Recently a student thanked me for class and shared her love of the "silent moments" during our practice. She reflected that those moments of quiet are a rarity in our busy lives, something that I'm sure we can all appreciate.
Early in my years of yoga study, I too came to appreciate silence. At first, the intentional pauses during class would seem jarring, and the long-held silence of savasana was very near torture. The busyness of my mind seemed louder than any music or voice. It seemed that when the calm sound of the teacher's voice ceased, the real noise took over...what was up with that?
But slowly I got used to that silence. And funny enough, the noise in my everyday life, which I'm sure I had never even noticed before, suddenly became so obvious! The music blaring from the car radio, the chitchatting in the university cafeteria, the tv playing in the background even though nobody was watching. Where had all this noise come from? Surely I would have noticed this before!
During one especially significant moment I was speeding down the highway rushing to yoga class. As my mind raced "I'm late, I should have left earlier, I'll interrupt everyone" loud music blared from the radio. I hardly noticed. As I kept up this speedy inner dialogue my whole body tensed and my foot pressed more firmly on the gas pedal. Until suddenly I noticed the noise and turned the radio off. With that, my breath slowed, the car slowed and my mind switched to a more mindful, appreciative inner dialogue: "I'm going to yoga, I'm going to nourish my mind and body, it's ok if I'm a few minutes late, I'll enter quietly and everyone will understand".
Since then I've been very mindful of the effect sound has on our well being. Sounds of all sorts have their time and place. Loud isn't always bad, sometimes loud music is just what the soul needs! But the key is to choose how sound will be a part of your life rather than always having it in the background and just never noticing. If I want to listen to music in the car, I do. But sometimes I don't want to and so I turn it off and enjoy the silence. Sometimes I like to play music when I practice or teach yoga, but sometimes my well being or that of my students is better served without music.
Yoga teacher and writer Georg Feurstein says "it is in silence and as silence that we discover our authentic identity, the Self". Ultimately integrating moments of silence into your life will lead you to stillness, which is the ultimate goal of yoga. Here are a few easy ways to experiment with quiet:
- the next time there is a moment of silence during a yoga class, or even a longer silence as in savasana, notice your reaction to it. Don't judge your reaction or label it as "bad", just notice. This will help you understand your existing relationship to quiet. From that place of understanding you can begin to accept the silence. Use your breath as a point of meditation and follow the inhale and the exhale, letting thoughts go as you breathe.
- when you find yourself having a conversation with a friend or family member notice other sounds in the space. Is there music? Is the television on? Maybe you even notice the sound of a fan or a computer humming. If these are sounds you can control, turn them off and notice the change in your attention level during the conversation.
- take 10, 15, 30 or even 60 minutes out of your day and commit to the practice of mauna, or silence (not speaking). The beginning or end of your day, or beginning or end of your yoga class is a good time to practice mauna. Notice the effect that not speaking has on you and those around you. At first you may feel silly or anti social, but as you continue to practice, you and the people around you will come to appreciate the positive effects of silence (even in small doses!)
- turn off the stereo, car radio, television and/or any other electronic device that creates sound when it is not actively being used and enjoyed.
- before you fall asleep at night and before you get up in the morning take a few moments of silence to observe the natural noises during these inherently quiet times. Maybe you can hear birds in the morning or the sound of the wind. In the nighttime perhaps there's music coming from a home nearby or the sound of dogs barking. Acquaint yourself with these natural sounds and enjoy them for what they are. These are noises that already exist around you. When you speak, play music, or turn on the hairdryer these new sounds are being layered on top of the natural noises to create the everyday hum of life!
In silence and stillness,
Meaghan
Showing posts with label transformation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transformation. Show all posts
Monday, May 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Paschimottanasana - Seated Forward Bend
When I first started my yoga practice Warrior 2 felt great, Extended Side Angle was even better and the first moment of balance in Half Moon pose was truly awesome. So basically, I really enjoyed the first two thirds of any yoga class I went to. What I absolutely did not enjoy was Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) and Janu Sirsasana (head to knee forward bend).
