So ~ I have started a 10 day yoga program. It's not what you think. No stretching or posing or even meditation. At least not yet. Right now it's mostly listening to our yogi, Sangi, talking about what yoga is (and isn't) and thinking about what we want out of the class. Doesn't sound very interesting, probably, but I am really loving it. I think maybe it's just the right time for me to be taking this class. I think ~ I hope ~ that it is going to be the answer I have been searching for. Or that it will maybe let me find the answer I have been searching for. What's the question? Not too sure about that either, but I know it's something like: How can I be happy again? How can I "find" myself? What does it mean to "find" oneself...? Can I stop hurting and move on even if things that have been hurting for a long time don't get resolved?
Our first meeting was just this sort of introduction. And we breathed. We learned to focus on our breathing, paying attention to the inhalation and the exhalation. Noticing the filling of our lungs and the feeling of the air passing through our nostrils. And I found out that I haven't been breathing right all these years! In my effort to keep my tummy muscles strong (a losing battle these days...) and to look slimmer, I have been sucking my tummy in even when taking a big inhale. Yeah, that's not the right thing to do. Your tummy is supposed to inflate, like a balloon, in order to be sure that your entire lungs are taking that life-giving oxygen. So, so much for looking thinner. I just want to breath in as much life as I can ~
We also learned about the 5 sheets/sheaths (not sure which) of life:
1. The food sheet ~ for nutrition
2. The air sheet ~ our breathing
3. The mind sheet ~ being aware of things and knowing things
4. The intellectual sheet ~ understanding
5. The happiness sheet ~ our ultimate goal
Our homework was to wake up and drink two glasses of lukewarm water, and then to breath deeply, holding after both the inhalation and the exhalation, 10 times.
Day 1 was really the first day of the actual 10 day class. We listened to our breathing again, and quieted our bodies. Then we learned how to sit in the... well, I can't spell it because I can't really even say it, but we sat on our knees, with our hands on our thighs and then we learned to breath so that we could fill each section of our lungs. We started by placing our hands on our waists in a special way, tightening on the diaphragm while inhaling and then exhaling fully, making a noise sort of at the back of our throats. This focused the air into the lowest part of our lungs, sending oxygen to the lower half of our bodies. Then we did the same thing, but with our hands at our chests and arms out to the sides. This sent the energy to the middle of our bodies. And finally we did the same thing, but with our hands over and behind our heads, filling the upper part of our lungs and sending energy ~ you guessed it ~ to the upper part of our bodies, our heads. It sounds kind of funny, but I could feel the difference each time and thought about sending the energy I was inhaling to the appropriate part of my body. I felt good.
We also spent some time talking to partners about what we wanted out of the class. My health, and some control over myself in my life. And we talked about what we 'tried' to get/do, but for whatever reason didn't. I try to lose weight and exercise. But I always fail at keeping it going. I blame myself.
We also drank a hot liquid imbibed with various herbs. It tasted spicy ~ like ginger or cardemon... I liked it. Sangi said it was the first part of the purification process. Not sure what to expect.... As we did our last breathing, he had us imagine ourselves the way we would like to be. I saw myself incredibly fit, my abs back to the way they used to be, playing/hiking/trekking outside in a beautiful country (South American?)with people (my girls and their children?). I was laughing and smiling and helping the little people climb. I felt happy.
Our homework tonight was to wake up and drink the two glasses of water, and then to do the three types of breathing, seven times each. We are also to make sure to follow the 'rules' of the class:
No coffee or tea or news
Be committed 100%
Do the class homework assignment: write down the vision that we had of ourselves the way we want to be;what we learned in class today; how this is impacting our lives; how we pass the buck; something we have 'tried' to do, but failed
Day 2 was exciting because we not only got a yummy drink (tasted like cashews), but he was also giving us dinner! We started out with our deep breathing and then we learned three new kinds! One is a way to energize/fill all three sections of our lungs: lower, middle, and upper. First, sitting in the vtras (?) position and with hands placed 'edgewise' under the last rib on either side, breathing deeply ~ expanding the abdomen ~ and then exhaling by making a noise in the back of your throat. We breathed 7 times. Then we moved our hands so that our thumbs were under our arm pits and fingers reaching for each other across the chest. Breath 7 times. And finally, inhaling, lift arms overhead and then let them hang down behind the head, chin towards chest. Breath 7 times.
The next two that we learned were both purification breathing methods. For the first one, we forcefully inhale and raise our hands to the sky and then we forcefully exhale and quickly bring our arms down, elbows bent, hands by our shoulders. We did three sets of 10, quickly. And then the final breathing that we learned was simply forcefully exhaling. No inhaling was really necessary because it just sort of happened.
