Stillness
OK. Here's where I've been so far (North to South): Vancouver (BC), Bellingham (WA), Port Townsend (WA), Seabeck (WA), Seattle (WA), Olympia (WA), and, now Portland (OR). I'm starting to confuse the locations a bit in my brain and feel a bit all over the place. I am finding it hard to find stillness of my mind when my body is in a different location every day.
A phrase I have often heard in yoga studios is "Come into Stillness." This means a trio of things to me: the stillness of the body, breath, and the mind. In seated meditation, the stilling of the body and breath precedes the stilling of the mind. Recently, in my practice, I have found that once I am in a pose I keep fidgeting. Under the guise of coming deeper into a pose, I keep moving this arm, that foot. Really, this extra movement is only keeping me from going further because it prohibits the stilling of my mind, takes me away from my breath. It'll be an hour into practice and I'll realize I've been obsessing about the exact position of my body for the entire time. I do yoga, and move my body, for physical and mental health. There needs to be a balance, and I am working on it.
If this sounds familiar to you, I encourage you to do this practice with a focus on coming into physical stillness once you have come into the pose. Hopefully, this is turn will allow mental stillness.
Stillness
Try softening the eyes in poses. Let the softening of the eyes come with a softening of self-judgement, needless comparisons, and mental inflexibility. Flow in postures even when the body is still. Find stillness even when the body is flowing.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose)
- Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head to Knee Pose)
- Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle)
- Repeat steps 2-5 on other side
- Wide-legged Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
- Malasana (Garland Pose)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Two-four sun salutations
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I), focus on opening chest
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch Pose)
- Anjaneyasana (Kneeling Lunge Pose)
- Vinyasa to repeat 11-14 on other side
- Vinyasa to standing
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold). Hold for 2-3 minutes
- Take hands to lower back for gentle back bend/chest opener
- Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
- Garundasana (Eagle Pose)
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
- Marichyasana (Marichi's Twist)
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 19-22 other side
- Garbasana (Child's Pose)
- Walk hands in front of you and off to one side for gentle side stretch. Repeat other side
- Supta Pavana Muktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose). Repeat other side
- Take both knees into chest, bringing head gently towards knees. Release.
- Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose). Rock gently side to side
- Savasana
