As humans, we lable things. That's how we communicate; how language was first formed. We even have lables of our own (usually chosen by our parents, but one can always get creative later in life ;) )
So at work, it makes perfect sense that we lable things here, too. Some of them are useful at times. Your "To Do" box tells you what needs to get done. But, as we all know, feelings of apathy, boredom, feeling depressed or overwhelmed, or sheer panic can set in when looking at that In Box. Here is a little exercise to try the next time that happens.
First of all, take just ONE thing out of your In Box. You can only deal with one thing at a time, and for now, it is this. Now, especially if it's something you don't want to do, pretend you're doing it for someone else. Don't lable it as anything unpleasant. Instead, give it an imaginary lable like "very important document". Imagine that you've just done your best friend in the world a very nice favor, taking care of that important document. How does that feel? Much better than still staring at it in the In Box, right?
Now, I know this exercise is imaginative, and silly to some extent, but in another way it makes perfect sense. Every time you complete a difficult or unpleasant task at work, you ARE doing a friend a favor - yourself. You will reduce your stress level, feel more able and competent, and begin to see that by applying yourself meditatively even to those tasks that aren't your favorite, you are contributing to your place of work (even if this is home), which in turn contributes to the whole Universe. And who doesn't want to show up to work to help the whole Universe? :)
Showing posts with label Meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meditation. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Work as yoga (part 1)
I've been pondering this topic for a while now, and haven't written anything yet because I want to be helpful, not just a string of observations. Although I suppose sometimes those can be helpful too :)
Basically, what I've been noticing is that humans are very good at switching into an "on" state, as I'll call it for now, but then we drift back "off" without that same realization or immediacy. For example, remember a toy that you really, really wanted as a child? How visceral the desire was? And how delighted and engaged we were if we did get the toy? But then, without our even realizing it, our interest in the toy began to wane, as life moved forward and other things became important.
When we first start to practice yoga or meditate, I think we are very much like excited children. We often think, "this is IT!" This is going to be the enlightenment I've been searching for, this is going to be the end of my troubles. Even though we know it is irrational, we secretly hope to be hit by that lightning bolt of eternal joy and wisdom. For some people, just one yoga or meditation session is proof enough that "this stuff doesn't work". Their mind still felt busy, maybe even worse, they were physically uncomfortable, etc. It's ok. Not every practice is for every person. But for those who came back again and again, despite the fact that the lightening bolt never came.... they started to notice something extraordinary. The lightening bolt is there ALL THE TIME. It is our life force, our prana, our connection to vitatlity. We can stay connected to it and live an illuminated life! But through routine and inattention, we often let it slip away.
And work, especially offices, are wonderful breeding grounds for routine and inattention. In fact, they practically beg for it. And that is why, my yogis, this can be your greatest practice of all. Start simply. Become aware of your surroundings. What does your office feel like? Sound like? Now become aware of breathing, sitting right there at your desk. How does that feel? Do things slow down? Can you reconcile breathwork with officework?
Your next task is mini-meditations. You can do these seated, or use walking meditation to get up from your desk. Every hour, devote one minute to meditation; to just watching the breath. If you walk as you do this, to the water cooler for instance, don't get lost in your own head. Instead, become more aware, inhaling and exhaling peace and goodwill toward everyone in your office. Over time, the goal is to stretch out these mini meditations, and begin to watch the breath while doing work tasks such as typing, etc. In this way, we can literally create an 8-hour meditation challenge for ourselves! I'm not saying that's what you have to do, but I am trying to promote the idea that you can meditate any time, anywhere.
Next up: dealing with money as a spiritual practice?
Namaste.
Basically, what I've been noticing is that humans are very good at switching into an "on" state, as I'll call it for now, but then we drift back "off" without that same realization or immediacy. For example, remember a toy that you really, really wanted as a child? How visceral the desire was? And how delighted and engaged we were if we did get the toy? But then, without our even realizing it, our interest in the toy began to wane, as life moved forward and other things became important.
When we first start to practice yoga or meditate, I think we are very much like excited children. We often think, "this is IT!" This is going to be the enlightenment I've been searching for, this is going to be the end of my troubles. Even though we know it is irrational, we secretly hope to be hit by that lightning bolt of eternal joy and wisdom. For some people, just one yoga or meditation session is proof enough that "this stuff doesn't work". Their mind still felt busy, maybe even worse, they were physically uncomfortable, etc. It's ok. Not every practice is for every person. But for those who came back again and again, despite the fact that the lightening bolt never came.... they started to notice something extraordinary. The lightening bolt is there ALL THE TIME. It is our life force, our prana, our connection to vitatlity. We can stay connected to it and live an illuminated life! But through routine and inattention, we often let it slip away.