Then Sangi talked to us about food. ( I can't remember what, specifically.... ) Finally, it was time for dinner. We each got a small 'take-out' container filled with..... chopped veggies!!!!! LOL It actually tasted really good and I enjoyed it. We were given some more homework: Write down ways you take responsibility for yourself, dear ones, and the world. We also had the same rules about coffee... but in addition, we were to only eat fruit for breakfast (or as snacks throughout the day if we needed food) and then eat a normal vegetarian lunch. Hmmm.
The next morning started out pretty great. After going to sleep hungry and only eating fruit for breakfast, I wasn't too sure how things would go. But I really felt great all morning. I did the yogi breathing in bed and then the other two before heading out to school. I think the extra oxygen is a good thing! Then at lunch, I went to the cafeteria to buy something and it was lasagna day!!!! I usually miss lasagna day and I always want it, and now here it was... and I was supposed to eat vegetarian.... Huh. I was really having a hard time making a choice, and luckily for me Amal was there. She was getting a veggie pasta and just having her there sort of gave me the boost I needed and so I ordered that as well. Yay me!
Day 3 started out with our usual Ohms and then we went through all the breathing exercises we had learned (except the yogi breathing). I think I have pretty good form. Our talk today was again about foods. There are some foods that give energy to the body; those that take energy away from the body; and those that do neither. Interestingly, garlic, peppers, and onions are in the bad category! Tomatoes and potatoes are neutral. Good foods are mostly green, leafy veggies and all other primary foods. So pretty much that means that being vegetarian is the best way to go. He also noted that humans are, by nature, herbivores. We have mostly molars; our intestine is 6 times our height; we hold water in our mouths before swallowing.... So there you have it.
We also sat in groups today and he passed out our homework from the first night. He asked us to read our vision aloud. Mostly we all saw the same thing: happiness and health. It was harder for me to read than I expected because I had mentioned that in my vision, my mom and sister and I were talking and happy.
Sangi talked to us about the difference between being a leader and a follower. In fact, we all have the capability for both. Basically, being a leader means you love what you do, and being a follower means doing something because you have to or because you see it merely as a means to an end. Our homework is to write down instances in our daily lives when we are followers and when we are leaders.
Had a mini-breakdown tonight. I am hungry and tired. I drank some water, rather than calling for a burger! I am worried about how strong I really am, but I am also proud that at least I didn't cave tonight.
I never finished this post, but I'm including it anyway. While I have not become a consistent practitioner of yoga,nor have I always maintained a healthy weight, this class did influence my life, and I have on and off again returned to yoga and meditation. It has had a positive impact on my mind and body, and I am grateful for the experience.
Our first meeting was just this sort of introduction. And we breathed. We learned to focus on our breathing, paying attention to the inhalation and the exhalation. Noticing the filling of our lungs and the feeling of the air passing through our nostrils. And I found out that I haven't been breathing right all these years! In my effort to keep my tummy muscles strong (a losing battle these days...) and to look slimmer, I have been sucking my tummy in even when taking a big inhale. Yeah, that's not the right thing to do. Your tummy is supposed to inflate, like a balloon, in order to be sure that your entire lungs are taking that life-giving oxygen. So, so much for looking thinner. I just want to breath in as much life as I can ~
We also learned about the 5 sheets/sheaths (not sure which) of life:
1. The food sheet ~ for nutrition
2. The air sheet ~ our breathing
3. The mind sheet ~ being aware of things and knowing things
4. The intellectual sheet ~ understanding
5. The happiness sheet ~ our ultimate goal
Our homework was to wake up and drink two glasses of lukewarm water, and then to breath deeply, holding after both the inhalation and the exhalation, 10 times.
Day 1 was really the first day of the actual 10 day class. We listened to our breathing again, and quieted our bodies. Then we learned how to sit in the... well, I can't spell it because I can't really even say it, but we sat on our knees, with our hands on our thighs and then we learned to breath so that we could fill each section of our lungs. We started by placing our hands on our waists in a special way, tightening on the diaphragm while inhaling and then exhaling fully, making a noise sort of at the back of our throats. This focused the air into the lowest part of our lungs, sending oxygen to the lower half of our bodies. Then we did the same thing, but with our hands at our chests and arms out to the sides. This sent the energy to the middle of our bodies. And finally we did the same thing, but with our hands over and behind our heads, filling the upper part of our lungs and sending energy ~ you guessed it ~ to the upper part of our bodies, our heads. It sounds kind of funny, but I could feel the difference each time and thought about sending the energy I was inhaling to the appropriate part of my body. I felt good.
