Mindful Sunday

September 26, 2010

I’ve been writing a lot for work lately, hence my recent hiatus here. I’ve also been filling my brain with beautiful design ideas, which I’ve been posting on namaste*hOMe. For now, the written posts there are mainly private.

Today, I’d like to share a few gems from a fabulous read, Wherever You Go There Your Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

. . . feel the present moment . . .

Only then can we accept the truth of this moment of our life, learn from it, and move on. Instead, it often seems as if we are preoccupied with the past, with what has already happened, or with a future that hasn’t arrived yet.

Not knowing that you are even in such a dream is what the Buddhists call “ignorance,” or mindlessness. Being in touch with this not knowing is called “mindfulness.”

This waking up goes hand in hand with what we might call “wisdom,” a seeing more deeply into cause and effect and the interconnectedness of things, so that we are no longer caught in a dream-dictated reality of our own creation.

Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing something about who that it.

When it comes down to it, wherever you go, there you are. It’s your life that is unfolding.

Mindfulness has to do above all with attention and awareness, which are universal human qualities.

This exploration of the diamond of mindfulness is offered for all those who would chart a course toward greater sanity and wisdom in their lives. What is required is a willingness to look deeply at one’s present moments, no matter what they hold, in a spirit of generosity, kindness toward oneself, and openness toward what might be possible.

May this Sunday find you well and at peace with all that is!

3 Comments | living our yoga, mindfulness | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Evolving

July 20, 2010

It’s an hour drive to a yoga studio in any direction from my home.  Aside from teacher training, most of my practice has been self-taught.  I practiced asana sporadically, but became immersed in yogic philosophy early on.  I couldn’t get enough of it, but I really didn’t understand it.  Being a lone yogi, I knew I wanted and needed to go deeper, but was terrified on the first day of teacher training.  Dreadful thoughts raced through my mind:  Did I know enough?  Was I good enough? I was fortunate to have an extremely giving and kind teacher who, to me, embodies the spirit of yoga.  I remember her talking about her own experiences, thinking to herself . . . I can never know enough.  I must go deeper. And then in her next breath, telling us not to get caught up in this syndrome.  All of us were and are enough right now, in this very moment!  Since then, my practice has evolved to include a healthy asana practice, as well as incorporating the eight limbs of yoga into my daily existence.

In June, as part of the 21.5.800 Challenge, I decided to focus my practice with meditation.  Practicing yoga is easy and natural.  Practicing meditation?  Oh the sitting.  Oh the angst.  Necessary?  Yes!  What was really getting to me was all of the negative things I was “saying”.  I can’t stop my thoughts, but my effort in meditation is to turn those negative self beliefs into positive ones.  Off  to sit . . .

So many people define meditation in varying ways.  My internalization is that it is simply a practice of quieting my mind so that my true nature can be revealed.  Sitting in the negative is hard.  Depending on my inner landscape on any given day, I will sometimes use affirmations and visualizations and then sit.  I’ve certainly not yet reached Samadhi, the last of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.  Most of the time, I linger between Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) and Dharana (concentration), only reaching Dhyana (meditation) in ever brief moments.  I’ve learned a lot about myself, and can’t wait to keep learning, growing.  It’s all about practice, doing the work.  Everyday.

I just said to my husband last week . . . “How can anyone ever get bored with everything there is to learn in the world?  There is so much wonder in the examining of it all.”  Since I have so many wonderful yogi friends who read my blog, I invite your thoughts and insights.

  • Do you practice meditation, and if so, in what format?  What struggles do you have with practicing meditation?
  • Besides yoga, what other practices do you use for personal growth?

Peace Love and Light on your journey, as I’m trying to find the same on mine. ;-)

10 Comments | living our yoga, mindfulness, yoga | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Not Doing, BEing

July 4, 2010

I’ve been thinking a lot about writing. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to do it, until today. What to write about? I’ve thought this a lot lately. I have nothing to say. Today I have something to say, about having nothing to say. I’m in a BEing mode. I didn’t know what would come of the 21.5.800 Challenge, but it seems the major life affecting aspect of it has been the cultivation of a meditation practice. I don’t  have a monkey mind. I have a jungle mind, meaning there are multiple monkeys in there. It is frustrating sometimes, but I’ve come to realize it is part of my nature and my journey is to exist with it, along with learning ways to quiet the jungle.

Part of my new mode of being vs. doing also has to do with the weather, I think. During cooler months I am online more, writing and reading. With the expansion of our new deck (which is fabulous BTW – thanks to my wonderful husband), along with the warmer weather, I’ve spent more time either reading books or doing nothing. I hang out in nature. It is easier to meditate there, and the jungle metaphor makes me laugh. How can all of these monkeys be jumping around when there are so many other useful, beautiful sounds in the jungle?