And work, especially offices, are wonderful breeding grounds for routine and inattention. In fact, they practically beg for it. And that is why, my yogis, this can be your greatest practice of all. Start simply. Become aware of your surroundings. What does your office feel like? Sound like? Now become aware of breathing, sitting right there at your desk. How does that feel? Do things slow down? Can you reconcile breathwork with officework?
Your next task is mini-meditations. You can do these seated, or use walking meditation to get up from your desk. Every hour, devote one minute to meditation; to just watching the breath. If you walk as you do this, to the water cooler for instance, don't get lost in your own head. Instead, become more aware, inhaling and exhaling peace and goodwill toward everyone in your office. Over time, the goal is to stretch out these mini meditations, and begin to watch the breath while doing work tasks such as typing, etc. In this way, we can literally create an 8-hour meditation challenge for ourselves! I'm not saying that's what you have to do, but I am trying to promote the idea that you can meditate any time, anywhere.
Next up: dealing with money as a spiritual practice?
Namaste.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Teaching yourself to relax
At first glance, relaxing seems relatively easy. Maybe we watch TV or a movie, or have a drink, or engage in a favorite hobby. But these are not really relaxed states (expecially when someone is watching their favorite sports team lose a game, for instace)! Instead, a truly relaxed state produces a quiet, contented, non-judemental mind.
Just like Savasana (relaxation pose) at the end of a yoga session, we can scan the body for any left-over tension, and then gently breathe into those areas to help them release. The body (and mind) can never be "forced" to relax; instead they must be gently persuaded.
The body is one of the most ancient scape-goats. We find it difficult to love our own body sometimes, especially when it continues to be villified and condemed (moreso in certain areas) in modern times. But our bodies are temples of life. However, we often belittle them, feel angry at them for not "being perfect", and otherwise sending very negative signals to ourselves from childhood/early adolescence & sometimes into adulthood.
Some peoples's disconnect from their body is greater than others. In class I often mention that in Westen culture, we like to live from the neck up, and mostly ignore everythind below the collarbone. We view this as the most intelligent, rational way to deal with life and its challenges. But although it is good to expend energy and be procutive, we in the West have not learned how to balance out our flurries of constant activity with some true relaxation.
So, even on a day when you don't attend or practice yoga, try this meditation exercise. You can even do it for only 10 minutes! Surround your body with loving compassion, drawing in good energy from the Universe and/or those loved ones around you. Then, either sitting or laying down, begin to observe your breath. Your body is your outermost attribute, and your pure consciousness the most inner. It is the breath that connects these two. Once again, no need to try to "force" your mind to be quiet (although it's usually a temptaion for many new AND experienced meditators.) All you have do is breathe into the present moment and observe. It will get easier over the course of time, just like any other skill! As your meditaiton practices deepens, you can use this practice in any number of difficult "real-world events"!
TO SUM UP: Meditating for only 10 min a day (or however long works for you) can have a significant effect on stress reduction, improving concentration, and helping you feel more centered.
NAMASTE!
RECOMMENDED BOOKS (as of late):
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hahan
Pharmacy for the Soul by Osho (This is a great book, never seen anything else like it!)
Yoga: The Science of the Soul by Osho
Meditation in Action by Chogyam Trungpa
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon ed. by Bhikkuu Bodi (Foreword by the Dalai Lama)
Just like Savasana (relaxation pose) at the end of a yoga session, we can scan the body for any left-over tension, and then gently breathe into those areas to help them release. The body (and mind) can never be "forced" to relax; instead they must be gently persuaded.
The body is one of the most ancient scape-goats. We find it difficult to love our own body sometimes, especially when it continues to be villified and condemed (moreso in certain areas) in modern times. But our bodies are temples of life. However, we often belittle them, feel angry at them for not "being perfect", and otherwise sending very negative signals to ourselves from childhood/early adolescence & sometimes into adulthood.
Some peoples's disconnect from their body is greater than others. In class I often mention that in Westen culture, we like to live from the neck up, and mostly ignore everythind below the collarbone. We view this as the most intelligent, rational way to deal with life and its challenges. But although it is good to expend energy and be procutive, we in the West have not learned how to balance out our flurries of constant activity with some true relaxation.
