A large part of claiming my ease is to reconnect with my pen. To feel my thoughts run across the page, flowing faster than my hand can drag my pen across the paper, feels complete. Writing down my words adds more potential to a foundation of my thoughts and feelings that allow me to springboard to the next thing. When stuck feelings come, the pen can cut and carve a way out. After all, it’s been said that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” I’m using this piece of writing to unpack the journey of claiming ease, and it begins with a story about my dad and a Band-Aid.
It was a sunny morning, slightly hazy. The air felt warm yet had a morning crispness just at its edges. I had not seen my dad in over a week, and today we were going to the airshow at McCord Air Force Base. I was so excited not only to see my dad, but to be up close with these powerful aircrafts. Overwhelmed with excitement, it seemed like it took forever for dad to find a parking space. As we walked closer to the flight line hand in hand, I could begin to see the festival banners and vendor booths as well as multiple aircraft all lined up neatly and ready to be seen!
At this point, I was so excited to be there I could hardly contain myself, and as we passed through the entrance to the air show, I let go of my dad’s hand and took off in a full sprint towards the fighter jets. Looking back now, I can almost hear the song “Chariots Of Fire” by Vangelis! Except instead of seeing a graceful image of me running towards the planes, I stepped on my untied shoelace and suddenly heard the record skip and scratch as I plummet to the ground, knee first, both hands second.
The sting of the pavement is immediate and white hot. A burst of crocodile tears now pouring over my bloody knee as my dad comes to my rescue. A minor delay in the flow of the morning, a huge reallocation of my excitement, and one camouflage Band-Aid later from the first aid station, and my dad helped me hobble around the show. Over the next week that Band-Aid took on a new camouflage of its own, a camouflage of dirt and grass stains as days of play wore on at my dad’s house after our time at the air show.
Claiming ease in our lives can be a strange layered game, much like the life of a Band-Aid on a wound. We often focus on trying to let go of things being hard in an effort to get to the moment when they’re not, rather than just surrendering to things being hard in the moment. Seeing frustration in the moment as a pivot point to play the game. To have a moment of emotional detachment from the frustration long enough that you can see how to swap it out for a new way. The game where resistance stands alone as you experience it, just as ease steps into its place. Then you may sense a strange feeling of “this is how it’s supposed to be,“ yet it’s coupled with the pain of letting go of the resistance despite it no longer serving you.
So, when we’re not claiming ease, it can be like an old Band-Aid that has become like a false skin stained in a camouflage of dirt, sweat, and grass over the original injury that is attempting to heal. That Band-Aid is now almost a part of your knee, much like the effort to claim ease can feel like it’s buried deep within us and untouchable. That Band-Aid now actually hurts to the touch when you try to peel it off. Of course peeling slowly offers no relief. When we remove ourselves from a life of ease, the resistance we feel when we know we should choose it can feel just as painful as the stuck Band-Aid.
Now, you’re fed up with the pain, fed up with the resistance. Fed up enough that you peel off the Band-Aid quickly, swiftly, and with audible determination. You’ve done it! You have let go of the resistance and deeply breathe into the new way of ease! Now true healing and true ease can begin.
Old wounds of “being hard” can now finally breathe. The game of the pivot point where you peel off the band-Aid and let it breathe in order to heal to its full potential is the action for claiming ease. It may seem hard, but it’s only hard until it is not. Practice leads towards perfection. Forgive yourself for the old Band-Aids, as they served you well, and celebrate the ease.
Not to be mistaken for bliss, claiming ease as a way to be with the flux and flow of a life, your own life, your loved ones’ lives, a new life. Claiming ease as a way to be in more flow when meeting resistance, as in how you might pace yourself walking up a mountain peak. Claiming ease as a path towards your higher self. You may run out of breath if you resist the respect of the climb. Whereas it may feel light to slowly step towards your higher self if you have patience to respect the gifts of the climb, one step at a time. Personally, I’m going to see what new mountains my pen leads me on next!
DUANE PASCAL
Duane began practicing massage and bodywork therapy after a lengthy career as an Emergency Medical Technician. From experiencing the benefits of massage therapy treatment for his own work-related injuries and stress, Duane was inspired. He attended Ashmead School of Massage graduating in 2006 and made a shift into rehabilitative bodywork therapy. Since then Duane has enjoyed the humble privilege of working with some amazing human beings and strong spirits, that are his clients and patients, to achieve more pain-free and mobile lives. Incorporating the importance of movement and stretching into his technique, Duane combines multiple rehabilitative bodywork and massage therapies to provide the most optimal treatment outcome to each of his clients and patients.
When Duane is not working in the office you may find him at a finish line of a local marathon, working on deserving athletes or traveling and supporting athletes at important events. Most importantly, when Duane is not working he is with his beautiful family either traveling, hiking, fishing, biking, or just hanging out enjoying bubble tea or pho or chicken adobo and always with their dogs, Koa and Cheveya.