It used to feel so wrong doing nothing, but I rather enjoy it these days. It used to be that if I wasn’t doing something productive, I wasn’t doing anything. Nowadays doing nothing feels like the right place for me to be. Don’t misunderstand. My house is clean, our clothes are washed, I still cook. But sips of no-thing-ness is wonderful. I’ve also been swimming more this Summer, something I haven’t done much since I was a kid – and I was a fish (or maybe a glamorous mermaid) in those days!

So, if you read my blog, you may get less from me for a while, unless I feel I have something rather useful to say. I still visit all of my favorite blogs, especially since I get a lot of posts via email. However, I read them from my iPhone and often don’t comment. I hope you’ll understand. I wish you peace in the meantime.  Here is a passage from the main book I’m reading now, The Essential Dalai Lama – His Important Teachings, edited by Rajiv Mehrotra:

“When peace reigns in the mind, one is always happy, even if external conditions are not ideal.

The body can gain health, but without peace of mind no happiness is possible, not even under the best conditions.”


8 Comments | life, mindfulness | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Summer Solstice Celebration

June 20, 2010

Today, or tomorrow depending where you live, is Summer Solstice. It occurs for us tomorrow very early. Summer Solstice, also known as Midsummer’s Day in parts of Europe, is the first day of Summer and a time when the day is at maximum length. Winter Solstice, it’s opposite, has the shortest day and longest night. I find that as I get older and internalize my yoga practice more, I feel certain shifts in my own life based on the seasons.

In Ohio, we are blessed with great changes in the seasons; experiencing a lot of heavy snowfall in the winter, weird fluxuating temperatures in the Spring, beautiful Fall colors in Autumn and blistering heat in the Summer. The sun is shining today and it is approximately 90 degrees F.

I have to laugh at people who complain about the weather. No degree (pun intended) of *bitching* will change it. I absolutely love all of the seasons and what they bring to my life. Swimming. Snow skiing. Water skiiing. Hiking. Rollerblading. Biking. Snowman building. Kayaking. Every season is different and I look forward to the activities each one brings. Some activities can be done all year long. Hiking is one I adore no matter the season; a hot Summer day is quite different from exploring hills, caves and trails with inches of snow on the ground in solitude!


Each of the solstices is a pause between the change in nature. Both provide us with a time to pause, evaluate, be present and to learn to be in harmony with the changing flow of natural forces. Part of the blessing of Summer is the longer daylight. It’s the perfect time to celebrate individuality and creativity. It is recognized as a time for completing what has gone before and for establishing intentions for the time yet to come.

It is interesting, and sad actually, how out-of-touch we’ve become with nature in our hectic, work-driven society. Many people don’t know what the solstices and equinoxes are and they certainly don’t celebrate them. In ancient times the sun was worshiped. It was a source of livelihood. Crops need sun and rain to flourish. Farmers would celebrate the Summer Solstice with rituals to help their crops grow.

Today I honor Summer Solstice by thanking the Universe for her beautiful gifts each season. I was going to travel to Cincinnati Ohio for a Yoga Summer Solstice Celebration, but couldn’t justify the three hour drive for just a few hours of celebration. My soul needs the outdoors and I couldn’t find an outdoor event any closer. So, I am writing, reflecting on my back porch now, feeling the gentle breeze on my skin. I plan to soak up some sun, take a swim and practice Sun Salutations in my backyard. Finally, I’ll meditate on the blessings that this day has brought to me.

p.s. My new header will be up later this week. I saw the draft yesterday and LOVE it! *FAB-U-LOUS!* In the meantime, this one will suffice as it matches my new colors. Can’t wait to see what you think!

6 Comments | living our yoga, mindfulness, writing, yoga | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Lessons on the Journey

June 18, 2010

I’ve been spending a lot of time journal writing as part of the 21.5.800 Challenge. I don’t know how much it has helped. As an active participant in my thoughts, journaling seems to excite it which I do not need. However, I suppose getting the thoughts out does just that. They don’t continue to circle . . . in my head. Plus, it seems writing is easier because of it. Words flow more freely.

As far as the challenge, I’ve missed the mark at 800 Words by two days, but I’m not beating myself up over it. Like everything else, life gets in the way. However, I have also noticed a few things about myself that sabotage me, so its good information I am using to move past the deficiency.

What has helped the most in the challenge is my new-found meditation practice, which in turn has led to even more mindfulness throughout my days. It is, in fact, a catalyst for making a change to how I plan to teach classes at OhioU this summer. Since we will have four hours together per week in a compressed 5 week quarter, here’s what I’m planning: a yoga class, meditation outside and then writing/creative time to finish. I am hopeful that students learn something about themselves through the process.

Today, my writing consisted of a new Associated Content article about the Eight Limbs of Yoga, an Examiner article about the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure and this blog post. (It may take the AC article a day or so to be available.) Other than that, it was a simple day, enjoying the sunshine and swimming. Next: a relaxing evening by the fire with my hubby, sipping on Chardonnay, relaxing.

