Constriction and Expansion¶

In CL, we describe feelings and emotions primarily in terms of constriction and expansion. We also use constriction and expansion metaphorically in discussing thought patterns.

Constriction¶

Constriction means narrowing, and in CL, we use constriction more generally to refer to any feelings of closing, limiting, blocking, and holding.

Constriction relates to all forms of defense, protection, inhibition, and so on. Threat-reactions like fight-flee-freeze-faint are constrictive. Our airways constrict to block pathogens and pollution. Our whole bodies constrict to shield us from violence. Constriction can mean locking our doors and building fences and walls.

More subtle constrictions include everyday cases of saying "no", setting boundaries, and stopping. Constriction can mean protecting our privacy or claiming ownership of property. Constriction can look like withholding our thoughts and feelings from others, clinging to our judgments, and resisting change.

Consumption is constrictive. Getting, taking, eating, and capturing are all constrictive actions.

Conservation is generally constrictive whether we're conserving traditions or ecosystems or resources. While it's not constrictive to simply consume less, it is constrictive to actively protect something by inhibiting, resisting, or blocking consumption.

Expansion¶

Expansion means spreading out. In CL, we use expansion to refer to feelings of opening, growing, and exploring.

Expansion relates to curiosity, play, speculation, going, and so on. Expansion can mean feeling excited to develop new ideas, to learn, and to teach. Expansion can drive us to promote our passions to all the world.

Moderate everyday expansion includes saying "yes", feeling willing to try things, and being kind to others. Expansion can mean greeting people, collaborating, and sharing. Expansion can look like writing thoughtful messages, asking open questions, and working for progress.

Production is expansive. Giving, creating, and helping are all expansive actions.

Related terms¶

Although we default in CL to using "constriction" and "expansion", related terms can work better depending on the context.

In everyday communication, we might use the simpler and common language of closing and opening. Consider common phrases like closed-minded and open-minded. We might describe expansion with phrases like "feeling like going and doing things!"

• Various constrictive terms: close, contract, compress, clench, cramp, cringe, choke, grasp, grab, capture, catch, hold, hoard, take, own, claim, constrain, confine, conserve, limit, narrow temper, tense, restrain, restrict, reject, resist, depress, suppress, stifle, forbid, exclude, obstruct, avert, avoid, block, prohibit, inhibit, doubt, stop, but, no

• Various expansive terms: open, extend, express, widen grow, develop, progress, blossom, bloom, flower, shine, glimmer, glow, radiate, emanate, transmit, communicate, reveal, convey, publish, advertise, announce, become, manifest, activate, exhibit, trust, go, and, yes

Poetic contrasts¶

Strictly, constriction means tightening, while contraction means shortening, and the opposite of contraction is extension. We could play poetically with other pairs like contraction versus extraction and contention versus extension. Language can have odd quirks of course. Strangely, "constricted" seems more common than "constrictive", but it's the other way around for "expanded" versus "expansive".

Some contrasting word pairs (among many other possibilities):

• constriction / expansion
• contraction / extension
• contraction / extraction
• compression / expression
• compression / extraction
• impression / expression
• income / outcome

When we focus on being impressive, we might do an outward performance, but our main energy is focused inward on how we are judged. When we focus on being expressive, we send energy outward toward giving, sharing, and connecting.

Non-linguistic expression¶

Beyond words, we can use gestures and other sounds. We can physically tighten up or expand and see what the effect is on our overall thoughts and feelings or which movements best express our feelings.

Constriction and expansion as a continuum¶

The simplest model for constriction and expansion is a one-dimensional continuum. Like a magnet, the poles exist as aspects of a unified system. As we get closer to one pole or the other, it affects how much we feel each.

constriction <--------------------> expansion

Energy levels¶

A better model shows the two types of energy coexisting without being on a zero-sum continuum. We can have low-levels of both or high-levels of both or some other mix.

A 2-dimensional graph works well:

Side-note: These dimensions compare somewhat with a common mapping of emotions in psychology using valence and arousal. Negative valence means averseness, pain, bad. Positive valence means attractiveness, pleasure, good. While those "hedonic tones" seem similar constriction and expansion, they do not quite match. In CL, we see constriction as energy that can apply to both aversion and attraction. We constrict to avert some things and constrict to cling to other things. Expansion has its own qualities that do not necessarily connect with pleasure and attraction.

