It seems that Tuesday is going to be blog day. So do be sure to check in on Tuesday evenings or Wednesday mornings each week. And remember, your comments and additions to the blog are very, very, important and welcomed! :)
As promised last week, today's blog is a continuation of learning about meditation. I went to a wonderful meditation workshop at Common Ground Corona last week. Here is some of the wisdom Reverend Danell shared with us:
1. When meditating with prayer or mala beads the number 108 is significant. According to Wikipedia the number 108 is sacred in Eastern religions for the following reasons ~
The number 108 is considered sacred in many Eastern religions and traditions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and connected yoga and dharma based practices. For example, Hindu deities have 108 names. Recital of these names, often accompanied by counting of 108-beaded Mala, is considered sacred and often done during religious ceremonies. The recital is called namajapa. Accordingly, a mala usually has beads for 108 repetitions of a mantra. Likewise, Zen priests wear juzu (a ring of prayer beads) around their wrists, which consists of 108 beads.[1]
Japa Mala, or Japa beads, made from Tulasi wood. Comprising of 108 beads in total + the head bead.
The Lankavatara Sutra repeatedly refers to the 108 steps many temples have.[2]
However, in Tibetan Buddhism it is believed that there are 108 sins. And in Japan, at the end of the year, a bell is chimed 108 times to finish the old year and welcome the new one. Each ring represents one of 108 earthly temptations a person must overcome to achieve nirvana.
2. Danell has a different take on the mantra than other teachers from whom I've learned about mantras. She advises to use a mantra that is personally meaningful. That way you are able to feel and be the mantra. Other teachers I've experienced advise using the mantra as a concentration point or a distraction for a busy mind. This is still within the scope of what Reverend Danell teaches, but her point about personalizing the mantra allows the mind, body, and spirit to connect on the particular concept embraced in the mantra.
3. Mantras should always be positive. Words such as "not" or "do not" are negative to the brain.
4. Belief in the mantra is extremely important. Be present with your mantra and believe it. This will allow you to feel it and experience it fully.
5. You can have a particular mantra in mind when you start meditation or you can be still and allow the mantra to arise from within you.
6. The mantra can go at different speeds throughout your meditation.
7. Your mantra can be chanted outloud or internally. Whatever you are most comfortable with.
8. Start by speaking your mantra (whether outloud or internally ~ e.g. thinking it), but then allow yourself to relax into listening to it. According to Reverend Dannel, "at first you speak your mantra, but then it becomes internalized and becomes a memory of the sound; that is the listening part".
9. If meditating with beads you can count the beads as you are chanting or just pass each bead through your fingers with each recitation of the mantra.
10. When holding the beads, lay them over the middle finger of your right hand (not your index finger) and pull each bead toward you with your thumb. Feel free to roll the bead around a little if you like.
Personalizing the mantra was a different technique for me. For one thing, as a yoga practioner and teacher I am used to chanting in Sanskrit. And while I know what each of the Sanskrit mantras means, I don't necessarily personalize them. Thus, I decided to use the technique of sitting with a quiet mind and letting the mantra arise. Well, of course, because I have a chattering monkey brain, sitting with a quiet mind didn't work very well ~ in spite of the prayer beads I was stringing through my fingers. So I started internally just chanting "Aum", the sound of the universe (sometimes spelled "Om"). That helped some, but different words kept coming into my mind. I would chant them for a bit... "peace, peace, peace"... but the first several words just didn't seem right. Then I thought, what do I want most for myself. And the word "calm" came into my mind. Yes, the name of my business is "Peaceful Living Wellness". So I thought "peace" would work well. But, I guess to me, finding a bit of "peaceful living" comes from having a calm mind and heart. The word "calm" flowed gracefully over my mind and the prayer beads. It felt like a soft wave and soon I felt like I was floating on that soft wave.
The meditation time was over like a blink of an eye. We were meditating for over twenty minutes, but I felt like it was five minutes. The relaxation that comes from meditation is absolutely amazing. Not only was I able to embrace that sense of calm, but I also felt joyful and lighthearted. Imagine, all that from just twenty minutes of breathing and internal chanting!
In the words of my favorite kirtan artist, Snatum Kaur, "breath into your quiet center"...
Love, Light, and Namaste!
