Practical Points on Meditation Practice

 

Dear Yogis and Yoginis,

   Last week I participated in a webinar  titled “Scientific Research on Yoga and Meditation” and I’d like to share its most interesting points with you. The western medical side was presented by Dr. John Denninger of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine and the Ayurveda side by Ayurvedic healer/ Yogic Wisdom teacher Indu Aurora (btw for those of you who don’t sleep well at night, she will teach “Yoga Practices for Better Sleep” at Kripalu in mid-September) . 

   Dr. Denninger presented studies showing that people who meditate at least 20 minutes daily experience changes in the brain’s gray matter (compared to people who don’t meditate or meditate just occasionally).  These changes influence the function of genes for inflammatory response, and thus the meditation practitioners experienced fewer non-communicable diseases (NCDs) afflicting global populace: cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, arthritis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, as well as psychiatric ailments - depression, anxiety, psychosis. The meditators were also able to activate their Relaxation Response (the opposite of the Stress Response), bringing on physiological changes such as decreased heart, rate decreased blood pressure and decreased oxygen consumption (no hyperventilation.) Chronic stress kills, so these findings are very important.

   Indu Aurora gave a few wonderful points on how to meditate. First, choose a pleasant focal point. Second, our body position should be governed by ease: ease of facial expression, ease of posture and limbs and ease of breath -  our meditation breath should be “QSEC” - quiet, smooth, even, continuous. Then, meditation.  Thoughts will come and go.  When they come, Indu recommends focusing on our breath and saying a little Sanskrit mantra such as “niti niti” (not this, not this), “naham naham” (I am not that). She points out that both our meditation and yoga practice should be pleasant, allowing us to step into a pose or movement effortlessly, focusing on contentment and steadiness in our physical asanas. This is the reason I always stress to you, during our practice together, to pay attention to your body and stop when your body says “stop”. 

Anyway, I could go on and on, since this topic is so important to me personally. But I wanted to challenge you today - do you want to try meditating for 20 minutes every day? I am planning to and I hope you can join me in this “tapas”, as we say in yoga. 

A Short Home Mental Health Practice

A  Short Home Practice for Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month (established shortly after the end of WWII, which makes sense, doesn’t it?). It’s clear that our nation is keenly tuned into the importance of good mental health: May is also Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month and National Teen Self-Esteem Month.  The first week in May is National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week.  

Why am I telling you all this? As yoga practitioners, most of us have probably used yoga as a mental health crutch at some point, and with a good reason - the twin actions of both physical and mental effort in our yoga practice allow us to develop a deeper awareness of ourselves as “jīva” (pronounced jeeva) -  a living being imbued with a life force. Yoga is a tool and a practice with a goal in mind - the release from the vagaries and fluctuations of our mind so we can enjoy a content life no matter what comes our way. That’s why it fits so well in the mental health equation and is used frequently, along with therapy and/or medication, by mental health professionals. 

So what would constitute a dependable mental health yoga routine for us all?  

Practice asana, pranayama, and meditation daily. When you can’t get to a yoga class, use the yoga tools that you know,  at home. Let your body be the guide of what you need. 

1. Have a home asana and pranayama  practice of 20 or so minutes (try bed yoga if you never have.)  
2. After asana practice, meditate for 10 or so minutes, either sitting or lying down. 
3. After meditation, take a few minutes to reflect on the state of your being, as it is now.  Reflect on anything that lends itself to reflection that day: actions you took today, your mental well-being, anything. Try to end the practice with your soul at peace.

Do this on a regular basis, don’t shortchange yourself -  allot the 30 or so minutes to yourself daily. Consider the 30 minutes to be a practice of self-care hygiene, to be practiced as any other hygiene, routinely, like brushing teeth. 

I’m wishing you all a wonderful Mother’s Day,  whether you celebrate or not. Holidays are wonderful but they can be tough if our family situation is less than ideal. When that happens to me, I return to the practice of gratitude for all I have and Santosha - contentment with all I have.  Stay well and thrive.