Quiet

Shhhhhhhh....

Hit your personal mute button for a moment and notice what sounds you hear. All of them. You may have to close your eyes and see how many and what type of sounds is coming into your awareness. How many are there? As I sit in my office and begin writing this, my window is open and it's a windy night. I hear the rustle of the trees, the tinkling of a wind chime, the cord of my blind tapping against the windowsill, a hum of faraway traffic, and my fingers clicking away on the keyboard. The sounds rise and fall with some grabbing my attention more than others. This is actually a type of meditation, sitting and noticing sounds as they come and go and doing so without judging what we hear.

We need to get quiet in our own selves in order to become fully present with sound. I think that the skill of listening is one that we would do well to practice in order to increase our understanding of what's being said. And not only by the human voice. The sound of the tree branches and leaves bumping against each other tells us about turbulence. The conversations of birds, frogs, and insects reminds us of the animal kingdom buzzing along in its own realm of reality. The musicality of rain falling generates fresh life and a mood that often asks us to withdraw. Is life ever truly silent?

A recent piece on CBS Sunday Morning (aired Sunday 21 April 2017), highlighted how difficult it is to find places in nature that haven't been impacted by man-made noise. Researchers ventured into different natural environments and have been recording the sounds for the past 25-30 years. High-quality microphones enable them to differentiate many different species and the various conversations they're having with each other. The sad thing was, over time with the imposition of man-generated noise, they've stopped talking. As we have clear cut forests, occupied air travel flight routes and built cities, nature's sounds have diminished. One researcher had to hike 6 hours into a wild area of central Washington state, one which receives 10-14 feet of rain/year, in order to find an untouched sound environment. It was beautiful and tragic all in the same moment.

With Earth Day being celebrated last weekend, the revelation of sound pollution and its impact was timely. It seems to be an element of destruction that we simply fail to notice, unlike tainted water or smoggy skylines. Perhaps, its impact doesn't seem to be as critical but I believe that would be naive. How does yoga play into all of this?

Just as sound impacts the natural environment, our own mental chatter impacts how we feel. We are so easily drawn outward, with our senses being constantly bombarded with tantalizing lures of images selling us what we most likely don't need. We get distracted from our inner voice by simply walking through our day so making a conscious choice to find stillness and silence helps us to turn the volume up on our inner need. In yoga, this is called Pratyahara-a withdrawing of senses from the outer world to the inner landscape. Pratyahara is the turning point in the Eight-Faceted path (ashtangha yoga) as described in the Sutras of Patanjali. The first four are internal/external observances (Yama/Niyama), poses (asana) and breath (pranayama). We then come to Pratyahara where if we are able to pull our awareness from the outer world, begin to move into the final three limbs of concentration, meditation, and union (Dharana, Dhyana & Samadhi).

Last weekend I was chanting with Krishna Das and many of his followers. On the first evening, I was part of 1300 people participating in a kirtan, a musical event where mantras are sung. I had the experience of delving into a mantra and becoming completely lost in it, not realizing I was there with 1299 other people doing the same thing. And then something would grab my attention and I'd look around at other people having their own unique experience and be pulled outward. The chanting would bring me back into my own realm where I could once again withdraw my senses from the outer to the inner-pratyahara.

And why is this important?

It is important because when we quiet the mind other channels open up to us--creativity, increased awareness, compassion, and forgiveness. When we get quiet, whatever needs to arise can do so and, in return, we become more at ease with whatever is present in our lives. When we get quiet, we open the path to hearing the sounds of the natural environment and remember our role in looking after Mother Earth.

My thought for the week is to get quiet, pull your awareness in and see what is present for you.

Shhhhhhh...

Tune In

One of the most sublime and transportive singing voices I've heard is that of Karnamitra Dasi. I've had the privilege of not only hearing her sing but of her speaking about how she sings. She describes trying to find the very center of the note that she's singing and to penetrate deeply into its purity and vibration. When you listen to her sing, you get a sense of what she's talking about. It's through countless hours of practice that she is able to find the center in what seems to be an effortless way.

This week is about tuning in. It's about exploring the energetic body through our asana practice and trying to sense the underlying buzz of universal energy that lies within everything. I was inspired to practice tuning in this week not only with myself but with all classes after reading a quote from Matthew Sanford.