Jen
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Finding a few moments of peace is possible
After my crazy day the other day, I realized I really needed to take some time out! So on Sunday, I packed-up my six-year-old son and took him up to my favorite spiritual center. Common Ground is in Corona, California which is over an hour from my house. Thus, I don't get there very often. But I knew I really needed some spiritual renewal, so I made the trek. It was well worth it! The service is extremely calming and the human energy in the room is warm and comforting. I was a little worried about taking my son with me, as they don't have childcare. But he did a great job! He played quietly with his toy cars while I was able to meditate and listen to the speaker.
Insterestingly enough, the speaker, Yogi Dada Nabhaniilananda, was talking about why people don't meditate. It honestly comes down to the fact that we just don't take the time to meditate ~ see my last blog post about crazy, busy, days. Yes, there are other reasons, such as when people feel like they don't know how to meditate or when they try and their minds wander. But I can attest to the fact that with practice meditation becomes easy and very renewing for body, mind and spirit. Back to my original point though... I (we) often don't take the time to practice. Yogi Dada told a story about how once when he was in Thailand he saw a Buddhist monk scolding other Buddhist monks about the fact that they weren't meditating. The monk said to his brethren, "The Buddha is not meditating for you!". So it's not just we Americans who don't meditate when we really should be. It's Thai Buddhist monks too :)
The moral of the story is that it only takes a few minutes each day to meditate. And those few minutes will add peace to your life. This is actually empirically proven by brain scan research. Brain scans of yogis and monks meditating show that the brain slows down and rests, much like in sleep. Some neuroscientists believe that the rest the brain receives from meditation is even more beneficial to humans than sleep. Please email me if you want me to dig-up the citations for this research: sdyogamom@yahoo.com
So, some of you may be saying, "okay Jen, but it is really hard to find the time!" This is true. I know from my own busy life. However, I took a meditation class at the Deepak Chopra center last summer and learned that we only need to meditate twice a day for fifteen minutes. Davidji, the lead meditation teacher at the Chopra Center, said to just do it once when you get up in the morning and once at the end of your work/ school/ etc. day. Even if you can't fit in two fifteen minute sessions, I bet you can fit in one. And even one is very beneficial.
So here's the challenge:
For the next week find fifteen minutes per day to just sit quietly. Maybe it will be first thing in the morning. Or maybe you can find time in your office, with a closed door, during your lunch. Or maybe it will be with some soothing music on the car stereo in the parking lot before you leave your work for the day. For you stay-at-home moms and dads, try finding the time while the kiddos nap. Or set them up with something educational (or just entertaining :) ) on TV and go to your bedroom or outside.
Here are some helpful tips. Try one or all of them.
1. Concentrate on listening to your breath. Inhale for a count of four, exhale for a count of six, and count in your head with both inhale and exhale.
2. Listen to soft music.
3. Try using a mantra ~ a repeated word or phrase. This can be in any language you prefer. I prefer to chant mantras in Sanskrit because that's how I learned them. But you can use English or anything else. My favorite Sanskrit easy chant is, "Om Namah Shivaya". It roughly means, "amen to my one true self". I inhale and then chant on the exhale. Many different chants can be found on the internet. Try http://www.buddhanet.com/
4. Listen to a guided meditation. These can be found in recorded versions online. I have purchased some from http://www.audible.com/. You can probably find them for free if you search though. They are usually longer than fifteen minutes. In fact, guided meditations can be up to an hour or more. To me, that is complete luxury!!! I loovvee the long ones and often feel in absolute la la land after listening to one.
5. If your mind strays, that is okay. Our minds (especially mine) are chatterboxes! Let it go and then bring it back to the breath or the mantra. Sometimes I feel like my mind is chattering during my entire meditation, and yet, miraculously, I feel rested and renewed anyway :)
6. Don't meditate or listen to guided meditations while driving, biking, or probably even walking. There are walking meditations, but they are usually done in a labyrinth so you don't wander off. And, walking the pattern of the labyrinth is part of the meditation.
Hopefully these "tips" will help with your challenge this week. Happy meditating!
PS ~ more to come on meditation on Thursday. I'm going to a meditation workshop at Common Ground on Thursday morning. For information on Common Ground go to http://www.commongroundcorona.com/
PSS ~ People have been telling me that they are trying to post to this blog, but their posts aren't showing-up. Please let me know via email if this happens. I can be reached at sdyogamom@yahoo.com
I am moderating the posts, so it will take up to a day for them to appear.
Love and Light!
