Analyzing Limits

Limitations are like any tool in the box. They can be used correctly to build up a greater foundation or they can be suffocating.

The best use of limits that I have seen are when they are adaptable to a situation. For any particular situation, limits may either expand, remain dormant, or contract.

Expansion is necessary when a situation has out grown the present. Easy example is when a child is growing. They need bigger clothing to fit their needs. If you expand too quickly, the child will wear clothes that fall off. This is the downside. Expand too quickly and you leave yourself with too much room for things to be left behind.

Dormancy is best for reflection. Before deciding whether to expand or contract, it’s best to determine where the current state of affairs are. The drawback here is staying dormant for too long. In nature, this is where things begin to stagnant and rot.

Contraction is good when there is explosive energy that can be destructive rather than constructive. When a child is misbehaving or someone is being reckless, their attention needs to be brought down to a level where they become aware of their actions. The drawback is when you never allow the child to gain that freedom or trust back again. Likewise for a situation, many people contract too easily due to unreasonable fears.

Knowing when to deploy these types of limits can be beneficial for those who need to contain, reflect, or expand themselves. The pattern can be crossbred to other disciplines, but I find it’s best to start within then expand out.