I distinctly remember a talk that was given by Matthew a few years ago at a yoga therapy symposium. Matthew was in a car accident in which his sister and father were killed and left him paralyzed from the chest down. He's now an adaptive yoga instructor in Minnesota and has offered a different lens which we can look through and examine how we approach our practice. Here's the quote that got me thinking about tuning in:

"I can't lift my legs. I can't flex the muscles. But I feel a hum, a tingling, a buzz. My yoga practice is trying to understand the asanas. The instructions in an asana are intended to amplify your connection to that hum, and I don't mean this in a touchy-feely New Age way. I literally mean there's a hum.

Because of my paralysis, I understand and appreciate that the sound Om is actually calibrated to that buzz, to that hum. So my yoga practice is trying to watch how alignment and precision amplify that hum through both my paralyzed and unparalyzed body."

~Matthew Sanford, Yoga International, I Don't Overcome My Body: I Adapt Yoga to My Body

As Matthew spoke, he sits with his legs stretched out in front of him and pushes through his heels and he feels this hum. He said the medical profession had it wrong when they told him he would never feel again. He said what he feels is beyond what they could understand.

This tuning in is tapping into a current that runs through everything and is described as prana or chi-the Universal life force. We get a sense when things feel dissonant in our lives, a feeling when things are just that little bit off. And we know the more connected we get to the deeper and more subtle layers of our human experience, the more we are able to find resonance and harmony quickly. When we do so, we can naturally bring ourselves back into balance and open the gateways to higher states of consciousness.

You may recall the early stages of your yoga practice...things felt unfamiliar and sometimes confusing. You were likely focused on putting your feet in the "correct" position, syncing your breath all the while trying to settle the thoughts of self-judgment. This past week in classes, we've been trying to broaden our awareness to the experience as a whole-sensing one. One way to experiment with this is to sense the underlying current of energy that's always flowing through the body. Sit quietly and settle into the sensations of your breath. Next, focus simply on your hands. Bring your awareness into what you can detect-tingling, buzzing, the hum described by Matthew Sanford. As you focus into your hands, see if you can pull the tingling further up your arms as though you're pulling on long gloves.

It certainly becomes more challenging as we begin to move, but we can sense moments of this undercurrent by pausing throughout the practice. When you stand in tree pose or Warrior Two, bring your awareness back to your hands and reconnect to the hum.

Everything vibrates and when we establish consistency in our practice it supports us in being able to plug into this frequency more readily. When we resonate within our own being, that vibration tunes us into all else. This is one way that we benefit from plugging in!

The Gunas

Last week I wrote that one of the reasons we practice yoga is to address the Kleshas or five afflictions. This week we've been exploring another reason why we come to the mat and that is to find balance and not just the kind where you stand on one leg. Although being able to keep your center of gravity over your base of support in a more or less controlled manner is highly desirable, this week has been all about The Gunas-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. 

The Gunas stem from classical Indian philosophy with mention of them in both the Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita. They go way back from a historical perspective, as I guess, even 2500 years ago the ancients had a sense that staying conscious of our overall equilibrium was a good place to be. The word "yoga" stems from the root word of "yug" which means to unite, to join or to come together. To me, this translates as the intertwining and equanimous state of our physical body, our mental/emotional and spiritual aspects of who we are. When we awaken to the interplay of these three aspects and recognize if they are cohabitating harmoniously, we can get feedback into their ever-shifting nature. And the practices of yoga and meditation support us in altering the balance if need be.

Each of the Gunas has their own characteristics. Imagine sitting on a see-saw with both sides of the plank being the same distance away from the earth. On one side sits Rajas, the other Tamas and the balancing point in the middle is Sattva. Our yoga practice aims to keep us as sattvic as possible, right in the middle between too much and too little.

Sattva is seen as a desirable state of consciousness equaling goodness, constructive energy and is harmonious. It is in this state that we have clarity showing itself as beauty, balance, and inspiration, and it promotes life, energy, health, and contentment.

I think of Rajas as being our more caffeinated selves, the energy of change, desire and effort often with an underlying sense of agitation. On the opposite end of the see-saw is Tamas, a heavy, darker energy reflective of inertia, lethargy and concealing the presence of consciousness.

