I've been practicing yoga, on and off, for a couple of years now. Whenever I begin again after an "off" period I always wonder why I get so lazy. The yoga I practice is beginner level and very gentle (cause I'm old and round), but also very effective. Good stuff is yoga. Beneficial to the mind, body and spirit. I wish like crazy that there was a yoga class in my area that was aimed at my age and level, but there is not and I am not advanced enough to begin one myself. (Fifty, Fat, and Fabulous Yoga?) I have several DVDs that I rotate to avoid boredom and I try to practice at least 3 times a week. I recommend yoga for EVERYONE. If I can do this, so can you. I am much more flexible and strong during an "on" period.
So anyway, this week I decide that I want to add meditation to my practice. Keeping my mind focused is really difficult for me. It's one of the reasons that I am not a great sleeper. As soon as my body relaxes my brain goes into overdrive. I'm thinking meditation could help with this. Since I am a complete beginner, I decide that some form of guided mediation would be helpful and I find a DVD aptly titled, Meditation for beginners. Yesterday I get out the mat and try it for the first time. She begins the session with 15 minutes of basic yoga to get your body ready. This makes sense to me since the breath focus in yoga really does help with the mind as well. The teacher, Maritza, is an excellent yoga instructor and gives perfect prompts to get maximum effect. After 15 minutes we move onto a body scan where you lay in corpse pose and she directs you to keep your mind focused on your whole body, beginning with your toes and moving up. For 20 minutes I work to keep my mind exactly where she tells me and I was surprised at how well I did. It wandered now and then, and surprisingly she seemed to know and gently brought me back. There was another 20 minute seated session that I opted out of, but am eager to try today. I'm sort of fascinated by the concept of enlightenment.
This morning I have decided Maritza, quiet, centered, calm Maritza, is knowing more about yoga than first meets the eye. Today I have met muscles that had not formerly made my acquaintance. That was some serious get-ur-done yoga. I am impressed. Go Maritza!
Tomorrow (are you sitting down?) knitting content.
Hey, have you read Eat Pray Love? She talks about enlightment and meditation but in a very 'everyday' way which I found engaging and inspiring.
Posted by: wenders | November 07, 2007 at 07:44 AM