Happy Friday! They sure aren’t what they used to be. They’re better!

3 Comments | blogging, life, mindfulness, writing, yoga | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Trusting the Process

June 13, 2010

It’s interesting what yoga, meditation and writing can do for a person. Since starting the 21.5.800 Challenge on Tuesday, I’ve noticed a huge shift in my daily awareness. Focusing first on me, me, me, as evidenced by my last two posts, I had to stop. Sometimes its good to be introspective, but at what point do we focus our attentions outward? I think about others a lot, but I’m also a bit more introspective than necessary. I’m hoping meditation helps with this, inviting my presence within and examining my thoughts, instead of continuing to let them take over completely. Life isn’t complex; our egos make it so. I aspire to so much and I hope I continue to evolve into my fullness over the rest of the challenge. I am searching deeply to unite my negativity toward my neighbors into something positive, like yoga activism. There has to be an easier way to live harmoniously with people who are difficult, but obviously in need of someone reaching out to them. Life is always interesting, awesome and humbling.

I’ve been doing great with my yoga practice and have enjoyed it mainly outdoors. I also started a more regular, directed meditation practice. This is something I want to continue after the challenge, as I feel its already been so beneficial. I can see it creeping into the rest of my existence and I love that.

Yesterday, unfortunately, I was unable to write. M had a softball tournament for the end of her season and I was away from home from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. I decided that between today and tomorrow I would write 1200 words each day to make up for the loss. On the first day of the challenge, I discovered a website called 750 Words. Its been a wonderful tool. Instead of posting them, I’ve written freely, just letting it pour out. I guess it been more journal writing than anything, but I think its been helpful and healing. I didn’t think I needed to write in this way. It turns out I was wrong. I love the process of writing for an audience. For me, its writing, editing, re-reading, editing some more and posting. I guess I like to to look at what I’ve written analytically. However, too much of this isn’t helpful to my process. Free writing, or journal writing has allowed me to get some thoughts and feelings out in a meaningful, constructive way. Today I wrote 1216 words not counting this post.

How is everyone else doing with the challenge? Struggles? Insights?

Happy Sunday. :-) :-)

p.s. Notice the different font colors on my page?  A new friend, Willie, who is an Illustrator, is creating a completely unique header for me. I’m so excited. The new colors are in preparation for this. Coming soon!

6 Comments | writing, yoga | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Our Crazy Minds

May 24, 2010

I think too much.

It’s annoying.

What’s more?

I think about thinking.

Yoga and meditation help, yet, I still think too much.  Many of my thoughts are random.  Some are helpful as they allow me to awaken and realize things I didn’t see before.  Some thoughts, however, aren’t helpful and are downright unhealthy.  It’s interesting how easily we can get caught up in our minds if we allow ourselves.  Yoga gets us into our bodies and “out of our minds” so to speak.  Being out of my mind in a yoga practice sounds wonderful!  Many texts can also assist us in understanding how our crazy minds work.

The mind has been described before in four realms:

  1. Everyday mind, the lower mundane mind – Manas
  2. Subtle, quiet witnessing mind – Buddhi
  3. Sense of individuality (eg0) – Ahamkara
  4. Habits and latent impressions – Samskaras ( part of the larger unconscious mind – Citta)

I find this description wonderful as it helps me build awareness around my thoughts.  I can take a step back and see, oh, I’m in this realm now.


I was re-reading a part of A New Earth the other day.  Eckhardt Tolle writes,  “you don’t think.  Thinking happens to you.”  “I think is just as false of a statement as I digest or I circulate my blood.  Digestion happens.  Circulation happens.  Thinking happens.” He goes on, of course, to describe the ego and about thinking in greater detail.

Many texts teach that only from our true essence, Spirit, can the mind clearly be seen.  So, is my awareness part of my true essence?  I wonder.  Much of breaking the ego is about building awareness around it.  But the brain is relentless.  Every step forward seems to be met with yet another step back.  Ego fights to control every step of the way.  Pain, anguish, tears, melt down.  Do it again.  Building awareness can eventually cause an ego death.  Transformation occurs within.  Over. and. Over.  Again.

Keep on keeping on.  I love this saying.  Am I crazy?  Are we all crazy?  Maybe, if we look at it this way.  More importantly, we’re all on our paths, whatever they may be.

I’ll leave you with two final thoughts . . .

From A New Earth,

“How do you know this is the experience you need?

Because this is the experience you are having at this moment.”

And a quote from Lao Tsu,

“When I let go of who I am, I become what I might be.”

Many blessings to you on your path, as you experience life, build awareness and become all you are supposed to be!

5 Comments | ego, mindfulness, yoga | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by namaste*heather

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.