All three Gunas are constantly in flux and our practices of yoga and meditation support us in recognizing how we can best maintain being more centered and close to the middle. The breath can reflect if we are pushing ourselves too hard (Rajas) if it is shallow, held or difficult to detect. If we pay attention, even in the most challenging of postures, to what is happening regarding how we are breathing, we know to stay where we're at or to dial it down.

The Gunas can also be thought of in terms of foods we eat with onions, garlic and lots of spice being rajasic and frozen, preserved or packaged food tamasic (with very little to no prana or life force). A sattvic diet is based on whole, fresh foods with no garlic, onions and just the right amount of spiciness. 

Overall, if we're overly amped, we might want to practice more calming postures or undertake restorative yoga to enhance a shift towards the middle and, conversely, if we are sluggish and need a boost, a more energizing vigorous practice could be the perfect medicine. The point is to pay attention to our current overall state and perhaps be mindful of always doing the same thing rather than having awareness as to what we need on that day or in a particular moment.

My thought of the week is to honor where we are and adjust accordingly. Pay attention to how the shifts take place on a daily basis and what you need to do to move back to the middle. Gone are the days where we sit on one side of the see-saw and the person on the other side goes flying through the air...find balance instead!

Kleshas

It's incredible to me that wisdom that was spoken about, passed along, and written down some 2500 years ago has relevance today. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is such a text, that to this day offers a framework for bringing ourselves, not only into balance, but to deepening the connection to a sense of who we really are. This past week we have been uncovering five afflictions known as Kleshas. Ignorance (Avidya), pride/ego (Asmita), desire (Raga), aversion (Dvesa) and fear of death/loss/change (Abhinivesa). It is thought that Avidya/ignorance seeds the next four and relates to estrangement from the self, the feeling of not really knowing who we are.

One of the founding reasons why we practice yoga is to address and eradicate these very real human conditions. Yet, most of us don't even know they exist. Just as an iceberg only has a small percent of it's total mass visible on the ocean surface, so too can be said for the Kleshas. We don't even know they exist and at the same time, it's these very things that create suffering in our lives. 

Imagine you've sauntered into a town that's been deserted for 100 years. You come across a house that still has furniture and you see what you think might be a bureau with a mirror over it but it has so much dust accumulated on its surface you're not quite certain. So you grab a cloth and slowly start to remove the layers of dust and begin to see a reflection...of you. The more you polish the mirror, the more clearly you see yourself reflected back. In much the same way this is why we practice yoga, as it offers a systematic method for us to begin to remove the multiple veils that we hide behind.

As DKV Desiskachar states in his book, "The Heart of Yoga" once we begin to gain clarity we need to continue on with our practices. Imagine if you only dusted the mirror once...over time more dust would settle and clarity would be lost. Not only are the Kleshas described in the Sutras of Patanjali, but so is a method of working with them through the eight-faceted path (known as Ashtangha Yoga). Once we begin to see the causes of suffering in our lives, we are given a way to work with them. The eight-faceted path is: internal/external observances (Yama/Niyama); poses (Asana); breath (Pranayama); withdrawal of senses (Pratyahara); concentration (Dharana); meditation (Dhyana); and enlightenment (Samadhi).

A large part of the practice relates to turning inward, into the self rather than looking outside of ourselves for answers. One of the most well-known sutras 1.2 is:

Yogas citta vrtti nirodha

Yoga is the restriction/cessation of the fluctuations of the mind

This basically encourages us to practice yoga in order to calm the constant buzz that visits us once we try to sit in meditation. I think of "vrttis" as hummingbirds around a feeder or a swarm of gnats that swirl around our heads. Constant and seemingly uncontrollable (especially at 2 am in the morning!), this whirlpool of thought drags us away from our interior selves, connecting us to our outer and often material world. 

When we learn to find a point of focus (breath, mantra, sound, sensation) it begins to lessen our awareness of the vrttis and invites us into our inner realm. The more frequently and regularly we do this, the easier it becomes and the more polished our mirror. As BKS Iyengar beautifully wrote in "Light On Yoga":

"As a breeze ruffles the surface of a lake and distorts the images reflected therein, so also the chitta vrtti disturb the peace of the mind. The still waters of a lake reflect the beauty around it. When the mind is still, the beauty of the Self is seen reflected in it. The yogi stills his mind by constant study and by freeing himself from desire."