By considering energy level as a distinct dimension, we can see how releasing or relaxing constriction is different from increasing expansion. Releasing the brakes is a different action than pedaling forward. Adding expansion to constriction does not bring peace, it brings distress. Braking hard and pedaling hard at the same time is a recipe for breakdown and burnout.

Both constriction and expansion can be resolved. In the ongoing rhythms of life, we can talk of tension and *resolution. "Tension" implies constriction, but that can also refer to a sort of constrictive sense that often goes with expansive energy. We can feel expansive pressure, a sense of compulsion to *do expansive things. In many cases, the release of tension is what allows expansion to happen. So we can talk of resolving any sort of energy, even though resolving constriction may be more prototypical.

• Various terms related to increasing energy: energize, excite, amplify, reinforce, stimulate, arouse, motivate, drive, compel, obsess, urge, boost, provoke, prompt, pressure, rouse, rile, spark, trigger

• Various terms related to decreasing energy: relax, release, relieve, resolve, rest, pause, slow, settle, calm, quiet, still, ease, loosen, unclench, allow, accept, free, let go, liberate

Note that some energy terms can imply constrictive or expansive directions. Trigger is most used in constrictive contexts, while spark is usually expansive. Also "open" as a verb fits the idea of expansion well, while "open" as an adjective also implies relaxation.

Not good or bad!¶

Whether expansion and constriction are healthy and appropriate depends on how they fit the circumstances. So, they are not synonymous with good and bad or healthy and unhealthy.

Constriction keeps us safe¶

Healthy constriction protects us and provides important signals. Without constriction, we can't hold it together. We will not thrive by being open to abuse, exploitation, or neglect. And we will not survive long being open-minded about touching hot stoves, getting hit by speeding cars, or drinking poison.

Expansion isn't always healthy¶

Healthy expansion drives us to change the world for the better, to spread love, make art, to connect with others. Without expansion, we would never produce anything.

Expansion can also be unhealthy. If we are too open-minded, our brain will fall out. Expansion accompanied by delusion can mean insanity. Unbounded growth is cancer. Complete expansion is entropy — the end of coherence and form.

Responding to pain and pleasure¶

It is not because pleasure is right and pain is wrong that we seek one and avoid the other. Seeking pleasure and avoiding pain are inherent to what the feelings are for. To thrive, we need to take pleasure in healthy things and feel pain when experiencing unhealthy things. It will not serve us well to reduce pain by eliminating our pain responses. When we get injured, we need pain to motivate us toward appropriate responses and learning. Appropriate responses address the underlying causes of pain, avoiding and treating diseases rather than only suppressing the symptoms.

Forms of constriction and expansion¶

Life is a process of constriction and expansion. Heartbeat, breath, and movement… Our energy continually fluctuates. Every topic, assertion, idea, and experience can be felt with constrictive or expansive energy, and parts of us can feel differently at the same time.

For example, constriction around the topic of love could mean craving love or rejecting love. Part of us can feel expansive, open, unconditional love for others while another part of us feels constrictive fear of the pain that may come from losing those we love. We can even feel expansive energy around pain — welcoming pain in a way that involves curiosity and appreciation, free from any indulgence in unhealthy self-punishment. As with soreness following strong physical exercise, we can appreciate the pain of losing a loved as being wholly part of the love itself. We would not wish to feel no grief.

Nuances of wanting and wishing¶

When we want something, we usually sense that as constrictive. Desire implies craving and grasping. The word "wish" often feels more nuanced because it can include acceptance that the idea may not come about. A wish for world peace can feel expansive when we experience it through love and compassion rather than through defensive grasping.

When we have "hope", do we sense some constriction, some clinging to a that future we can only accept if it goes the way we prefer? Do our hopes for good health come with some constrictive fear and trepidation about how things might go badly? Maybe "aspiration" feels more expansive. We can aspire to live by healthy commitments in a way that feels free from resistance to whatever may or may not happen.

Whatever the language, our constrictive or expansive feelings show up in raw sensations. Still, we might actually feel different when we use different language.