We also spent some time talking to partners about what we wanted out of the class. My health, and some control over myself in my life. And we talked about what we 'tried' to get/do, but for whatever reason didn't. I try to lose weight and exercise. But I always fail at keeping it going. I blame myself.
We also drank a hot liquid imbibed with various herbs. It tasted spicy ~ like ginger or cardemon... I liked it. Sangi said it was the first part of the purification process. Not sure what to expect.... As we did our last breathing, he had us imagine ourselves the way we would like to be. I saw myself incredibly fit, my abs back to the way they used to be, playing/hiking/trekking outside in a beautiful country (South American?)with people (my girls and their children?). I was laughing and smiling and helping the little people climb. I felt happy.
Our homework tonight was to wake up and drink the two glasses of water, and then to do the three types of breathing, seven times each. We are also to make sure to follow the 'rules' of the class:
No coffee or tea or news
Be committed 100%
Do the class homework assignment: write down the vision that we had of ourselves the way we want to be;what we learned in class today; how this is impacting our lives; how we pass the buck; something we have 'tried' to do, but failed
Day 2 was exciting because we not only got a yummy drink (tasted like cashews), but he was also giving us dinner! We started out with our deep breathing and then we learned three new kinds! One is a way to energize/fill all three sections of our lungs: lower, middle, and upper. First, sitting in the vtras (?) position and with hands placed 'edgewise' under the last rib on either side, breathing deeply ~ expanding the abdomen ~ and then exhaling by making a noise in the back of your throat. We breathed 7 times. Then we moved our hands so that our thumbs were under our arm pits and fingers reaching for each other across the chest. Breath 7 times. And finally, inhaling, lift arms overhead and then let them hang down behind the head, chin towards chest. Breath 7 times.
The next two that we learned were both purification breathing methods. For the first one, we forcefully inhale and raise our hands to the sky and then we forcefully exhale and quickly bring our arms down, elbows bent, hands by our shoulders. We did three sets of 10, quickly. And then the final breathing that we learned was simply forcefully exhaling. No inhaling was really necessary because it just sort of happened.
Then Sangi talked to us about food. ( I can't remember what, specifically.... ) Finally, it was time for dinner. We each got a small 'take-out' container filled with..... chopped veggies!!!!! LOL It actually tasted really good and I enjoyed it. We were given some more homework: Write down ways you take responsibility for yourself, dear ones, and the world. We also had the same rules about coffee... but in addition, we were to only eat fruit for breakfast (or as snacks throughout the day if we needed food) and then eat a normal vegetarian lunch. Hmmm.
The next morning started out pretty great. After going to sleep hungry and only eating fruit for breakfast, I wasn't too sure how things would go. But I really felt great all morning. I did the yogi breathing in bed and then the other two before heading out to school. I think the extra oxygen is a good thing! Then at lunch, I went to the cafeteria to buy something and it was lasagna day!!!! I usually miss lasagna day and I always want it, and now here it was... and I was supposed to eat vegetarian.... Huh. I was really having a hard time making a choice, and luckily for me Amal was there. She was getting a veggie pasta and just having her there sort of gave me the boost I needed and so I ordered that as well. Yay me!
Day 3 started out with our usual Ohms and then we went through all the breathing exercises we had learned (except the yogi breathing). I think I have pretty good form. Our talk today was again about foods. There are some foods that give energy to the body; those that take energy away from the body; and those that do neither. Interestingly, garlic, peppers, and onions are in the bad category! Tomatoes and potatoes are neutral. Good foods are mostly green, leafy veggies and all other primary foods. So pretty much that means that being vegetarian is the best way to go. He also noted that humans are, by nature, herbivores. We have mostly molars; our intestine is 6 times our height; we hold water in our mouths before swallowing.... So there you have it.
We also sat in groups today and he passed out our homework from the first night. He asked us to read our vision aloud. Mostly we all saw the same thing: happiness and health. It was harder for me to read than I expected because I had mentioned that in my vision, my mom and sister and I were talking and happy.
Sangi talked to us about the difference between being a leader and a follower. In fact, we all have the capability for both. Basically, being a leader means you love what you do, and being a follower means doing something because you have to or because you see it merely as a means to an end. Our homework is to write down instances in our daily lives when we are followers and when we are leaders.
Had a mini-breakdown tonight. I am hungry and tired. I drank some water, rather than calling for a burger! I am worried about how strong I really am, but I am also proud that at least I didn't cave tonight.
I never finished this post, but I'm including it anyway. While I have not become a consistent practitioner of yoga,nor have I always maintained a healthy weight, this class did influence my life, and I have on and off again returned to yoga and meditation. It has had a positive impact on my mind and body, and I am grateful for the experience.
