Monday, December 28, 2009
Bringing in the New Year mindfully
The new year is almost here. Resolutions are being made. We keep on promising ourselves that we will quit that bad habit or lose all the extra weight put on during the year end fesitivities. Some of us even go a step beyond and say that we will pick up a healthy practice such as yoga or meditation. Why not? Gone are the days when going to a yoga class was considered a luxury, a fashionable thing to do or a hip new age practice. Yoga has become a necessity, something we need for survival.
The earth is going through many changes. And if we are to keep up with those changes in energy and vibrational frequency of the earth, without losing our peace of mind, then yoga is the only way.
We can start with one asana a day and 10 minutes of silence. Pick one asana. Have you practiced yoga before? If yes, then pick one asana that you love and practice that for five minutes a day. Examine the changes that it created in your body - why do you love this particular asana so much? Sit for 10 minutes, silently, watching your breath after your practice.
If you have never practiced yoga before, find a teacher near you and make a begining. A group session, even once a week can have great benefits for you. Your body needs it, your mind, only more so.
I will give you an example of how asana can help stabilise your mind, breath and body on a daily basis, if practiced every day, that is. Take balancing asana as a practice. You are standing on your right leg , with the foot of the left leg resting against the right inner thigh. Your palms are pressed together in prayer pose and placed against your chest. Your gaze if on a point in front of you. Your breath is normal. Keep your awareness on your pose, balance and breath. Now two things come into focus here:
1.Your body is not always able to balance perfectly.
2.Balance is not about stillness. It is about movement.
The important thing is to focus your awareness on the body and accept it the way it presents itself in that moment. Practice non-judgement. Practice balance.
Balancing asana soothe the nerves. They help the body release excessive energy trapped in the nerves which creates anxiety and tension. They tone the nerves and restore a sense of balance to the body and mind.
Why not make a resolution to get on the mat and stay on it for five minutes a day? Why not strike a pose, meditate and take the benefits to bed everynight? This moment is as good as any other, to begin.
After all, as the old saying goes “The past is history, the future is a mystery. The moment is a gift. That is why it is called The Present”.
The earth is going through many changes. And if we are to keep up with those changes in energy and vibrational frequency of the earth, without losing our peace of mind, then yoga is the only way.
We can start with one asana a day and 10 minutes of silence. Pick one asana. Have you practiced yoga before? If yes, then pick one asana that you love and practice that for five minutes a day. Examine the changes that it created in your body - why do you love this particular asana so much? Sit for 10 minutes, silently, watching your breath after your practice.
If you have never practiced yoga before, find a teacher near you and make a begining. A group session, even once a week can have great benefits for you. Your body needs it, your mind, only more so.
I will give you an example of how asana can help stabilise your mind, breath and body on a daily basis, if practiced every day, that is. Take balancing asana as a practice. You are standing on your right leg , with the foot of the left leg resting against the right inner thigh. Your palms are pressed together in prayer pose and placed against your chest. Your gaze if on a point in front of you. Your breath is normal. Keep your awareness on your pose, balance and breath. Now two things come into focus here:
1.Your body is not always able to balance perfectly.
2.Balance is not about stillness. It is about movement.
The important thing is to focus your awareness on the body and accept it the way it presents itself in that moment. Practice non-judgement. Practice balance.
Balancing asana soothe the nerves. They help the body release excessive energy trapped in the nerves which creates anxiety and tension. They tone the nerves and restore a sense of balance to the body and mind.
Why not make a resolution to get on the mat and stay on it for five minutes a day? Why not strike a pose, meditate and take the benefits to bed everynight? This moment is as good as any other, to begin.
After all, as the old saying goes “The past is history, the future is a mystery. The moment is a gift. That is why it is called The Present”.
Labels: balancing asana, yoga poses