So, even on a day when you don't attend or practice yoga, try this meditation exercise. You can even do it for only 10 minutes! Surround your body with loving compassion, drawing in good energy from the Universe and/or those loved ones around you. Then, either sitting or laying down, begin to observe your breath. Your body is your outermost attribute, and your pure consciousness the most inner. It is the breath that connects these two. Once again, no need to try to "force" your mind to be quiet (although it's usually a temptaion for many new AND experienced meditators.) All you have do is breathe into the present moment and observe. It will get easier over the course of time, just like any other skill! As your meditaiton practices deepens, you can use this practice in any number of difficult "real-world events"!
TO SUM UP: Meditating for only 10 min a day (or however long works for you) can have a significant effect on stress reduction, improving concentration, and helping you feel more centered.
NAMASTE!
RECOMMENDED BOOKS (as of late):
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hahan
Pharmacy for the Soul by Osho (This is a great book, never seen anything else like it!)
Yoga: The Science of the Soul by Osho
Meditation in Action by Chogyam Trungpa
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon ed. by Bhikkuu Bodi (Foreword by the Dalai Lama)
Monday, February 23, 2009
You are Perfection! (& Sun-Moon classes below)
***A note to my beloved students: SCROLL DOWN past this post to the next one to see when I'll be teaching at Sun-Moon Yoga, 404 W. Huron close to down town. I will also probably be teaching at the Dakota Building (down Stadium, near Pauline) soon as well. I'll keep you all updated. Yay! :) ***
"Remember, there is no need to strive, there is no need to desire to be that which one is not. We are all perfect in our own way; all completely perfect in our imperfections. That's what makes each of us a masterpiece, created by the Universe." --Osho
Drop your need and desire for goals. That can be part of your career life, or other aspects of your life, but not part of yoga. Yoga is the release of striving, & the process of becoming aware of the expansiveness of the present moment. In each and every practice, each and every pose, you are precisely where you need to be. No goals needed :)
I often stress the point that yoga is a moving meditation. There is a nice article on this subject at:
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/MeditationExperiences/id/52552
Scroll down a bit to get from the advertisements to the actual article.
It's quite lenghty, so here are some excerpts I found particularly interesting........
Beginning Meditation:
It is sometimes said that the first stages of the meditaion process are the most difficult. The first distraction is the physical body. Sometimes there is real pain in sitting, and sometimes the ego just tries to distract us by creating itches we will want to scratch. Sometimes there is hyperawareness of the physical body: heartbeat, the breathing apparatus, blocked sinuses, digestive discomfort, or some other pain in the physical body. When the body relaxes, sometimes the head fails forward or backward. But over time, meditation not only calms the mind and reduces blood-pressure, it builds up your core strength, just by sitting!
The second obstacle is the mind, which is accustomed to flowing outward and often resents the effort and discipline required to turn our attention inward-it creates all kinds of excuses about why we should be doing something else. Or, instead of being too rajasic, the mind becomes tamasic. Occasionally students report that when sitting for meditation they become unconscious and remember nothing of the experience. The mind becomes quiet and falls into a kind of unconscious sleep, instead of going into dhyana or samadhi. People who experience this state usually describe it as something like this. "I went away somewhere, but don't know where. I don't remember anything. I don't think I was asleep, but. . . ." That's ok. We spend all day with the mind on high-gear. It's normal for it to take a while to calm down - even weeks or months. Be compassionate and patient with yourself. It's an entirely new skill, like learning to ride a bike!
Deepening Our Meditation:
When we begin to spend more time in meditaion, awareness deepens; perceptions of the physical body may diminish while perceptions of the subtle body may appear, leading to a seeming alteration of normal spatial relations. A person may, for example, lose consciousness of the body from the neck down, and feel as if the head is expanding, or as though the body is levitating, or that their body is now facing in a different direction.
One of the most common experiences of meditators is the spontaneous stopping of the breath. When the mind goes deeper, the breath naturally becomes more shallow. In the West we say that this is because the metabolism slows and oxygen demand drops. The yogis say that the brain accumulates more prana and so less breath is needed.
Spiritual Meditation:
According to yoga, the ashta sattvika vikara (the "Eight Purifying Changes" - see http://www.cit-sakti.com/kundalini/experiences-of-meditation.htm and scroll about half-way down the page) occur because the emotions of devotion interact with certain pranic flows in the chakras of the subtle body and begin to purify the body-mind complex. Each of the five lower chakras controls the manifestation of energy into one of the five states of matter: solid, liquid, luminous, gaseous, and pure space. When emotions arise, they interact with the energies of these five centers, and the result is physical expression of an emotional state. When the emotions of love or longing for God or Universality or spirituality arise, the resulting expressions are considered positive because they purify the subtle nerve channels, or nadis. Get that Prana, that life-force energy flowing!!