Jen
The San Diego Yoga Mom
Insterestingly enough, the speaker, Yogi Dada Nabhaniilananda, was talking about why people don't meditate. It honestly comes down to the fact that we just don't take the time to meditate ~ see my last blog post about crazy, busy, days. Yes, there are other reasons, such as when people feel like they don't know how to meditate or when they try and their minds wander. But I can attest to the fact that with practice meditation becomes easy and very renewing for body, mind and spirit. Back to my original point though... I (we) often don't take the time to practice. Yogi Dada told a story about how once when he was in Thailand he saw a Buddhist monk scolding other Buddhist monks about the fact that they weren't meditating. The monk said to his brethren, "The Buddha is not meditating for you!". So it's not just we Americans who don't meditate when we really should be. It's Thai Buddhist monks too :)
The moral of the story is that it only takes a few minutes each day to meditate. And those few minutes will add peace to your life. This is actually empirically proven by brain scan research. Brain scans of yogis and monks meditating show that the brain slows down and rests, much like in sleep. Some neuroscientists believe that the rest the brain receives from meditation is even more beneficial to humans than sleep. Please email me if you want me to dig-up the citations for this research: sdyogamom@yahoo.com
So, some of you may be saying, "okay Jen, but it is really hard to find the time!" This is true. I know from my own busy life. However, I took a meditation class at the Deepak Chopra center last summer and learned that we only need to meditate twice a day for fifteen minutes. Davidji, the lead meditation teacher at the Chopra Center, said to just do it once when you get up in the morning and once at the end of your work/ school/ etc. day. Even if you can't fit in two fifteen minute sessions, I bet you can fit in one. And even one is very beneficial.
So here's the challenge:
For the next week find fifteen minutes per day to just sit quietly. Maybe it will be first thing in the morning. Or maybe you can find time in your office, with a closed door, during your lunch. Or maybe it will be with some soothing music on the car stereo in the parking lot before you leave your work for the day. For you stay-at-home moms and dads, try finding the time while the kiddos nap. Or set them up with something educational (or just entertaining :) ) on TV and go to your bedroom or outside.
Here are some helpful tips. Try one or all of them.
1. Concentrate on listening to your breath. Inhale for a count of four, exhale for a count of six, and count in your head with both inhale and exhale.
2. Listen to soft music.
3. Try using a mantra ~ a repeated word or phrase. This can be in any language you prefer. I prefer to chant mantras in Sanskrit because that's how I learned them. But you can use English or anything else. My favorite Sanskrit easy chant is, "Om Namah Shivaya". It roughly means, "amen to my one true self". I inhale and then chant on the exhale. Many different chants can be found on the internet. Try http://www.buddhanet.com/
4. Listen to a guided meditation. These can be found in recorded versions online. I have purchased some from http://www.audible.com/. You can probably find them for free if you search though. They are usually longer than fifteen minutes. In fact, guided meditations can be up to an hour or more. To me, that is complete luxury!!! I loovvee the long ones and often feel in absolute la la land after listening to one.
5. If your mind strays, that is okay. Our minds (especially mine) are chatterboxes! Let it go and then bring it back to the breath or the mantra. Sometimes I feel like my mind is chattering during my entire meditation, and yet, miraculously, I feel rested and renewed anyway :)
6. Don't meditate or listen to guided meditations while driving, biking, or probably even walking. There are walking meditations, but they are usually done in a labyrinth so you don't wander off. And, walking the pattern of the labyrinth is part of the meditation.
Hopefully these "tips" will help with your challenge this week. Happy meditating!
PS ~ more to come on meditation on Thursday. I'm going to a meditation workshop at Common Ground on Thursday morning. For information on Common Ground go to http://www.commongroundcorona.com/
PSS ~ People have been telling me that they are trying to post to this blog, but their posts aren't showing-up. Please let me know via email if this happens. I can be reached at sdyogamom@yahoo.com
I am moderating the posts, so it will take up to a day for them to appear.
Love and Light!
Jen
The San Diego Yoga Mom
Friday, June 11, 2010
Can we slow down?
I try to do at least ten minutes of yoga a day. As a rule, it really helps me keep sane. Honestly, I do little mini yoga breaks throughout the day. Even when I was teaching at a major university I would close my office door and take ten minute yoga breaks. But today was one of those days when it just did not happen. Needless to say, I have a stiff neck, I already took ibuprofen for an oncoming headache, I'm tired and I'm cranky!