As soon as we came to these seated poses, my whole body seemed to shout "no! absolutely not!". My hamstrings stayed stubbornly tight (despite my best exhaling efforts), my upper back burned while I stretched arms and head forward attempting to close the space between hands and feet, and my pelvis would absolutely not tilt forward no matter how many times the teacher urged it to do so. When I looked around the room I was amazed to see that some people actually looked quite comfortable - like they may even be enjoying this insane posture! Clearly my body was not built like theirs...
But years later, I'm one of those people happily stretching into Paschimottanasana - enjoying all the benefits it has to offer. So how has my forward bend gone from torture to pleasure? I chalk it up to patiently practicing good alignment.
In those early days of yoga my forward bend probably looked something like this:
My pelvis may as well be cast in concrete - it's not tilting anywhere! My upper back is deeply rounded (exacerbated by long hours working at a computer at my day job), and my head is reaching, reaching, reaching!!! for my knees! This is a yogi grasping for something that does not yet exist - flexibility! But that's ok. Our yoga teaches us to let go of expectations, to stop grasping and to let go of attachment to the end result.
Somewhere along the way I had teachers who showed me the path to comfort in Paschimottanasana. Their instructions would have sounded something like this:
1. Find the sitting bones first by reaching back and gently pulling each one away from the heel, removing any flesh from underneath them and rooting the bones down into the earth. If this in itself is challenging put the edge of a blanket or block underneath your seat to help initiate the anterior pelvic tilt.
2. Activate the legs. Draw the toes toward the shins and find your "yoga feet" (press out through the balls of the feet, finding a midway point between flexing and pointing the toes). Keep energy in the legs throughout the practice.
3. Lengthen the spine with the breath. As you inhale feel yourself grow out of the hips while the crown of the head reaches towards the sky.
4. With the exhale actively tilt the pelvis forward and keep the back long and straight as your chest stretches towards your toes, keeping the shoulders back and the heart open.
5. Place the hands on the floor beside the legs, on the shins, or on the feet if they reach (you can also use a strap around the feet). Wherever the hands are placed, soften the skin on the arms and resist the urge to reach and pull.
6. Continue to breathe. Lengthen the back on the inhale and stretch, with the chest open, toward the toes on the exhale. Even if there is no physical movement while you breathe, have the intention of movement and focus on keeping this physical alignment. If you stay committed to the proper alignment, over time your body will open up in the right places and you'll find yourself moving deeper and deeper (with more and more comfort!) into Paschimottanasana.
Whereas much of my discomfort in this asana stemmed from tight hamstrings and limited mobility in my pelvis, Bobby experienced discomfort in this posture because of chronic rounding in her mid and upper back during her early yoga practice. Here are her "before" and "after" photos.
As you can see, in the full expression of the pose the back does round a little. But this reflects the natural curve of the spine rather than an unnatural and accentuated bend in the waist caused by daily habits of forward bending (sitting at a desk, working on a computer, driving a car, etc.).
So the next time you arrive at the seated portion of a class and begin to make your way into the often-challenging seated forward bends, remember that these are difficult for everyone at first! If you bring awareness to proper alignment and let go of the notion that your head must touch your legs or your hands must touch your toes, you'll soon find your body responding positively. The hamstrings will loosen, the pelvis will more easily tilt and the back will actually feel stronger and longer. Before you know it, you'll be enjoying the calming effects of Paschimottanasana - even if your hands never reach your toes!
As soon as we came to these seated poses, my whole body seemed to shout "no! absolutely not!". My hamstrings stayed stubbornly tight (despite my best exhaling efforts), my upper back burned while I stretched arms and head forward attempting to close the space between hands and feet, and my pelvis would absolutely not tilt forward no matter how many times the teacher urged it to do so. When I looked around the room I was amazed to see that some people actually looked quite comfortable - like they may even be enjoying this insane posture! Clearly my body was not built like theirs...
But years later, I'm one of those people happily stretching into Paschimottanasana - enjoying all the benefits it has to offer. So how has my forward bend gone from torture to pleasure? I chalk it up to patiently practicing good alignment.
