Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight

There’s a song by an artist I really dig, Amos Lee, that goes by the name of this week’s newsletter.

It’s an apt capturing of a sensation I encounter in those practices that ground my grazing mind and grant me grace in the great disco of my crazed actions.

Keep it loose, until you need to keep it tight.

Move with calm, with ease, with peace, until the moment calls for a sharper, tighter, & more focused expression. And then, return, relax, come back to the calm.

I sense this lesson when I’m biking, playing basketball, practicing martial arts, or — perhaps my favorite expression of it — when I’m in the ocean, trying my best at this divine thing called surfing.

When you watch the old masters, the sun-blessed uncles & aunties that swim through the water like sea-borne starlets, they seem to join with the wave as seamlessly as if they were the very foam at its crest.

There is no effort lost. Nothing toiled. It is as smooth as the shading of clouds atop the ocean itself. There is calm throughout. A noticing awareness of the approaching swell. A few paddles to sync up with the growing motion below.

And then, just when the moment has revealed itself, a sharp expression of precision: a pop up, a landing atop the board in such silver sweet synergy that soul becomes one with water, weaving the phenomenal, fluid art that follows. And when the expression eventually finds its eager end, how they let themselves settle back into the sea and smile in salted peace.

“Hang Loose,” they say.

And for all my hoopers, consider the smoothest, most efficient ball-handlers you know. Be it Kyrie, KD, or Kobe, each disciple of the dribble knows full well how to merge with the movement of the game in a manner that is open, calm, & loose.

And, of course, each also knows precisely when the moment arrives to apply their unique brand of brilliance, as they transform previous tranquility into a tremendous turnaround, a stupefying crossover, or a game-sealing buzzer beater.

This is what it means to, “Let the game come to you.”

The same speaks true in the Martial Arts. My beloved instructors and senseis would often guide us to stay loose, to be pliable and flexible until the very moment of impact, at which point — and only at which point — we were to express the totality of our being into the target of our efforts. And then, to return. To come back to being loose, open, ready.

If I was to remain tight the entire time, with fists and jaw clenched, shoulders hunched, muscles constricted, with a menacing grimace on my face, I would tire myself to exhaustion far quicker than any opponent of mine could.

And I did. Time and time again. On the mat, on the court, in the ocean, and certainly in life.

I have made this mistake enough times for me to finally pay attention to its lesson.

The more that we can attune to what the moment requires of us, the more effectively—and ultimately—the more peacefully we can move through life.

Most moments will likely call for ease, for fluidity, for releasing the tension we’ve come to carry.

Others will demand precision, a sharp focus, a burst of intentional energy to enact our desired dreams and visions.

The art & practice of life, of presence, it seems, is attuning to what the moment asks of us and meeting it in kind spirit & bold action.

And so, my hope for you, today, tomorrow, and for the days that follow is to keep it loose when you can, tighten up when you must, and trust that peace will follow.

Reflections for Growth

Sensing the Moment: Reflect on how you discern when it’s time to be loose and when it’s time to tighten up. How do you listen to the needs of the moment in your daily life, relationships, or work?

The Price of Tightness: Consider a time when you stayed "tight" for too long, physically, mentally, or emotionally. How did that affect your energy, mindset, or relationships?

The Art of Releasing: How do you practice releasing tension after moments of intense focus or effort? What practices help you return to a state of calm after you’ve “tightened up”?

Invitations for Practice

Mindful Movement: As you go about your days this week, practice sensing when it's time to be relaxed and when it's time to bring focused energy. Notice how this changes the way you respond to different situations.

Tension & Release Meditation: Set aside 5 minutes at night or in the morning to alternate between tensing and releasing various muscle groups. As you tighten, focus all your attention on that effort, and as you release, allow yourself to fully relax. Reflect on how this mirrors the balance you can cultivate in life.

As always, as you practice, please jot down your thoughts and experiences, and feel free to share your reflections directly with me.

Until next time, keep it loose, keep it tight, & keep it real,

P.S. Here’s the song I mentioned at the very beginning. Enjoy.

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