NO EXCUSES -- GETTING 10% HAPPIER

You think you come to yoga class to get your body in better shape -- stronger, more flexible, more balanced.  It's wonderful that asana practice provides those "value added" benefits...but the true purpose of yoga, as explained by the ancient yogis, is to strengthen and settle the mind and body for mediation.  Yep; it's all about the meditation practice.

I've been writing about my Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course, of which meditation was a significant practice, to address life's stresses, depression, anxiety, physical and emotional pain.  Scientific studies have shown that our brains respond to meditation by building new neural pathways that calm the monkey mind of worry and stress.  So, actually, just sitting quietly for some period of time each day, being aware of your breath moving in and out, watching your thoughts come and go like clouds floating across the sky, is actually the whole point of Yoga and a deeply healing practice.

Why don't more people do it?

Maybe because it's got a "blissed out", hippie-vibe reputation in the West that is easy to mock.  And who wants to be laughed at? We are a busy, productive, striving culture that has no time and no patience for foolishly sitting still and not doing anything!

Also, at least initially, it's sorta hard.  Everyone thinks the point is to "clear your mind", resulting in no thoughts whatsoever.  Nope.  That's not it.  In fact, that's pretty impossible.  As long as we have human brains, human brains will do what they are created to do...think!  They will ruminate about the past, plan for the future, tell us stories, tell us lies, distract, and demand.  They are unruly two-year-olds!  The point of meditating is to "quiet" the mind...give it a "resting time" where all that activity at least slows down and whispers more softly.

We don't even have to listen; we can just acknowledge with a labeling technique what is going on.  If I catch myself planning a party while meditating, I just say to myself, "Thinking...planning" and go back to my breathing.  If I catch myself wondering what time it is and how much longer do I have to sit here, I say to myself, "Impatient" and go back to my breath.  The trick is not to attach to what the brain is doing.  There will always be thoughts...but you don't have to follow the story they are telling.  Interrupt with acknowledging and moving back to the breath.  It takes lots of practice.  Some days I'm an expert.  More often I am far, far from it.  But I keep at it.

Meditation is becoming pretty popular these days, so some of the "hippie" stigma is abating since science has taken up the study of meditation and found some quantifiable benefits to practicing.  Even the Seattle Seahawks incorporate meditation into their football program!  Books, articles, classes, courses, lectures...you can find more information on meditation that you could imagine with just a quick Google Search.

There are literally no excuses for NOT giving it a try.  Yoga Circle offers special workshops on meditation, in addition to meditation being incorporated into the physical asana practices we do.  A fabulous app you can download is "Insight Timer" that has literally hundreds of types of meditations offered by various teachers.  A beginner book I particularly like is "10% Happier" by Dan Harris, a TV journalist who found meditation after an on-air panic attack and struggle with substance abuse.  It is the perfect book for skeptics and written with humor and insight and down-to-earth tips on just trying to get only "10% happier" through meditation.

Come to class a bit early, sit quietly on your mat and let your breath be your focus.  See if that has any impact on your practice.  Do the dance of breath with movement and stillness.  Rest in savasana with a mind as at ease as your body.  Give it a try.  No excuses.

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo credit:  pixabay.com

MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION -- PART 4

This is the last in my series reporting on my MBSR class.

Since our day-long retreat (see previous post), we had three more sessions and these were focused on Communication, Compassion, and Continuing Practice.

Do you ever notice how relationships with others can be stressful?   If we can identify our emotions around what other people are "triggering" in us, we can learn to be present with the emotion, noticing it, and identifying it without becoming that emotion with our whole being.  Instead of "I'm so angry with you!!!" there might be a pause, a deep breath, and the acknowledgement that "anger is rising in response to what she said."  The anger is there, but it's not controlling me.  I admit to this being a real challenge for me.  Emotion is a powerful force and arises in an instant.  The practice is to slow down, pay attention, and "label" the feeling with some distance in order to maintain equilibrium in a potentially tense situation.

As we are able to respond rather than react to life and its stresses, we might also find a place of more compassion for ourselves and those around us.  Our textbook says, "Compassion is defined as the practice of noticing suffering in ourselves and others and being willing to help."  Help takes many forms and sometimes the best we can do is be present with the feelings that arise, holding space, and witnessing with another.  Sometimes we need to realize our own suffering may be due to distorted thinking and projection, and not in tune with reality at all.  This is an opportunity to take responsibility for our own thinking and to find clarity and peace with a new paradigm of interpretation.   We did many "Lovingkindness Meditation" practices in class...sending love and compassion and well-being to those we love, those we only know a little bit, to ourselves, and most challenging, to those we actually dislike.  Sound easy?  Nope.  That's why they call it a practice.

In class we learned there are formal practices -- a variety of sitting meditations, as well as movement meditations -- Qigong, Yoga, etc.  And there are informal practices -- eating mindfully, walking mindfully, speaking mindfully, awareness of sensation in any given minute.  All of these can be incorporated into a daily living mindfulness practice that keeps us grounded, aware, in the moment, and free from regret (past focus) or worry (future focus).

At the end of the class I realized that the Nirvana I had hoped to obtain by taking the MBSR class was not automatic.  I realized that most of the modalities and exercises were not new to me -- I've been taught them and have sporadically practiced all of them in the past.  What was real for me, the learning I take away, is there is no 'magic pill' of a teacher or class or course that will take the place of dedication to practicing every day.  Mindfulness is always there yet it's not always easy to access; it takes a intention and attention to truly incorporate peace, equanimity, and tranquility into our lives.

Seems like it might be worth the effort.  Now, close your eyes and notice your breath moving in and moving out....

Namaste,  donnajurene