When we practice meditation, we are creating space for calmness and groundedness. Some people mistakenly believe that this creates instant happiness. This is not true. Happiness and equanimity are not the same thing! What our state of calm, centered equanimity gives us is an opportunity to stay balanced in that state, or to move "up" toward positive feelings, or "down" toward negative feelings. The choice is ours, and we can see the process by which we influence these changes if we observe closely enough. In each moment, watching the breath, ask yourself, "What is my intention here?" If your intention is something other than sharing or inducing peace and good-will, take a moment to reconsider. Your peaceful actions literally make this world a more peaceful place.
"Remember, there is no need to strive, there is no need to desire to be that which one is not. We are all perfect in our own way; all completely perfect in our imperfections. That's what makes each of us a masterpiece, created by the Universe." --Osho
Drop your need and desire for goals. That can be part of your career life, or other aspects of your life, but not part of yoga. Yoga is the release of striving, & the process of becoming aware of the expansiveness of the present moment. In each and every practice, each and every pose, you are precisely where you need to be. No goals needed :)
I often stress the point that yoga is a moving meditation. There is a nice article on this subject at:
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/MeditationExperiences/id/52552
Scroll down a bit to get from the advertisements to the actual article.
It's quite lenghty, so here are some excerpts I found particularly interesting........
Beginning Meditation:
It is sometimes said that the first stages of the meditaion process are the most difficult. The first distraction is the physical body. Sometimes there is real pain in sitting, and sometimes the ego just tries to distract us by creating itches we will want to scratch. Sometimes there is hyperawareness of the physical body: heartbeat, the breathing apparatus, blocked sinuses, digestive discomfort, or some other pain in the physical body. When the body relaxes, sometimes the head fails forward or backward. But over time, meditation not only calms the mind and reduces blood-pressure, it builds up your core strength, just by sitting!
The second obstacle is the mind, which is accustomed to flowing outward and often resents the effort and discipline required to turn our attention inward-it creates all kinds of excuses about why we should be doing something else. Or, instead of being too rajasic, the mind becomes tamasic. Occasionally students report that when sitting for meditation they become unconscious and remember nothing of the experience. The mind becomes quiet and falls into a kind of unconscious sleep, instead of going into dhyana or samadhi. People who experience this state usually describe it as something like this. "I went away somewhere, but don't know where. I don't remember anything. I don't think I was asleep, but. . . ." That's ok. We spend all day with the mind on high-gear. It's normal for it to take a while to calm down - even weeks or months. Be compassionate and patient with yourself. It's an entirely new skill, like learning to ride a bike!
Deepening Our Meditation:
When we begin to spend more time in meditaion, awareness deepens; perceptions of the physical body may diminish while perceptions of the subtle body may appear, leading to a seeming alteration of normal spatial relations. A person may, for example, lose consciousness of the body from the neck down, and feel as if the head is expanding, or as though the body is levitating, or that their body is now facing in a different direction.
One of the most common experiences of meditators is the spontaneous stopping of the breath. When the mind goes deeper, the breath naturally becomes more shallow. In the West we say that this is because the metabolism slows and oxygen demand drops. The yogis say that the brain accumulates more prana and so less breath is needed.
Spiritual Meditation:
According to yoga, the ashta sattvika vikara (the "Eight Purifying Changes" - see http://www.cit-sakti.com/kundalini/experiences-of-meditation.htm and scroll about half-way down the page) occur because the emotions of devotion interact with certain pranic flows in the chakras of the subtle body and begin to purify the body-mind complex. Each of the five lower chakras controls the manifestation of energy into one of the five states of matter: solid, liquid, luminous, gaseous, and pure space. When emotions arise, they interact with the energies of these five centers, and the result is physical expression of an emotional state. When the emotions of love or longing for God or Universality or spirituality arise, the resulting expressions are considered positive because they purify the subtle nerve channels, or nadis. Get that Prana, that life-force energy flowing!!
