It's easier than you think
I don’t know if I’ve said it before here at Continue to Breathe – but I prefer meditation to yoga. Maybe yoga is supposed to be a moving meditation. But let’s get real, I don’t have to move to meditate. I can sit and enjoy the ride. And it is a ride. It’s an internal ride with complete surrender, yet grounded in joy. I prefer meditation. Yoga is good. I love leading my classes, but for myself I prefer mediation.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, if you click-through and make a purchase I might make a little coin and it won’t cost you a dime.
Shakti Gawain rocked my world with her book Creative Visualization. She showed me a whole new reason to think. I must have read that book three times the first year I found it. I was ingesting her ideas. I was growing into the whole idea of having a say in how my life progressed. The idea is still ingenuous. I am still awakening to this mode of living. I am totally loving it, and still learning it. Shakti Gawain blew open the doors for me of how I live my life. She was the first to tell me in all seriousness that – If I think it, it will become. It is a very powerful way to live.
When I first read Shakti Gawain’s works I had never encountered guided meditation. I’m not sure I had considered meditation – guided or not – at all. It wasn’t meditation to me. It was…ideas to ponder. Though Shakti may be a proponent of meditation, it was the affirmations she offered that I found myself grappling with. For me affirmations are good. Since then I have learned meditations are better. I already had chanting and prayers imbedded in my buddhist practise so affirmations just loaded up my mental wheelbarrow. Meditations allow me to unload the wheelbarrow and just sit in it.
This meditation – Running Energies – I have used from Shakti’s meditation, “Opening the Energy Centers”. As I considered this meditation I also considered adjusting the information presented to include the chakras. It would be an easy inclusion. The more I thought of it though, I have to say Shakti is probably right in not stating or bringing in the specific chakras here. Not everyone is knowledgeable about chakras. Those that are have varying degrees of Chakra understanding, knowledge and insight. And then the final nail in the coffin (so to speak) came from an audio I found myself listening to a rather compelling argument of why we really don’t need to worry about chakras knowledge, chakra clearing, or chakra management. This link is not an affiliate link, as always, feel free to click-through at no cost to you or myself for an interesting take on our chakras and our belly buttons too.
Our whole body feels good for our energy clearing. I do know, for myself, that to clear my own energies and to get my internal awareness flowing feels invigorating and delightful. For this it is worth posting a meditation for Running Energies. Maybe its exercise without even opening our eyes.
Enjoy, as you continue to breathe.
Sarah
I suppose my own favorite meditation lately is the exercise of getting my body and my brain together in the ‘now’ of each moment in meditation. I don’t know how long ago I started really thinking about slowing, no stopping, the futurism of my brain and bringing that racing brain back to where my body is (seated comfortably in a chair).
The whole exercise started as I found myself reaching back to my buddhist roots during a simple meditation session to call forth my buddhist nature. In the forty years I have been practising buddhism I have found the most fulfilling times, moments days and years, of my practise were when I was ‘filled’ with a presence greater than myself. That filling came while I was in active buddhist prayer and chanting. I have to admit, I could spend an hour easily in buddhist chanting prayer – it felt so good. I would come away feeling high. My then boyfriend (now husband) asked me one afternoon if I had been smoking something. That’s when I realized how strong this inner being can be. I came to rely on this prayer to calm and strengthen me. It’s not a bad thing to fall back on. But an hour is a long stretch of time to pull from one’s day. My meditations now are fifteen minutes, and silent and overwhelming me still with insight, and calmness and a self that is more than self.
Yes, I do miss the time I spent in buddhist prayer. I loved the ritual, the sounds, the smells, the postures, the sacredness of it all. I have my alter, my Budsudan. I love that it waits for me without screaming at me for attention, or complaining that I don’t come visit anymore or hardly ever. Inanimate objects are amazingly patient. Much like the dishes in my sink waiting to be rinsed and put in the dishwasher. They’ll wait all night without a peep out of them.
Meditation does not come with these accoutrements. No need for candles and incense or offerings of any kind. Meditation only requires my time. I am finding these simple meditations to be as powerful as the peace and authenticity I found with the formal buddhist format. Meditation is almost an anywhere thing. I only need a comfortable chair and fifteen minutes undisturbed. Twenty years ago in the throes of full on buddhist fulfillment I would have called my bluff. I would have told me that nothing comes easy. Do your time. Get on your meditation perch (assume the position?) and power through till enlighenment arrives.
