So, some things are black and white.
While other things are grey.
The black and white stuff are the tangible things. Like the sun setting and the moon rising. The arm bone connecting to the shoulder bone. The wind blows and the waves are formed.
Left brain. Rational. Real.
Then there’s the shades of grey. Like walking into a stranger’s house and it somehow feels like home. Or how your lover’s laugh can take your breath away. Or how you walk down a certain path – not because you want to, but you need to.
Right brain. Abstract. Real.
I try to have my feet in both camps. One foot solidly lodged in the world of evidence based practice. The other firmly lodged in the world of experiential based practice. The balance of my feet trying to compliment each other. Providing a black and white latticework shaped by the colours and patterns of grey.
Connecting together left brain / right brain, rational / abstract – to create the intricate tapestry of life.
But if the weight through your feet loose their hold – and somehow your feet lose their balance – things can get a bit kooky.
Losing our ground and floating into la-la land. Or losing our dreams and sinking into stagnation.
Neither of which are healthy places to be.
I was involved in a discussion regarding Osgoods Schlatters disease this week. This is a pretty common condition that can cause knee pain. Particularly in adolescents – boys more than girls. Usually caused due to a rapid growth spurt, the quadriceps tendon becomes tight. This causes micro-trauma and inflammation to not only the quad tendon, but also the connection it has to the tibia. Resulting in micro-fractures of the tibial tuberosity.
Rest it. Ice it. Stretch it.
And it with time it will likely settle down.
However, this recent conversation involved someone’s opinion that the condition in this particular boy was due to his dysfunctional relationship with a father figure. (As it was his R knee.) And that treatment should involve increasing his inner fire so as to increase his inner sense of strength. In turn allowing him to resolve this issue and stand strong in his own space of power…..
As I listened to this very well meaning person float away into la-la land – I started to get a little pissed off.
As he got lost in the shades of grey. Falling so far from the latticework of reason. Making a fool of himself and a mockery of both of my worlds.
Think balance, standing twists and nadi shodhana.
If we using the western model of health want to keep things real – we must acknowledge the space for grey. But this too goes for those of us using the eastern model of health – we must acknowledge the framework upon which hypothesis are tested and vaildated. That you don’t get osgoods schlatters, or for yhat matter nits or cancer because of issues with your dad.
Things happen. Some of them are good. Some of them are not so good. All of them are real. And all of them are not.
If we could just keep working on the length of ourselves. The length of our spines. The length of our breath. The length of our inner space. We could keep our feet firmly upon the earth. We could keep our heads clearly within the clouds.
Holding our place of balance in the connection between the two.
And keeping it real. In technolcolour.
X