In those early days of yoga my forward bend probably looked something like this:
My pelvis may as well be cast in concrete - it's not tilting anywhere! My upper back is deeply rounded (exacerbated by long hours working at a computer at my day job), and my head is reaching, reaching, reaching!!! for my knees! This is a yogi grasping for something that does not yet exist - flexibility! But that's ok. Our yoga teaches us to let go of expectations, to stop grasping and to let go of attachment to the end result.Somewhere along the way I had teachers who showed me the path to comfort in Paschimottanasana. Their instructions would have sounded something like this:
1. Find the sitting bones first by reaching back and gently pulling each one away from the heel, removing any flesh from underneath them and rooting the bones down into the earth. If this in itself is challenging put the edge of a blanket or block underneath your seat to help initiate the anterior pelvic tilt.
2. Activate the legs. Draw the toes toward the shins and find your "yoga feet" (press out through the balls of the feet, finding a midway point between flexing and pointing the toes). Keep energy in the legs throughout the practice.
3. Lengthen the spine with the breath. As you inhale feel yourself grow out of the hips while the crown of the head reaches towards the sky.
4. With the exhale actively tilt the pelvis forward and keep the back long and straight as your chest stretches towards your toes, keeping the shoulders back and the heart open.
5. Place the hands on the floor beside the legs, on the shins, or on the feet if they reach (you can also use a strap around the feet). Wherever the hands are placed, soften the skin on the arms and resist the urge to reach and pull.
6. Continue to breathe. Lengthen the back on the inhale and stretch, with the chest open, toward the toes on the exhale. Even if there is no physical movement while you breathe, have the intention of movement and focus on keeping this physical alignment. If you stay committed to the proper alignment, over time your body will open up in the right places and you'll find yourself moving deeper and deeper (with more and more comfort!) into Paschimottanasana.
Whereas much of my discomfort in this asana stemmed from tight hamstrings and limited mobility in my pelvis, Bobby experienced discomfort in this posture because of chronic rounding in her mid and upper back during her early yoga practice. Here are her "before" and "after" photos.
As you can see, in the full expression of the pose the back does round a little. But this reflects the natural curve of the spine rather than an unnatural and accentuated bend in the waist caused by daily habits of forward bending (sitting at a desk, working on a computer, driving a car, etc.).So the next time you arrive at the seated portion of a class and begin to make your way into the often-challenging seated forward bends, remember that these are difficult for everyone at first! If you bring awareness to proper alignment and let go of the notion that your head must touch your legs or your hands must touch your toes, you'll soon find your body responding positively. The hamstrings will loosen, the pelvis will more easily tilt and the back will actually feel stronger and longer. Before you know it, you'll be enjoying the calming effects of Paschimottanasana - even if your hands never reach your toes!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Studentship
As you know, I spent last week studying Anusara yoga with Barrie Risman. It was so revitalizing to be a student again! During our week-long session we touched on the importance of studentship - what it means to be a good student and how important that is to our practice and our teaching.
Yoga is a tradition that for thousands of years was passed orally from teacher to student. What we know of yoga today is the result of years and years of dedicated studentship. Individuals interested in the yoga teachings often had to prove themselves to the Guru (teacher) before he would accept them as students, ensuring that each student had the discipline and will to study seriously.
Today of course, we don't have to prove to our teachers that we're "serious students". The modern practice of yoga means many different things to many different people. Some of us are "serious students" and some of us are not - and where you fall in that categorization totally depends on your definition of "serious".
For me, the study of yoga has taught me a lot about being a student. It teaches me over and over that this path is not black and white. That there are different ways of doing things - different perspectives on the same practices - and that no way is right or wrong. It's all yoga. My study has shown me that things I thought were impossible actually become available to me with dedication and commitment (headstand, handstand and hundreds of other poses - i'm talking about you!). The study of yoga has shown me that to be a good student you must listen, decipher and respect the person doing the talking even if you disagree with him or her.
When you break that list down it's easy to see that what I've learned is relevant outside of yoga too. Understanding, dedication and respect are traits that this yoga has cultivated within me and that I am deeply appreciative for.
