This is some text prior to the author information. You can change this text from the admin section of WP-Gravatar  To change this standard text, you have to enter some information about your self in the Dashboard -> Users -> Your Profile box. Read more from this author

WelcOMe to our Yoga blog!

My name is Elli and I am a student and a teacher of Yoga.  It is my Intention to share my excitement about Yoga with you and to open a platform to discuss and exchange different yogic ideas and experiences.  I want you to know that I do not know anything, and that I simply write about my opinions and theories.   Your point of view is always welcome and I invite you to share them.

During my work as a Yoga therapist over the years, I have noticed that all of us struggle more during the holiday season to keep our balance.  Making it to Yoga class becomes more challenging and keeping our center during family gatherings and parties seems almost impossible at times.

I regard Yoga as therapy. The postures are external medicine, breathing techniques are internal medicine and mantra and meditation are psychological treatments.  So Meditation is medicine for the mind.  To be proactive during these next weeks, I suggest to consider meditating daily, as I often prescribe it to my clients and practice myself.  After a little background information, I will suggest different ways of beginning your meditation practice and also discuss overcoming common obstacles to keeping it up.

Many of us have stories made up about what it should look like or feel like to meditate and wonder what is the right way to do it.  Actually, there are many different types.  In the yogic tradition, they vary according to the individuals and their temperament and level of development.  These may be devotional or knowledge-oriented.  They may use techniques such as mental, matra, or pranayama.  But all yogic forms of Meditation have certain characteristics in common, which is they aim at merging the mind into the object of its examination, which is the state of Shamadhi, “the state of perfect balance of mind”.  They require going beyond the mind to the consciousness at its origin.  Some may think that it is about drifting off and being free of thoughts and then struggle to reach that balance.  In fact, it is about focusing on one thing, weather that be your breath, a mantra, a representation of the divine or a candle for example.  It requires foremost consistency, discipline and repetition.  Just as you strengthen your upper body muscles by doing more push ups, you will be able to strengthen your focus and ability to sit and move into stillness.

Depending on your time, willingness and level of experience, there are many ways to begin a Meditation practice.  Please know that you cannot fail.  If you attend yoga classes, you could come early or stay after to sit and meditate.  Yoga studios are sacred places in which you may find it easier to quiet your mind than in your house where you have many distractions.  Many local yoga studios offer free Meditation which can help those of us who lack motivation or prefer the group experience and guidance.

Another way to start is at home with five minutes a day.  It has been my experience that many beginners are not able to commit to 20-30 minutes.  Five minutes is all you need to start.  In my opinion, morning or night work best.  See if you can arrange it to meditate around the same time every day.  Sit up in a chair or on a pillow, legs crossed or whatever is comfortable.  The spine should be erect, supported by pillows if needed.  Be sure to inform everyone in the living space of your desire not to be disturbed and set your alarm for five minutes.  Begin to watch your breath.  When your mind wanders, simply return your attention back to your breath without judging yourself about becoming distracted.  It will happen, so bring your attention back to breathing, in and out, and when you catch yourself thinking about the past or planning the future, come back to your breath.

There are usually a few obstacles to Meditation.  The first is that we may lack the energy for it and fall asleep.  To deal with this as a beginner, i suggest splashing cold water in your face before starting.  If you have experience in Pranayama (breathing techniques), this practice is, in my opinion, the best remedy.  Prana (life force), when energized, provides the energy for Meditation.   According to vedic texts, prana is the energy of the nervous system (Majja dhatu).  Through Pranayama, we increase the flow of energy through the nervous system, in turn energizing the mind.  If you experience fatigue, I suggest turning to Pranayama before meditating.  If you would like to learn breathing techniques, ask your Yoga teacher for suggestions.

The second common obstacle is that our minds lack focus and we easily fall into subconscious thoughts and distractions, which then cause the mind to wander.  Repeating a mantra can be a powerful antidote.   You may have experienced that when we sit still, the mind’s activity seems to increase.  When we sit and close our eyes, we take away all sensory impressions and the mind becomes revealed.  It is always there, but we were not able to see or hear it. Meditation shines light on the mind, which is like an old cluttered attic or basement which has been neglected.  So when you begin to practice and your mind becomes loud, you are doing great.  Connect to your breath or a mantra.  Please ask your Yoga teacher for suggestions for mantras.

Physical discomfort is another undeniable obstacle.  I spent some time in an ashram and remember how painful it was to sit crosslegged for 30 minutes three times a day.   I dismissed meditation after that, judging that it was too painful.  Then I got it that I can chose to sit shorter periods of time and in different positions.  So I invite you to make your body comfortable.  Perhaps start in a chair, using pillows behind your back.  Slowly train your body to sit on a floor pillow leaning against the wall and eventually your body will experience more ease.  Of course, regular Asana practice is vital to create a light subtle body to sit for long periods in stillness.  So get to your Yoga classes.

It takes 21 days to form a habit.  So I challenge you for whenever you are ready, to meditate daily for 21 days straight.  If you miss a day, begin again.  You cannot fail, just do it.

I look forward to reading your experiences,

Namaste, Elli