Namaste, Katie: OUr Fall 2023 Yoga Column

Namaste Katie,

I find the meditations with a strong focal point much more grounding than those where I sit in silence. Is this the Westerner in me that I cannot seem to find silence to be a place for quiet? I know, this sounds silly! And do you have any advice on steps to take to ease myself away from the apps on my phone? 

June, Saline

Namaste June,

This is a recurring topic for us for a reason! Meditation takes dedication to come to any sense of comfort with the process, and as you mentioned, in this day and age, silence is not something that most of us are used to settling into. In my 200-hour yoga teacher training my teacher offered us many styles of meditation to try and practice. We learned Japa, chanting, Dharna, concentration (which comes in many forms), and many classical Dhyana, meditation practices. What I think you are struggling with is what is often referenced as Vipassana, brought forth by S. Goenka in which meditation is silence. The lead into Vipassana is traditionally a 10-day silent retreat, which prepares the mind for this sense of calm and clarity as the default, the home base. 

Silent meditation is not for everyone. And it’s not for everyone all the time. The Yoga Sutras advise us to try out as many meditation techniques as we can find, or are available to us, and if we come upon one that works for us, that allows us to connect with that sense of peace, to stick with it. Much of that Western mentality that you highlight, is that when something works, rather than stick with it, we go searching for more. We think to ourselves, “I wonder if I could meditate better,” rather than recognizing that stillness is stillness. If the apps on your phone are working, use them! If it’s the phone part that is getting to you, and I can relate to that, is there another way to connect with what the app is bringing you? Music on a radio and an egg timer? I know, analog approaches, what fun! If you’d like to try a whole new approach entirely, we’ve covered some in these columns, and I always recommend a studio, or other shared space; it truly solidifies the experience.

Namaste Katie,

I love a good twist. I routinely ask for them in classes and I am hoping to have a gentle seated twist that I could incorporate into my post run routine. I already have a wonderful standing twist, and I am hoping for something that targets more of the lower back. 

Thanks,

Bryce, Dexter

Dear Bryce,

Twists are so beneficial post run, as they touch on so many layers of the body, opening up muscles, fascia, circulating lymph fluid, and supporting digestive movement and blood flow. A wonderful, seated twist is Janu Sirsasana, which allows us a lot or variety depending on the needs of the body on that particular day. 

From a seated posture, we can open the legs out as much as is comfortable, remembering that we all have a varied range of motion in the hips. We’ll take one foot in toward the extended leg, and possibly allow the sole of the foot to rest against the extended leg. Some days I do this, and other days I leave space, just as some days the foot moving in toward the body is close in toward the pelvis, and other days it is closer to the knee. Whether we were out running, or are starting our day off with some postures, we want to determine these placements based on what feels both safe and comfortable. We always have the option to hold here in this more neutral alignment.

If we’d like to try out the twist offering, on an inhale we extend through the spine, and rotate toward the extended leg as much as feels good. If we find our heart center hovering over the femur, we may want to stay with a long spine, and we may want to move into a forward fold. If we choose the fold option, be mindful of the sensation in our hamstrings, the low back, as well as the neck/shoulder area. If anything tenses up as we fold, let’s ask ourselves to back off just a bit. We can hold for a few breaths and see if we’d like to deepen the posture or make an adjustment. After a minute or two switch sides and complete the same mindful process on the second side. 

Namaste Katie,

I took a Mudra workshop during the shutdown and have been loving incorporating that energy work into my asana practice. Is there a particular mudra you recommend for my meditation practice? 

Kasey, Ann Arbor

Namaste Kasey,

How delightful! We’ve had a Mudra workshop at Verapose, and it is a lot of fun. Ours primarily centers on mudras for meditation and more centering work, so this question is right up my alley. You have certainly planted an idea though for some more exploration around Mudra in an asana setting. 

There are many fantastic mudras for grounding and centering, and let’s spend our next few issues moving through some energy locks, or seals, that assist us in moving toward our own center. To start let’s try Sankalpa Mudra and set our intention to find ourselves a little bit of quiet. Recognizing that even a few breaths of stillness allows our brains the opportunity to establish new neural networks, and when we are able to add on we do! We come into Sankalpa Mudra by placing the left hand face up on the right thigh, and then placing the right palm on the left palm and lightly curling the fingers around the opposite hand. The pressure between the hands is light, and if there is any strain with placing the hands on the right thigh, let that go and let the hand move back to a more neutral space. Sankalpa Mudra works on firming up our left-right brain connection, grounds us, and moves us toward our intended goals. Let’s try out this mudra for a bit to see what connections it brings.

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