These pandemic days can be strangely intense – lots of mental activity, while physically going nowhere.

I often spend great chunks of time fully absorbed in my computer, emotions coursing through my mind, while my body gradually curls into a tense hunch over the keyboard.

Then, at some point, the task is done and I lift my face and come up for air.

Looking out the wide picture window, I see palm leaves catching sunlight and get the strongest feeling in the legs that I must go out for a walk right now!

That’s what happened this morning.

So I put on my favorite totally cheesy Hawaiian shirt from ‘El Cortez’ in Las Vegas (though I got it at a garage sale in Arizona), and headed up the neighboring hill.

Tall hedges bunched out into the sidewalk and brushed against my arm as I strode past.

Bird of paradise flowers, orange and yellow and deep purple, pointed their beaks at me from street-side gardens.

The occasional fuchsia blossom dipped from a canopy down to stroke the top of my head.

My legs felt so strong and capable. Capable of navigating cracks in the sidewalk and bumps in the road. Capable of climbing steep inclines and hopping on and off the curb.

But beyond capable, they were just so happy to be out walking!

The thing is, our bodies love to be let out to play.

Legs love to move through space. Lungs love to breathe in the breeze. Hearts love to pump a little harder. Eyes relish taking in new sights in the real 3-D world. Brains are refreshed while the body does its thing… thoughts become spacious and free.

Do you know what I mean?

You don’t need to discipline yourself into movement. You don’t need to force yourself to try to be fit.

Just listen to your body! It wants to move and play. It wants to reach and explore.

Try it now.

Ask your physical self, Hey, how would you like to move? You wanna stretch your arms? You wanna twist? You wanna stand up and shake yourself out? You wanna take the biggest inhale ever?

Go ahead and do it. Then notice the difference in you. Was it worth it?

But don’t just make this a one-time-thing. Make it an everyday thing. An every hour thing.

The more you practice letting your body out to play, the more natural it becomes… and the more free you become.

If you’d like to play with me every day, explore my online embodiment program.

Nothing makes me happier than waking up and sharing all kinds of wonderful ways to play with other human bodies around the world.

It’s not as hard as you think to get moving again. It literally happens just one step at a time 🙂

Best wishes to you and your wonderful legs…
Ariel