Wanting to get or to get away from¶

Aversion and clinging are both constrictive. We can want, grasp, hoard, crave, indulge in, and hope for pleasant experiences. We can resist, push away, avoid, fear, and criticize unpleasant experiences. Although these do feel different, they are two sides of the same coin. They are both forms of constriction.

Expansive energy is more giving and playful, more curious. We may want to write a song, travel to a new place, or share a meal with friends. In these cases, we may feel only expansive energy pushing us to action. Or we may feel mixed…

Pessimism and optimism¶

Pessimism is constrictive, optimism is expansive, and neither is objective or correct. A pessimistic view can feel discouraging, while an optimistic view can lead us to skip important precautions. We need to attend to problems in order to fix them, and we need to notice things that are going well in order to appreciate and sustain them. Sometimes, we need to relax our judgments, predictions, and expectations in order to be open to just allowing and experiencing whatever comes.

Depression and mania¶

One strongly constricted state is depression, and the corresponding expanded state is mania. We are unhealthy when stuck in either state or when flipping between them as in bipolar disorder. A balanced life moves and flows more smoothly, modulating through a healthy range of appropriate energy levels.

Layers of constriction and expansion¶

Complex behavior can involve both expansion and constriction. For CL practice, it can help to ask which energy is the core motivator. For example, hunger drives us to seek out food. The seeking is somewhat expansive. Then, we eat the food, and that's constrictive. The overall behavior of getting and eating food is driven by constriction.

Attachment to any aspect of experience is itself constrictive. We can even feel layers of constriction about constriction. We begin to relax when we accept our constrictions, when we drop resisting our resistance. Again, the goal is not ending constriction but noticing it, heeding its messages, and then responding appropriately with contextual awareness and best healthy practices.

For example, consider teachings about consciously letting go of worldly attachments, clinging, and greed. We hear about accepting the truth of impermanence and accepting discomfort. Many of us take those ideas and then constrict around the attainment of freedom and equanimity. We feel aversion or shame toward greedy thoughts and feel greedy about achieving progress in conscious living. This pattern is commonly called "spiritual materialism". We might take the instruction to "let go of clinging, let go of resistance" and then constrict around actually doing it. The problem is in the implied goal of ending constriction as if it were bad. To avoid this pitfall, we can note the topic of "progress in conscious living" and see how we feel around that, accepting whatever we notice, including any constriction. When constriction shows up in layers, releasing it may happen layer by layer (though there are also practices that may quickly just relax everything all at once).

Continually shifting rhythms¶

Life inherently fluctuates. Everything is always changing. Trying to stay in expansion is as absurd as trying to only exhale.

Like inhaling and exhaling, constriction and expansion are opposites and have distinct effects. Still, they are similar processes with some similar characteristics. They go together.

We cannot release constriction through force. Fighting against constriction only adds constriction. Scratching an itch can make it worse. Forcefully blowing a constricted and inflamed nose will only make it more irritated and inflamed. A smooth flow through constriction and expansion comes from acceptance, relaxation, and healthy regulation.

As with breathing, we can exercise and explore constriction and expansion. We can refine our sensitivities and learn to quickly notice subtle signals. We can also challenge ourselves, developing our capacity to tolerate tighter constrictions and reach broader expansions. We can pause temporarily and sit in a relatively stable state for a time. We will always have subtle fluctuations, because nothing is truly static. Eventually, we will go on to experience the next overall phase in the continual patterns of life.

Patterns of shifting energy will continue until we take our last breath (and even after that, though presumably without our conscious awareness).

Appreciating perspectives¶

Having multiple perspectives is essential to fully understand any situation. What appears when viewed from constriction? From expansion? From a more relaxed state?

When we experience freedom and relaxation, we can stay present with that state as long as it lasts, or we can consciously shift toward constriction or expansion to explore those experiences.

Our views from constriction and expansion will be reliably different. With no single correct perspective, the greatest insights come from exploring as many angles as we can. We can start with subtle, mild challenges. To safely experience and process extreme views and states, we can use careful precautions and preparations. As our skills improve, we can work effectively with greater challenges; ever more profound and troubling questions and feelings; and growing creativity, love, and compassion.