Most of you who read this blog on a regular basis know that yoga is much more than a series of poses. It's a road map for creating more peace in our lives and when we live with a peaceful heart, we begin to foster and see that reflected back to ourselves. So this week, get out your cleaning cloth and start polishing...you'll be astounded by what you see!

Be Brave

When I walk to the edge of all the light I have and take that step into the darkness of the unknown, I believe one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for me to stand on or I will be taught to fly.

~ S. Marlin Edges

Sometimes we just have to be brave. Over the past few days, I have seen different expressions of people stepping into the vulnerability of who they are. So this week, my thought is to honor and acknowledge those people and those moments when we call upon a deeper sense of our abilities. Our courage.

This past week, we had a fun event created by some of my long-time, dedicated yoga students. A day to wear crazy pants and mix-matching tops followed by a picnic. Why? Well, sometimes we get very serious around our practice of yoga so this was a reminder to truly connect to the joy of the practice, the many laughs we've shared during classes, to celebrate community, and to do something that makes us a bit uncomfortable. I chose to wear patterned leggings the color of the ocean with an equally colorful top. Now not all of those attending class that morning knew we were having this theme and arrived in their usual yoga attire. As one of the mix-matched woman entered the studio, seeing others in "normal" attire said, "I feel like I'm in sixth grade...".

It reminded me of a time, long ago in my first marriage, going to a friends "red" birthday party. My then husband and I went to town on dressing completely in red -- pants, shirt, shoes-- and to top it off, spray coloring his beard and hair red. As we entered the party, everyone else was wearing a black top with a red flower, black pants with red shoes or a red scarf adorning their outfit. We both stood there, certainly looking a bit stunned with a growing sense of embarrassed awkwardness. So we did what many folks in their early 20's would do...stayed and drank too much to quell our own discomfort.

A second thing happened to create this week's thought. A new group of yoga teacher trainees launched into their first module of a 200-hour training. They are scheduled to graduate in October and are embarking on what can be quite a profound and confronting journey. I sat watching them take their first steps along this path and admired the courage it takes to say "yes" to such an undertaking. Part of the process is stepping into places that are unfamiliar which often leaves us feeling exposed and vulnerable.

The third piece to this theme happened somewhat unexpectedly. Our 14-year old granddaughter was competing in a recent equestrian team event. Much to their surprise, they won and qualified to head to Nationals in a few weeks. You could tell from the Facebook photos that their reaction was delight and disbelief in the same moment. Our granddaughter had hesitations about even competing, yet she stepped up without holding a particular expectation and now she's heading off to Nationals. It took a deep courage to step into something uncomfortable and challenging (and we're really proud of her and excited by this new experience!).

All of these stories have one thing in common-vulnerability. Moments exist when we are standing in that gap of time where we feel uncertain and in the pit of our stomachs we feel exposed. It's the fear of being judged that will often paralyze our willingness to take the next step. What our yoga practice teaches us is to step fully into this feeling of "uh-oh...I don't know" without wanting to cut and run or withdraw into our tortoise shell for protection. It's in these moments that we need to be brave.

Yoga teaches us to recognize these feelings and take the next step. Feel those butterflies? Stand or sit with your spine straight, chest open and shoulders down and back. Now take a deep breath, pause and go forward. It's as though we step up to that unknown edge and confront the choice of taking a risk or withdrawing. When we decide to launch ourselves forward, it can be exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. We can quietly whisper to ourselves, be brave, be brave...

When we stand in those moments of vulnerability, something stirs deep within our soul. We connect to the deeper sense of our own truth, rather than passively shying away from what matters to us. We step toward the discomfort because we intuitively know that doing so honors who we really are. At the close of each session I teach, I finish with the words "May we know, speak and live our truth". And when we know what these truths are, they become who and what we wish to project into the world. It's that quiet voice that drives us to getting more comfortable sitting in our seat of discomfort, that place where we're willing to risk being judged because if we don't...we know that our own growth stagnates.

So this week step up to something that scares you, whether it's a person, a new beginning or an ending. Stand tall in the frame of your body and take a deep breath. Then, step forward into the space where you're uncertain as to how you'll land. Your soul will thank you!