Lean into Resistance

Posted on by Life with Alegria

Katherine pressed out the knots in my muscles, it was painful for a few brief moments coming and going in spasms. And as I tensed up, grimacing against the pain the words came, “Lean into resistance.”

It’s a tough thing to allow yourself to flow with the pain, physical or psychological. However, it is there in those soft spots, in the bruises, in the things that cause you the most grief that we find opportunities for personal growth.

Other points of resistance in our lives may be, speaking about things that are uncomfortable, feeling those bad feelings we’ve pushed away, or voicing a contrary viewpoint to popular opinion. This requires stepping out of our comfort zone and we all know how uncomfortable that is. It’s easier to take the path of least resistance, right? Yet, we also know that comfort zone that swaddles us in cozy blankets is stifling.

Points of resistance do serve a purpose, to keep us safe, so that we aren’t eaten by tigers. However, now that we’re not wandering the forests in search of food, I think we can lean in a little bit and allow ourselves to feel the discomfort and anxiety as we tip toe into the vastness of joy. We can’t know joy if we don’t know discomfort.

The thought of leaning into resistance came to me because I have been feeling a little extra resistant lately.

I’ve been reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. A book written in 1992 and still valid today. You’ve probably heard of it, though I hadn’t until recently.

The Artist’s Way is like a course in creative self-discovery. It helps artists and other creatives become unblocked and deepen their creative vision. Thousands of people say it is life changing. It is as the author states on the book cover, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.

I consider myself a creative person, I write, I paint, I play music, I sketch, I decorate, I garden, I have dabbled in all kinds of arts and crafts, but always as a hobby, because I don’t consider myself an artist. I allow it to flow and don’t seek perfection. It’s a great practice for that. And I don’t believe I’m blocked, but am I? Here comes the resistance part.

One of the exercises Julia Cameron asks you to do is write Morning Pages, three pages of stream of consciousness writing written in longhand upon waking. This brain dump, as I call it, is according to her a way to clear the pathway to creativity and build a connection with the divine creator.

After doing this for over a month though, I am feeling resistance. I don’t want to do it. It feels pointless and sometimes it puts joyful me, who usually wakes up each morning like a spring flower, into a sullen mood. Is that the block?

Don’t tell Julia, but I did say a couple of nasty things about her in the pages. Thank goodness nobody will ever read them.

It appears however that I am right on schedule with my resisting.  I just began reading the Week 4 chapter (yes, I’m out of sync) and at the beginning of the chapter Julia Cameron writes, “…extreme emotions of any kind – the very thing that morning pages are superb for processing – are the usual triggers for avoiding the pages themselves.”

I can’t say that my emotions have been extreme, though things have fluttered to the surface unexpectedly, and that is something we would all want to resist, but if we don’t go there, if we don’t press out the knots, how will we become unstuck?

So, I am learning to unstick myself. It’s a journey believe me.

While the joy of artistic freedom is the destination.

The opposite of joy isn’t sorrow, it’s fear. And that fear is what holds us back from expressing ourselves. You may think that fear is the resistance mechanism. It isn’t. Fear is the brakes. It stops us dead in our tracks. Dead. And then we die. But if you really want to live, lean in, to those areas where you feel the resistance. Stretch those muscles like a rubber band. Press out the knots. Feel the pain. And then feel the sweet release. The letting go. The exhale. It’s on that exhale that fear dies and joy lives.

Thank you for being here.  Join me on this slow intentional journey to joy at LifewithAlegria.com

25 thoughts on “Lean into Resistance”

  4. Oh, I love, “So, I am learning to unstick myself. It’s a journey believe me.

    While the joy of artistic freedom is the destination.”

    To unstick ourselves – it might be the biggest repeated hurdle we meet in life. I love, love, love your thought to lean into the resistance. Here’s to growth!

    Wonderful post. Thank you, Alegria!!

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    1. Thanks for appreciating Wynne. It’s so necessary isn’t it, to understand the bruises for what they are so that we can heal and find joy. Joy will continue to elude us otherwise. Here’s to growth my friend! 💕

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  7. My best friend from college gave me “The Artist’s Way” 10 years ago. She said it was life changing for her. She began painting and making jewelry. I began the morning pages, morning walks and prayer. Then I started my blog. After that, I submitted an article to a website/magazine and ended up with a weekly column. My suggestion is keep with it and you don’t know where it will lead you.

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    1. Thank you EA for that encouragement. It is quite amazing how some simple exercises get us thinking and moving in the right direction. Thank you for your lived example. I’ll keep it in mind when I feel the resistance. Have a beautiful day!

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  8. Such wise words, Alegria. I especially love you nothing that fear is the metaphorical breaks rather than the resistance. And you’re right, leaning into it is where we grow. And through growth, we achieve joy.

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    1. Thanks Ab for your lovely message. It’s tough though, right? Yet it is the place we grow. And wow, joy is the reward. It’s like crossing that finish line in a marathon, whether you are in first place or not.
      Thanks for reading and appreciating.

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  9. Such wise advice here. The path in creativity isn’t promised to be easy. That through challenges we grow. You summed it up really well in the last paragraph. Especially with “Fear is the brakes.” That’s going to stick with me.

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    1. Thanks for reading and appreciating Dave. You’re absolutely right, it isn’t an easy path. Though it is worth it isn’t it. It’s when we clear the path, the vision becomes clearer and we find our way to ourselves.
      Thanks for being here.

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    1. I’m so glad you found this helpful Molly. We can easily become stuck due to our fears, and getting unstuck takes effort and insight. Though it is so worth it.
      Just this morning, I don’t know why, but I began writing about my mother-in-law in my morning pages. She’s been gone for two decades and we had our difficulties. Though thankfully I had made peace with her in the last several years of her life. And I’m so glad I did.
      What I recognized through writing the pages this morning is that peace and love are paramount. Especially in difficult relationships. Perhaps I still had a sticking point there. I don’t know, but I let it flow.
      Have you tried The Artist’s Way or writing morning pages?

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