I'm blessed to have been exposed to sport and movement from a young age. My dad was a tennis player at Hampton University in the 1960s, and he handed me a racquet as soon as I could run. Throughout my teens and into adulthood, I spent a significant amount of time on skateboards, tennis courts, swimming pools, tracks, running trails, and bike paths.
As I immersed myself in the world of outdoor activities, I came to understand the significance of a well-rounded stretching and movement routine. For novice athletes, this often becomes apparent through injury or the natural soreness that accompanies exercise (including long days on your feet at work, which can be just as demanding).
“By honoring our bodies through movement, we give them thanks for all that they allow us to do.”
Given these reasons, I wanted to share some morning mobility flows that I've acquired over time with the participants of our Den Retreat. We would begin each day by gathering at the outdoor "yoga pagoda" from our cabins before breaking fast. The sessions always opened with a warm introduction and some moments of quiet reflection, taking time to give thanks for a new day.
“…I came to understand the significance of a well-rounded stretching and movement routine, especially as we age.”
We also reflected on the idea that a brief morning movement session can be a form of prayer. By acknowledging and honoring our physical bodies through movement, we're giving thanks and praising their capabilities. The main goal was to provide the care and patience of my own past mentors, guiding participants through the exercises with the same mindfulness of care and patience. We all left feeling refreshed, alert, and ready for the day's activities, so job done :-).