So, why prey tell, did the yoga mom not stop and do a little yoga? I just didn't allow myself to slow down at all today. The day started as usual, getting the kids ready for their days. Layna, my four-year-old, doesn't go to school on Fridays, so it's usually easier with her on Fridays. But I was in such a hurry that I packed her lunch as if she were going to school. That should have been my first clue about how I was going to handle my day. Here's a lowdown:
*Get kids ready for school (even though Layna wasn't going to school) and make sure the house is somewhat picked-up and dishes are at least done.
*Get AJ (my six-year-old) to school, which, because we recently moved, is now 15 minutes away. Make sure I have the gift cards and memory post-card thingy to give to the room mom for the teacher's end-of-the-year gift basket.
*Drive the 15 minutes home.
*Get on the computer to check my email because I didn't check it yesterday because our computer fixing genius was here fixing both computers for over five hours.
*Didn't finish email, but had to pack Layna back in the car, drive back to AJ's school and attend the cuter than cute "Three Piggy Opera".
*Drive back home to get the kids lunch.
*Try to finish checking email while kids eat lunch. Microwave some spinach lasagna for myself -yum! It counts as healthy because it has spinach in it doesn't it? ;)
*Still didn't finish with email, but had to leave to get kids to haircut appointments.
*Hair cuts went well, but the new girl didn't cut Layna's hair the way I like it. She was really nice though.
*Drive to Encinitas (next town over) to get tap shoes for Layna. AJ wants shoes too, so he gets some tennies.
*Finally drive back home and think I'm going to have time to take a break, but then remember, "oh, I need to finish checking my email". Get back on computer.
*Hear AJ crying from down the street. He was out riding his bike, crashed it, and gave himself a big asphalt burn on his elbow - ouch.
*Get AJ cleaned-up and resting, set Layna up to watch "Chipmunks: The Squeekwell" for the four-hundred-and-ninety-eighth time this month - ugh!
*Get back on computer. Finish email, but need to research Holistic Health Practitioner Schools, so I stay on the computer.
*Doorbell rings, AJ's friends are at the door saying that AJ crashed on his scooter and is down the street crying. I didn't even know he left the house. At least he remembered to take his walkie-talkie with him. Too bad he didn't remember to use it to call me when he hurt himself.
*Bring AJ back to the house, get him cleaned-up again, and leave him on my bed (where I can see if he walks by to leave the house again) with an ice-pack on his face - poor little guy.
*Get back on computer.
*Pounding on door... it's Jake, the three-year-old from across the street. "Can Layna play?" Of course she can, she needs to go out and get some excercise. She's been watching The frigging Squeekwell again! So off we go to ride bikes. This actually counts as relaxation because I really like talking to Jake's mom and playing with his one-year-old, redheaded, twin brothers. SO CUTE! Jake's a cutie too.
*It's getting a little cold, so we head back inside.
*Husband says, "can we order pizza". Sure - why not? But I remind him to order salad with dressing on the side so we have something healthy too. He doesn't remember to order the salad.
*Get back on the computer.
*Pizza arrives without the salad so I make artichokes because they are the only veggies Layna will eat.
*Eat, give the dog water, and realize, my gosh it's 8:30 - time to go to bed kiddos! That of course takes half-an-hour because of all the fooling around they do.
*Back on the computer - still can't figure out whether there is a state licensing exam for Holistic Health Practitioners and which schools qualify and which don't.
*Look at the clock and see that it's 10:00 PM! Yikes, better put-up a blog post!
So would you look at that day! No yoga, no stretching, no meditation, some deep breathing while trying not to get mad at the numerous tailgators (I have no idea how to spell that!).
So my question is, "Can we slow down"? I mean really... couldn't I have taken a little break?
How do you all find moments of relaxation and peace in your busy lives?
Off to do some before-bed yoga & to have a nice cup of lavender, chamomile tea.... aaaggghhh...nice :)
So, why prey tell, did the yoga mom not stop and do a little yoga? I just didn't allow myself to slow down at all today. The day started as usual, getting the kids ready for their days. Layna, my four-year-old, doesn't go to school on Fridays, so it's usually easier with her on Fridays. But I was in such a hurry that I packed her lunch as if she were going to school. That should have been my first clue about how I was going to handle my day. Here's a lowdown:
*Get kids ready for school (even though Layna wasn't going to school) and make sure the house is somewhat picked-up and dishes are at least done.
*Get AJ (my six-year-old) to school, which, because we recently moved, is now 15 minutes away. Make sure I have the gift cards and memory post-card thingy to give to the room mom for the teacher's end-of-the-year gift basket.
*Drive the 15 minutes home.
