable to contract and turn inward.

Consider when you have the flu–your body instinctively curls inward, as the body is seeking a sense of security, comfort, nourishment, and love.

Once the flu has made its way out of your system, your body naturally begins to open again. You might feel a strong desire to stretch, be in nature, and reconnect with others.

Here’s a personal example that demonstrates this dance.

I remember feeling energized and excited to dive into teaching after graduating from Teachers College.

My professors and associate teachers confidently told me that I wouldn’t have any trouble getting hired by the school board.

I submitted my application, fully expecting to hear back within a day or two.

I felt an overwhelming sense of confidence, joy, and excitement for this new chapter.

But as weeks went by without any invitation for an interview, worry and doubt began to set in.

Eventually, I learned that the interviews had already taken place, and I would have to wait another year to apply again.

I was absolutely crushed.

Waves of despair washed over me, leaving me feeling upset, disappointed, and embarrassed.

This deeply impacted my self-worth.

I wanted to curl up into the smallest ball possible and just disappear.

However, I couldn’t stay in this contracted state for too long as I had bills to pay.

So, I started applying to other teaching jobs in my area to gain more experience while waiting for the school board’s next round of interviews. I also enrolled in professional development courses to help strengthen my resume.

I chose to lean into expansion as I explored new opportunities that might eventually lead me to a teaching position with the school board.

Perhaps you can think of examples from your own life that demonstrate this dance–times when you feel expansive and open for growth, and other moments when contraction feels better.

Both expansion and contraction serve a purpose.

One is not better than the other.

And with each dance between expansion and contraction, we may find ourselves stretching a little more—perhaps even stretching beyond our comfort zone. Even when we inevitably contract again, we don’t necessarily go back to the same place. We grow a little more each time.

Even when we consider our breath, each inhalation (expansion) is naturally followed by an exhalation (contraction).

As you move through your yoga practice, you may notice that your inhalations feel more expansive. This is because you’ve brought mindful awareness to your breath, and the movements you’re exploring are designed to create more space, allowing for deeper, fuller breaths. With each breath, you stretch and open a little more. You may find that the more you return to your breath, the more readily you can access that deep, buoyant breath, even in moments of stress, uncertainty, or strong emotions.

Both expansion and contraction are temporary states, each offering its own unique lessons.

Expansion invites us to embrace new experiences, promoting growth and learning.

Contraction encourages us to turn inward, offering the time and space for reflection. This inward focus is essential for healing and growth.

This beautiful dance came to mind as I crafted our somatic yoga practice for the spine. Throughout this practice, you’ll have opportunities to explore both expansion and contraction–through breathwork, postures, and mindful movement. Expansion and contraction play an essential role in spinal health, as the spine is designed to move in multiple directions.

I hope that this practice serves you well!!

Explore the dance of expansion and contraction by clicking on the picture or the button below.

Well, that’s all I got for you this week!

Thank you for taking the time to read through this letter.

I hope that you have an amazing day, and an awesome week ahead.

With love,

~ Rachel