Mindfulness as meditation

Meditation time is all the time. While finding 15 minutes to do another worthwhile activity seems challenging, we can take the approach that meditation is now, each moment. Every second of living is a meditation. The concentration, focus and attention we call mindfulness is meditation. Through mindfulness we live neither in the memories (good and bad) of the past, nor in the anticipation or anxiety of the future.

We are familiar with mindfulness from things we do that are fully engaging, putting us in "The Zone". That is when all time ceases to exist for us, for a while. Accessing "The Zone" isn't relegated to physically demanding activities, it can be simply through taking a deep breath, bringing your awareness fully to this time and place, and being completely here, right now.

Mindfulness is a practice, just like yoga, and the more we practice the better we get. It is a life skill, and one we can practice every moment of our lives.

Backbend Preparation

Backbends are the ultimate opening for hunched-over bodies. Our daily activities encourage rounded shoulders and collapsed chests. Backbend poses help counter habitual body positions such as sitting at computers and desks, and driving a car.

One very good preparation for backbends is ball work. The giant ball used in many bodywork activities can support our vertebrates from the base of the spine to the back of the head. It gently curves the spine while supporting it.

Place the ball near a wall, and sit down on it facing the center of the room. Walk your feet forward to move the ball while leaning back onto the ball until your back and head are on the ball. Having the correct size ball makes this possible. If you aren't supported by the ball, you need a different size.

Once positioned lying on the ball, reach your arms back over your head, keeping them straight. Reach for the wall; it might take a few tries positioning the ball just the right distance from the wall to do this. Walk your hands down the wall to the floor if possible. This is a powerful chest opener and is wonderful preparation for backbend poses like Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana) and Bow (Dhanurasana).

After working in this way, it feels good to lie on your mat and bring your knees to your chest in Apanasana, wind-relieving pose, for a few breaths.

Private Sessions, Many Benefits

I have been teaching only private sessions for three months and I am enjoying the experience very much. Sharing yoga with individuals, one on one, or with just two students, is by far the most effective way I have found to teach yoga. And from the comments I have from my students, they also feel the private experience is valuable. The process of learning the poses and understanding the modifications needed for your body is very personal, and private sessions facilitate that process.

My private sessions run 1 or 2 hours. A one hour session is a good place to start. We can work on things that you have in mind, or I can choose a series of poses to work on. The personal experience of having your very own teacher is very rewarding. It may be the very best way to learn anything, and it definitely works with a body/mind activity like yoga.

If you are interested in an intensive session, and to really feel you have moved ahead with a pose or a series of poses, a 2 hour session may be right for you. The time it takes to warm and loosen our muscles can be relatively long, and a 2 hour session allows that to happen. There is also time to really learn the poses, cognitively and kinesthetically. This makes it easier to practice the poses on your own at home.

New Studio

Great News! My new studio complete. I started having private sessions this week and it is wonderful! Please contact me if you are interested in seeing my studio, and if you are interested in a private session.

Benefits of Private Sessions

I am teaching a Private Session today, and I spoke with someone recently about private lessons, so decided I would write down some of their benefits for this blog.

Several simple and compelling reasons come to mind:

a. These lessons take place at your convenience, both at a convenient time and place. While it is an advantage to be in a studio, it is possible to have a lesson at your home or work site as long as there is an open space large enough for two mats. One hour sessions are optimal, half hour ones can also work.

b. The content can be adjusted to fit your physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Do you desire more rigorous asana? No problem. More meditation? Always a good idea. 

c. Chronic health conditions can be handled in a private setting much more easily, with more depth and comfort for the practitioner.

d. Developing a personal practice can be a goal for your private sessions, or the private sessions can become your personal practice, the way one would work with a Personal Trainer at a fitness center on a regular basis.

The benefits of Private Sessions are almost always worth the increase in cost. The value of individual attention, coupled with scheduling convenience mean Private Sessions can be very worthwhile.