I guess enlightenment arrived. for these days I am satisfied. I am happy. The timing in my life is exquisite and I am fortunate every single day. I wish the same for every one. Every single person. May they find this when they are ready – but of course they will. As the dishes wait for attention and we continue to breathe.
I have always liked the bubble affect in meditations. This is the guided meditation that requests one to surround oneself with light and love and to relax in the safety and love of this bubble. I love when the bubble is secure around myself how it will lazily drift above and I am not required to do any more than to just be, and to be in this bubble of love and light.
I tried to get that feeling across here. This meditation is 11 minutes.
I hope you enjoy while you continue to breathe.
This is my first recording. I have recorded this meditation for you. I needed to share what I find so helpful in my life. I hope you enjoy it, that it touches you, reaches you and that you will come back for more.
Read More...My class this morning was grounding. I attended a very basic, Alignment I, class today and I am relieved to be starting back into the yoga classroom at a slow and comfortable pace. Alignment. Oh, it is delicious. In Alignment I I am not sure we did more that six postures, over and over and over again. Very slowly. I was able to achieve a smooth flow. Breathing was part of the posture. It has been so long since I did practice for myself that I forget how wonderful breathing into the posture is. Oh, I teach this, I cue for it, I even watch as my yoga peeps fill their chest and shoulders and engage in the flow of moving to the next posture. Today for myself I was able to enjoy this deepening. I was able to feel the pose without any adjustment. My breath was the adjustment. Practise today was fulfilling. I am reliving my morning class with an appreciative and joyful sigh.
There is a motivation growing within me again make that daily time to move my body while I clear my head. I am practising meditiations every day. It is delightful, crazy loving and motivational. And now, adding the physical energy of moving my body intentionally I find this compliments and nourishes my spritual meditation moments. This is the type of care I have wanted to give myself for decades now.
This week, I hope/expect//plan will be wonderful busy with yoga classes, meditations and podcast recording. I was able to head out to The Loft on Sunday. I spent 4 hours recording meditations and researching sound controls. I love the peace and quiet there. I revel that all I have to do is open any door and a strong whooshing whisper of the crashing waves on the coastline fills my senses. I love the smell of the ocean as the wind waves through the sea grasses in these dunes. I am happy here (and hear). I am proud to be recording at The Loft in the dunes. It seems so natural a place to record. I fell into it. It just happens, and I am filled with contentment. Now that I am home I am amazed to have this opportunity. And I a proud of myself for picking up the reigns to do that something I have wanted to do. This so induces in me a joyful sigh.
Listening to the ocean is like listening to the ocean breath. It too seems a joyful sigh. And it continues to breathe.
Friday I had to call a hiatus on Friday Drop-in Lunch Yoga. I feel confident I can start back up that last Friday in November. As I was chatting with Dori, one of my yoginis, in the hallway this week about all the things coming up in the next month at work she assured me a break might be in order. As we parted ways I felt she had a point. It would be better to take a break than to add to my stress by trying to be the kind of yoga teacher I want to be. I have been less than focused these last couple weeks. If you remember I was unable at the last minute to even make it to class two weeks ago. I still feel terrible about that.
Next week I will be off work completely so that I may assist my husband post surgery. The following week I will be working off site so that I can be available if additional care is necessary. The week after that is the holiday week of Thanksgiving, so a class that Friday will be unnecessary. It was with relief I emailed the group that we won’t be coming together for yoga.
In the meantime, while I am taking this break I will be going back to my home yoga studio, the studio that is my place to hang out as a student. It is a great studio. The teachers there are focused and yoga centric while they are teaching. Very few people there know that I am a yoga teacher. I am ready to be a student again. I am ready to immerse myself in the motions of yoga with regard only to my own alignment, to allow my own focus to build back up. I need to fill up so that I again have the enthusiasm I had when I started this drop-in class. I look forward to freshening up my practise. My hiatus may have just turned into a very short sabbatical. I get to be the student. A little break in the action is sometimes a very good thing.
It is Friday Lunch Drop-in Yoga Class day and I was there. I was in our yoga room and ready for my students. Shelly came in first and we had a moment to chat about last week. Last week I was unable to get to class. Shelly took up the reigns and led the group. Today I was able to say thank you and to hear how she felt about the experience.
She felt good. Shelly sounded strong and confident as she told me how they cobbled through the hour. There is a newfound appreciation of what it takes to fill even an hour of time with postures that flow seamless from one to the next. She did share that more than once she found herself wondering what posture to try with the group next. “Um, well let’s do a pidgeon pose, okay?”