So the next time you find yourself in the position of "student", take a moment to consider how that studentship is affecting you at the deepest layers of the Self. For me this contemplation makes me hungry for more learning, more teachers, more moments in the role of student because I know that in the end, being a student makes me a better person and teacher.
With thanks to my many teachers (and with gratitude for the opportunity to study),
Meaghan
Yoga is a tradition that for thousands of years was passed orally from teacher to student. What we know of yoga today is the result of years and years of dedicated studentship. Individuals interested in the yoga teachings often had to prove themselves to the Guru (teacher) before he would accept them as students, ensuring that each student had the discipline and will to study seriously.
Today of course, we don't have to prove to our teachers that we're "serious students". The modern practice of yoga means many different things to many different people. Some of us are "serious students" and some of us are not - and where you fall in that categorization totally depends on your definition of "serious".
For me, the study of yoga has taught me a lot about being a student. It teaches me over and over that this path is not black and white. That there are different ways of doing things - different perspectives on the same practices - and that no way is right or wrong. It's all yoga. My study has shown me that things I thought were impossible actually become available to me with dedication and commitment (headstand, handstand and hundreds of other poses - i'm talking about you!). The study of yoga has shown me that to be a good student you must listen, decipher and respect the person doing the talking even if you disagree with him or her.
When you break that list down it's easy to see that what I've learned is relevant outside of yoga too. Understanding, dedication and respect are traits that this yoga has cultivated within me and that I am deeply appreciative for.
So the next time you find yourself in the position of "student", take a moment to consider how that studentship is affecting you at the deepest layers of the Self. For me this contemplation makes me hungry for more learning, more teachers, more moments in the role of student because I know that in the end, being a student makes me a better person and teacher.
With thanks to my many teachers (and with gratitude for the opportunity to study),
Meaghan
Thursday, December 3, 2009
How Often Should I Practice?
Most people who practice yoga hope to find something special within their practice. And so they should! Yoga, in all it's many manifestations, can be absolutely life-changing. Whether you are seeking a form of physical therapy to aid in injury recovery or are looking for a more meaningful, spiritual life, yoga can lead you there. However, a key question that we all consider at one time or another is "how often should I practice?".
The easy answer is about three times per week. Three yoga classes each week is enough to feel the physical and mental benefits of the practice. It's also enough to incorporate yoga into your weekly routine, making it a part of your life.
The more complicated answer is: you should practice yoga every single day. Yoga is very different from an exercise regime - yoga is actually a lifestyle. It's a comprehensive system designed over thousands of years to cultivate peace and wellness - not just during your 75 minute yoga class, but in every moment of your life. We can be mindful in performing all actions, breathe deeply throughout the day, feel gratitude for the life we have and take care of our bodies and minds. This is the practice of yoga.
So if you find yourself wondering if you are practicing yoga with enough regularity, broaden your scope of thought to not only include the yoga asana classes you attend, but the way you carry yourself through life. Are you aware of your body and breath? Do you practice compassion and mindfulness? Is your physical yoga practice trickling into your everyday life to make you a more calm, loving person? You may not notice these things happening right away, but yoga will eventually steep into your being and manifest itself in a multitude of ways.
Om shanti,
Meaghan
The easy answer is about three times per week. Three yoga classes each week is enough to feel the physical and mental benefits of the practice. It's also enough to incorporate yoga into your weekly routine, making it a part of your life.
The more complicated answer is: you should practice yoga every single day. Yoga is very different from an exercise regime - yoga is actually a lifestyle. It's a comprehensive system designed over thousands of years to cultivate peace and wellness - not just during your 75 minute yoga class, but in every moment of your life. We can be mindful in performing all actions, breathe deeply throughout the day, feel gratitude for the life we have and take care of our bodies and minds. This is the practice of yoga.
So if you find yourself wondering if you are practicing yoga with enough regularity, broaden your scope of thought to not only include the yoga asana classes you attend, but the way you carry yourself through life. Are you aware of your body and breath? Do you practice compassion and mindfulness? Is your physical yoga practice trickling into your everyday life to make you a more calm, loving person? You may not notice these things happening right away, but yoga will eventually steep into your being and manifest itself in a multitude of ways.
Om shanti,
Meaghan
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