When we practice meditation, we are creating space for calmness and groundedness. Some people mistakenly believe that this creates instant happiness. This is not true. Happiness and equanimity are not the same thing! What our state of calm, centered equanimity gives us is an opportunity to stay balanced in that state, or to move "up" toward positive feelings, or "down" toward negative feelings. The choice is ours, and we can see the process by which we influence these changes if we observe closely enough. In each moment, watching the breath, ask yourself, "What is my intention here?" If your intention is something other than sharing or inducing peace and good-will, take a moment to reconsider. Your peaceful actions literally make this world a more peaceful place.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Taking some meditation lessons from Tibetan Heart Yoga
When we meditate, our minds encounter obstacles. This is perfectly normal. What matters is how we respond to these obstacles. Tibetan Heart Yoga offers us six "flavors" of response when the mind is being unruly:
1. This too shall pass.
2. I cannot control this now, but I can breathe through it.
3. I put this and myself here for purposes of higher learning.
4. Someone else might even find this pleasant.
5. I can transform this problem into the very path itself which I seek.
6. We must live as gardeners, tending with love whatever surroundings we find ourselves in, internal and external.
We can use any one (or more) of these whenever they feel helpful.
When we meditate, we sometimes expect our mind to become instantly still and for us to have an immediately blissful experience. This is not really how meditation works. It is an exercise and a practice, just like physical yoga. It is important to not become too frustrated at the beginning. The mind wants you to become discouraged, because that way it can stay in control and you will drop all this meditation silliness! Do not listen to the mind. Start slowly, and just start to learn to feel still and stable in your seat. Learn to watch the breath. Remember that this takes time. If I could give you the gift of a quiet mind, I would, but all I can do is try to explain and offer different techniques. It may happen slowly, or it may happen in an instant, but you will get a taste of that supreme inner silence and joy. Once you get this glimpse, no matter how small, you have understood that meditation is not about DOING, it's about NOT DOING! Dropping the mind. Dropping the ego. Simply existing in your divine state, taking complete joy in the breath and in the prana, your life-force energy, flowing through your body.
If you have difficulties meditating, talk to your instructor. There are many different methods and techniques to help you. And you will probably find that by becoming a stronger, more stable, more committed meditator (even if your practice is only 10 min. per day), it will greatly benefit your yogic practice as well. TRY THIS: Meditate for just 5 or 10 min. every morning, as soon as you get out of bed. You can set an alarm. Try to notice if it has a calming/positive effect on your morning and the rest of your day.
Life throws enough demands, busy times, and stress at us. As an act of self compassion, meditation can help us calmly and sanely deal with any area of our lives.
1. This too shall pass.
2. I cannot control this now, but I can breathe through it.
3. I put this and myself here for purposes of higher learning.
4. Someone else might even find this pleasant.
5. I can transform this problem into the very path itself which I seek.
6. We must live as gardeners, tending with love whatever surroundings we find ourselves in, internal and external.
We can use any one (or more) of these whenever they feel helpful.
When we meditate, we sometimes expect our mind to become instantly still and for us to have an immediately blissful experience. This is not really how meditation works. It is an exercise and a practice, just like physical yoga. It is important to not become too frustrated at the beginning. The mind wants you to become discouraged, because that way it can stay in control and you will drop all this meditation silliness! Do not listen to the mind. Start slowly, and just start to learn to feel still and stable in your seat. Learn to watch the breath. Remember that this takes time. If I could give you the gift of a quiet mind, I would, but all I can do is try to explain and offer different techniques. It may happen slowly, or it may happen in an instant, but you will get a taste of that supreme inner silence and joy. Once you get this glimpse, no matter how small, you have understood that meditation is not about DOING, it's about NOT DOING! Dropping the mind. Dropping the ego. Simply existing in your divine state, taking complete joy in the breath and in the prana, your life-force energy, flowing through your body.
If you have difficulties meditating, talk to your instructor. There are many different methods and techniques to help you. And you will probably find that by becoming a stronger, more stable, more committed meditator (even if your practice is only 10 min. per day), it will greatly benefit your yogic practice as well. TRY THIS: Meditate for just 5 or 10 min. every morning, as soon as you get out of bed. You can set an alarm. Try to notice if it has a calming/positive effect on your morning and the rest of your day.
Life throws enough demands, busy times, and stress at us. As an act of self compassion, meditation can help us calmly and sanely deal with any area of our lives.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Falling Asleep Tonight
Try this:
When you fall asleep tonight, use the Savasana meditation. Scan your body, checking in with each area, to see if you can gradually release any tightness until you feel incredibly heavy and relaxed.
Now, imagine you are resting in the hands of God, or the Goddess, or the Universe. Relax down even further. Feeling that which is greater than yourself support you with infinite love and compassion. Feeling unconditional peace and joy, take this with you into your sleep.
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