“When you consider things like the stars, our affairs don’t seem to matter very much, do they?”
–Virginia Woolf
Weekly Focus: Dhyana // Meditation
Dhyana is meditation and the seventh limb on the 8-limb path.
Many folks may be nervous to begin meditating. It may be a limiting belief that a person can be good or bad at it. However, meditation is more a state that overcomes us, rather than something that we do.
Dhyana simply asks us to set aside time each day to invite meditation into our minds and hearts.
We can improve our chances of experiencing meditation by sitting in a quiet space and using pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sensory withdrawal), and dharana (focused concentration) in unison. Meditating consistently with time may not only improve sleep cycles, reduce stress + anxiety, and help us to organize our thoughts, we may also find that it helps us to find greater clarity in what really matters in life. Ultimately, our assumptions are just perceptions that our brain creates — they don’t really mean much when we can see beyond to the bigger picture.
All Classes: 5 – 10 Minute Meditation // Support with Props as Necessary
One of the hardest positions to hold in yoga can sometimes be a seated posture — in part because we tend to hold these positions longer AND as modern humans we are more accustomed to sitting on furniture rather than the floor. On top of that, sitting in stillness adds an extra layer of difficulty. Once we try to keep still, the desire to move and fidget suddenly feels urgent!
Don’t be too hard on yourself with meditation. If meditation is new to you, try a little at a time. You might try only 3 minutes to start and gradually increase your length. Sitting against a wall to support the spine, and propping your hips with a blanket or cushion can help you stay comfortable. You are allowed to be comfortable when you meditate — pain/discomfort is not a requirement. In fact, you can even sit upright in a chair! Finding a comfortable position where you feel grounded will help you stay more focused on the task at hand, rather than finding distraction in the physical body.