*Get on the computer to check my email because I didn't check it yesterday because our computer fixing genius was here fixing both computers for over five hours.
*Didn't finish email, but had to pack Layna back in the car, drive back to AJ's school and attend the cuter than cute "Three Piggy Opera".
*Drive back home to get the kids lunch.
*Try to finish checking email while kids eat lunch. Microwave some spinach lasagna for myself -yum! It counts as healthy because it has spinach in it doesn't it? ;)
*Still didn't finish with email, but had to leave to get kids to haircut appointments.
*Hair cuts went well, but the new girl didn't cut Layna's hair the way I like it. She was really nice though.
*Drive to Encinitas (next town over) to get tap shoes for Layna. AJ wants shoes too, so he gets some tennies.
*Finally drive back home and think I'm going to have time to take a break, but then remember, "oh, I need to finish checking my email". Get back on computer.
*Hear AJ crying from down the street. He was out riding his bike, crashed it, and gave himself a big asphalt burn on his elbow - ouch.
*Get AJ cleaned-up and resting, set Layna up to watch "Chipmunks: The Squeekwell" for the four-hundred-and-ninety-eighth time this month - ugh!
*Get back on computer. Finish email, but need to research Holistic Health Practitioner Schools, so I stay on the computer.
*Doorbell rings, AJ's friends are at the door saying that AJ crashed on his scooter and is down the street crying. I didn't even know he left the house. At least he remembered to take his walkie-talkie with him. Too bad he didn't remember to use it to call me when he hurt himself.
*Bring AJ back to the house, get him cleaned-up again, and leave him on my bed (where I can see if he walks by to leave the house again) with an ice-pack on his face - poor little guy.
*Get back on computer.
*Pounding on door... it's Jake, the three-year-old from across the street. "Can Layna play?" Of course she can, she needs to go out and get some excercise. She's been watching The frigging Squeekwell again! So off we go to ride bikes. This actually counts as relaxation because I really like talking to Jake's mom and playing with his one-year-old, redheaded, twin brothers. SO CUTE! Jake's a cutie too.
*It's getting a little cold, so we head back inside.
*Husband says, "can we order pizza". Sure - why not? But I remind him to order salad with dressing on the side so we have something healthy too. He doesn't remember to order the salad.
*Get back on the computer.
*Pizza arrives without the salad so I make artichokes because they are the only veggies Layna will eat.
*Eat, give the dog water, and realize, my gosh it's 8:30 - time to go to bed kiddos! That of course takes half-an-hour because of all the fooling around they do.
*Back on the computer - still can't figure out whether there is a state licensing exam for Holistic Health Practitioners and which schools qualify and which don't.
*Look at the clock and see that it's 10:00 PM! Yikes, better put-up a blog post!
So would you look at that day! No yoga, no stretching, no meditation, some deep breathing while trying not to get mad at the numerous tailgators (I have no idea how to spell that!).
So my question is, "Can we slow down"? I mean really... couldn't I have taken a little break?
How do you all find moments of relaxation and peace in your busy lives?
Off to do some before-bed yoga & to have a nice cup of lavender, chamomile tea.... aaaggghhh...nice :)
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
So, what's a yoga mom?
Hey there internet world ~ Well here I am diving into the world of blogging. It seems so strange to me. I mean I just barely learned how to use Power Point! Anyway... a yoga mom... I asked this question because it's a good way to introduce what I'm hoping the scope of this blog might be: A forum for discussion of topics and questions related to family life, yoga, and trying to live a life blending the stresses of the former with the destressors of the latter. So, I'll talk about me and what being a yoga mom means to me. But I also hope that there are other parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, care-givers, etc. who will talk about their lives.
OK - ME FIRST :) Hee hee. Well, there it is, first and foremost, I'm a dork! I can't help it. I was born that way. Honestly, yoga has helped me embrace my inner dork. In yoga we're always talking about "the true self" and "your inner source". My true self is really a big dork. So being a yoga mom, to me, means finding my inner dork and using her to laugh out loud at life.
This blog will have an ongoing theme about what being a yogini means to me. By talking about my inner dork I'm really just starting to discuss the meaning of yoga and my life. I hope that I will be able to share some insight I've gained over my almost 40 years (yikes, did I admit that?). I'll share my triumphs and struggles - and believe me, I struggle all the time. And I hope you will do the same.
So, I'm the San Diego Yoga Mom! Looking forward to meeting you!
Namaste!
Jen
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