Class went well today. We spent more time than usual at the beginning just breathing and relaxing into ourselves as we waited for our latecomer to set up her mat and join us. The extra time paid off. I felt the class was in alignment as we started our into our sequence of postures.
I have been working on podcasting meditations. As I listen to the meditations I have recorded I can hear where the cues are a little more jarring rather than relaxing. I can hear where I am being too direct and not leaving room for the listener to interpret where they need to.
Today at the end of our session, as we cleared our minds again in savasana, I was able to apply some of the techniques I have been working on to our final savasana meditation. Mostly what I have been learining is to be quiet, be specific but leave some of the specifics of relaxation to the imagination of my listener. I asked my peeps to clear their mind. To envision an empty teacup. When the mind tries to fill the cup with thoughts to empty the cup again. As they relaxed, I relaxed with them. When my own mind became active I said outloud for the group, “Empty.” In the two minutes that we had for savasana I merely said softly, “Empty” three more times. As we returned ourselves to the room and came back into a seated posture everyone looked refreshed.
Every one of my peeps said thank you. These are the times that make me glad I can help.
It finally happened. A year and a half of teaching Friday Lunch Drop-In Yoga and I was unable to get to my class. I didn’t have any way of getting to the room to post a sign. I didn’t have anyone’s information to text a single one of my regulars to let them know I couldn’t get there. I didn’t even have the opportunity to panic on my students’ behalf. When life intervenes it is best to be present where you are. I was present in the moment even as I watched the clock tick past my opportunity to get to class slightly late.
When I was finally able to get to my email I sent out an apology. I sent it while class would have been in session, 45 minutes into it. It was my first opportunity. I apologized. It’s all I could do. And the response, 20 minutes later, was lovely. One of the ladies sent back, “We are sorry you couldn’t make it today. We knew something was up. Shelly stepped in and guided us through.” The reason this is so lovely is my class still did yoga. They didn’t walk away and go back to their desks or their jobs. They stayed and did yoga. I am proud of Shelly. She has never led a class. Yet she stepped up and into a role I’m sure she has been curious about. Shelly became the instructor. Shelly is a seasoned yoga practioner, she enjoys yoga and fully engages in her postures. Shelly was the perfect choice and she didn’t miss this opportunity. I am proud of her.
I can’t wait to meet up with my peeps next week. I ache to be there.
I have been working on a Podcast. This would be a podcast for meditation. I have so many great guided meditations that have helped me over the years, that it seems selfish to not share these especially when sharing seems so easy – what, with podcasts, links to booksellers and great photography available right on my camera.
Well, as it turns out all three aspects of sharing my favorite meditations – recording a podcast, linking with booksellers and having good quality photos – only looks easy. Okay, it’s easy, it’s just time consuming. I bought a decent microphone and a set of headphones to help with the quality of my recording. I figured, TA DA! I’m all set and we are in business. Um, no. There is a new software to learn now. I am getting used to my voice while I just listen to myself over the headphones. I am learning to record. I can tell there are tricks and hopefully a moment that clinks and I am comfortable with this process. I imagine if I had a sound tech that this part would have been just plug and play. But I find myself learning the sound, stabilization, AND the tone of voice, speed and regularity of my words. I want it smooth for meditation, but not something out of the SNL schtick – Delicious Dish – Fiber Day. They are funny and corny and maybe I should go for that vibe with my tribe (groan and eyerolling).
I have chosen not to seek out and listen to other meditation podcasts. I know how I sound and what goes on in my head when I am thinking these meditations. I don’t want to muddle up the vision. Nor do I want to mistakenly attempt to sound like someone already out there. It is the variety of podcasters that makes this medium so exciting. I want to be a part of this excitement.
I did work on the links to booksellers. I am now an Amazon Affiliate. I would like to join up with GoodReads if they have an affiliate program and any other affiliate booksellers you may know of and love. I am not married to any one site. I love my local retailers. But they don’t have affiliate linkability yet. Oooh, maybe they do and I am just not asking. I must go in person to learn what I can. It is not selfish to be helping out my local area while I am reaching out to the whole world.
So now that I have affiliate standing I have yet to post a link to Amazon to see how this works. That very well may be my next post.
The photo part, I actually have experience in posting photos to blogs. I can’t imagine posting my photos to my podcast piece to be much more. I have some favorite photos I can hardly wait to share.
I will keep working it. And maybe next post…you get to hear what I sound like. Sorry to disappoint, but I do not have an accent. Hahahaha.
Continue to Breathe 