Be Here Now (Var.)
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Signs Around Town
I bumped into former neighbors on the street and one asked whether I was currently leading a regular, public yoga practice. I invited them to invite themselves over to my house to practice. This invitation goes to you, too.
It’s a good time to have practices to nourish us.
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Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Practice | Community and Family | Food for the Mind (Yoga Philosophy, etc) | Meditation
Your Grief and Anxiety Are Valid
Yesterday, in response to the question, how was I doing, I responded that though I was personally fine, I was mourning deeply those suffering from the wars and disasters around the world and anxious about the state of this country and what was to come. I feel most ok when I am making efforts to make things better and to contribute less to future harm.
I was told I was being unreasonable; real grief was only if one has just lost a relative or a close friend. This might have had something to do with the fact that this person believes in Israel’s unconscionable aggression and needed to justify their position.
I’m here to tell you that it is nonsense to say that grief is only real if so narrowly circumscribed. It was not as though I said my grief and anxiety were keeping me from helping; to the contrary, they inspire me to give more of myself.
Everyone’s grief is valid, including grief for the climate and society and our ideals. And grief does not have an expiration date.
Meditation and yoga may help you stay with the full range of human experience and better see and appreciate what joy is there is to be had. It has for me, but I already have my basic needs covered.
May you be happy and safe and healthy.
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Art and Culture | Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Practice | Food for the Mind (Yoga Philosophy, etc) | Meditation | Photos
Be Here Now (Var.)
If I post a picture of a rainbow a few days after I took it, is it still worth looking at? Or does it need to be in the moment?
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Mudra of Calm Abiding
I was taught that placing your hand on your thigh palm facing down is the mudra of calm, abiding. I personally find it soothing. So, apparently, does Maitri, who demonstrates another variation.
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A Discussion About Pain
The other day in group practice, someone said they wanted to work on a particular pose; another teacher had people working on staying present with pain.
I questioned whether they should trust someone who suggested that they intentionally put themselves in a painful position and then stay there to learn to be with pain.
I questioned whether creating and staying with pain was in any way healing.
I questioned what they meant by pain. I think it is useful to stay with discomfort, for example staying safely with a strong posture that requires muscular and attention effort to maintain.
But pain is an effective warning system. If the pain is sharp or abrupt or sudden or is in tendon or ligament, etc, there will be no benefit to overriding your body’s message to stop.
Better to build strength of attention and focus and body and then apply the practices when life supplies pain that you have no choice but to remain until it heals.
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