Friday, July 22, 2011

Let's Get Physical!

It seems now days everywhere you go there are signs and brochures for yoga classes. There is a plethora of yoga accessories available to pick up at almost any store. And if you pay close enough attention there are even several types of institutions dedicated to teaching yoga. I know of a few people who have become instructors, even people who have gone to places like Costa Rica to learn yoga. This popularity or trend of yoga in the U.S leaves me with one big question. Why is yoga so widely accepted.
Frequently I find myself in the position of explaining myself in terms of my meditation practice. People at times have poked fun, or more often have looked at me like I am talking about some type of alien concept. One women even asked me if during meditation I am chanting to some type of anti-Christian god. These reactions don't deter me or even sway my opinion of meditation but they do make me wonder... It seems wild to me that meditation, which is actually a practice that was born from yoga, is so foreign in a country that is so taken with it's origin practice yoga.
Well after doing some deliberating of my own I decided it was time to get some outside opinions. So I made a survey. It attempts to answer the question why yoga; why not meditation? Well it really isn't either or, but just why is the one so popular. What I found is that we really value physical activity in America. The survey wielded somewhat of an indifferent result, but this was not a bad thing.
Nearly 60% reported they would be more likely to practice yoga than meditation. Unanimously people said they preferred yoga for the physical activity and physical benefits such as flexibility. Every survey taker reported trying meditation at one point in their lives, so we can rule out the fact that these answers are being reported blindly.
The question that I found had the most interesting response was this: Do you believe that meditation is something you could benefit from? Is meditation something you are willing to do or is it out of your comfort zone and why? " Yes - I have benefited from it in the past, especially during my younger years as a competitive athlete. It is something I am willing to continue, though I implement it much less as I primarily used it as a pre-performance technique for relaxation and visualization." I love this response because it shows that an American at a young age was able to implement meditation in their life with a very successful outcome.
"I personally do not meditate as my mind tends to wander and generally toward unpleasant thoughts. Instead of in a peaceful and centered mindset, I end up agitated." This answer is one that I am familiar with, not personally as I benefit greatly from meditation, however I know many people who cannot allow themselves to "get in the zone" of meditation. This is a very real aspect, I believe, that makes people not want to meditate. I have often wished that there were some way I could help these people to see that, in fact, mediation aims to tame these types of thought.
Over all what I see is that Americans put physical activity on a pedestal, one that is surely important, yet ever forgetful of the importance of the mind body connection. America has had sort of a cognitive dissonance in terms of the mind body connection since the beginning. Again this is not that I am saying yoga doesn't aid us in the mind body connection. What I am saying is that meditation sort of puts us in the captains chair of our mind body connection. And it seems to me from all of this inquiry that Americans indeed value the physical over the mental, and this must somehow be why we are more willing to participate in yoga.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Sunset Meditation

It is the end of the day, the end of an 8 week doctoral class on Technology and Organizational Management, and I am ready to shed the stress and anxiety of the day.
I look out over the sunset and take a deep breath. The beautiful colors in the sky remind me of my connection with the universe. I close my eyes and breathe out.
I imagine the stress that has settled into my forehead slides down and rolls into the ground.
Another deep breath. The stress in my neck slides down and gravity takes it away.
Breathe. The stress in my back is no longer a part of me. Again, I remember to breathe. I visualize all the stress in my life rolling out my toes and going deep into the earth.
I let the energy exchange of the universe turn it into healing strength that comes up from the ground and slowly moves through my body, recharging me.
I feel relaxed.
I breathe.
I am at peace.
I can rest.
Namaste.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Rain Meditation

I am sitting on my tiny patio, listening to the rain falling.

I picture the love and nurture of the universe falling from the sky as the gentle raindrops land on my head.
It cleanses me.
I let my cares and worry slide down with the water and seep out my toes into the ground.
I listen to the birds cheerfully singing to each other and remember that I am connected to these birds and their joy. I am connected to the rain and every living thing receiving this nurturing water today. I am connected to the wind blowing the clouds into my view.
I gently let the rain cleanse me today and the birds bring me joy and hope.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

How to Meditate While Travelling - wikiHow

How to Meditate While Travelling - wikiHow

Neat article about how to keep meditating even while on the go!

Mandala Meditation

My mandalas are a visual mediation. I think in color, so this is very important to me. I start in the center, in the core of my being. I listen to my spirit, the small still voice deep inside. As I move out to the next layer, I look at my values, what is important to me. I move out to what motivates me. As I continue to draw, I feel peace and I feel I can express myself. It takes me a few hours to do a mandala, and I always like to be alone and uninterrupted. When I am done, I feel centered and at peace with myself, with the universe, with where I am going in life.