No Control Watching Your Breath As It Is During Asana

by Jill Satterfield

The Gust of Wind by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

As most yogis know, the breath is a most nuanced and dimensional reflection of our minds. Our breath can be an intimate guide to our psyches, and observing its movements and patterns is a revealing and direct path to understanding our most subtle behavior and disposition. Whether we watch our breath or manipulate it can mean the difference between insights or cover up—and only by practicing both can we surely know for ourselves.

Controlling and Manipulating vs. Letting Go and Observing 

There are many reasons to utilize breath techniques when practicing asana: it deepens a shallow breath, calms the nervous system and mind, and may keep an otherwise wandering mind in check and in the body. But just like the Buddhist parable of a man who constructs a raft to cross over a river and then continues to carry the raft overhead on dry land, it’s as important to be able to utilize a technique as much as it is to be able to let it go. 

Easier said than done. Once we are comfortable utilizing a technique, it becomes a friend and a companion on our path towards being more peaceful, calm, steady, kind. A technique trains the mind to stay on something, such as in meditation, when we watch the natural rhythm of breath to train or tame the wandering mind. So asking this familiar friend not to accompany us can be quite difficult because it has become a habit—skillful, but a habit nonetheless—and letting it go can be wrought with emotions of all kinds. A crutch is a crutch and attachment is attachment, and anything that becomes unconsciously habitual is not liberating; it can act as a shield against seeing what is naturally, without any kind of manipulation or conscious control. We can’t see things as they are if we are constantly fiddling, manipulating, fixing or changing them. As we practice to become more and more free of unconscious patterns, it is an important step in spiritual maturation to examine how we practice, and why. For any technique can keep us contentedly on the surface by enabling us to steer the ship of the mind, rather than observing its path when let loose in the uncharted waters of the unconscious. 

It can radically change a yoga asana practice to be a passive observer of your breath, rather than in any kind of control. In my experience, asking students to let go of a beloved breath technique can illicit everything from anger to sadness to confusion. Many yoga teachers are rather rigid in their instructions of breathing (breath goes from bottom to top, or top to bottom, or is only in this style, or as heavy handed as counting the beats of one inhale, and one exhale). Suggesting that someone just observe breath can be a radical departure to being constantly instructed, but how revealing it can be! 

Notice for instance where your breath goes when you are experiencing an uncomfortable stretch somewhere in a pose. If you have tight hamstrings, this can be obvious. Usually—unless we are trained to be aware of this reaction—the breath will move as far away from a place of discomfort as possible. If your hamstrings are tight, your breath might be high up in your chest. Genetically, we are inclined to quickly remove ourselves from danger, and this is a very skillful habit to have. But, as in many types of patterned behavior that have become unconscious and unquestioned, this reaction is too easily triggered, often to no real benefit. The urge to run from danger or discomfort can turn into a habit of fleeing anything even remotely unpleasant. Our minds are so habitually prone to check out, to find a distraction, or search for something/anything to take away the pain or discomfort that we’ve taken the initially life-prolonging habit a bit too far, over-stressing our system and depleting our life force. 

In the body then, there can be vast areas that we no longer inhabit because of an injury (discomfort), a trauma (discomfort), or tightness (discomfort), and we don’t even recognize that these parts have become off limits energetically, mentally and physically. We avoid these places with both breath and mind, and when practicing a posture we subsequently explore the breath in certain areas while avoiding others. But as breath and mind ride together we have the opportunity to recognize the areas of the body we aren’t consciously connecting to. 

Direct Experience Exercise

Practice three different postures that you like and are relatively easy for you. Hold each pose for five to ten breaths. While in each posture pay close attention to your breath—where it is full and easy, where it isn’t. After each posture, reflect and note (either mentally or write it down) before moving on to the next pose. Eventually you may notice a pattern.

If noticing the areas into which your breath doesn’t flow is difficult, try breathing into the nooks and crannies of each posture, for instance, the inside rim of each hip, behind your heart, the right side of your ribs, your kidney area, or the bottom of your pelvic bowl. Be as inquisitive and investigative as possible.

Once you’ve noticed where you don’t breathe so easily, practice poses that open that area of your body, and gently, kindly begin breathing into those areas. Take your time and treat yourself as you would your best friend. If anything emotionally painful comes up, you could try practicing some gentle restorative poses or any other form of conscious relaxation to quiet your nervous system. And if you feel like you’d benefit from talking with someone about it, consider talking with a family member, a friend, or, if you have one, your spiritual teacher or therapist. The tissues of the body hold thoughts and emotions, and we all need support from time to time.

Jill Satterfield is the founder of Vajra Yoga + Meditation, a synthesis of yoga and Buddhism that combines meditation, yoga and contemplative practices. Named “one of the 4 leading yoga and Buddhist teachers in the country” by Shambhala Sun Magazine, Jill has instigated mindful and creative educational programs for over 28 years.

She is also the founder and Director of the School for Compassionate Action: Meditation, Yoga and Educational Support for Communities in Need, a not-for-profit that trains teachers, psychologists and health care providers to integrate mind and body practices into their professions. SCA also provides classes to people in chronic pain, with illness, those suffering from PTSD, and at-risk youth. Jill teaches workshops internationally, is a faculty member of Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Mindfulness for Yoga Training  and the Somatic Training in Marin, California, and is a guest teacher for many other training programs. To find out more about Jill, visit her website vajrayoga.com.

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Enjoyable Outdoor Activities That Can Help You To Lose Weight As Shared By A Personal Trainer Camarillo

By Tammy Walker

Camarillo is a city located in the Ventura County of California. One of the most visited recreation parks in California, the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, can be found here. Tourists from all over the United States would often flock to Camarillo in order to enjoy some of the enjoyable activities at the recreational park. Among the recreational facilities that you can find in the park are indoor aquatic centers, running tracks, tennis courts, walking and hiking paths, soccer fields, picnic shelters, children's playgrounds, skate parks and even barbecue areas.

If you're in the area, go ahead and take advantage of these places in order to exercise. A personal trainer Camarillo has shared a listing of fun activities that may be done in the area so you can lose weight and have a lot of fun doing so.

* Jogging or Walking

The great thing about bicycling is that kids love them too. So if you want a fun way to bond with your kids while getting some exercise, ask them to join you for a bike ride in the park during weekends. Not only does bicycling exercise your body, but it also allows you to enjoy the beauty of nature, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful sites in the surroundings. The personal trainer Camarillo advises that you must invest on a good bike for you and your kids, too.

* Bicycling

The great thing about bicycling is that kids love them too. So if you want a fun way to bond with your kids while getting some exercise, ask them to join you for a bike ride in the park during weekends. Not only does bicycling exercise your body, but it also allows you to enjoy the beauty of nature, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful sites in the surroundings. The personal trainer Camarillo advises that you must invest on a good bike for you and your kids, too.

* Swimming

If you have a pool in your backyard, then the personal trainer Camarillo suggested that you make use of it by swimming in a regular basis in order to get fit and stay in good shape. If you do not have a pool at home, you can check out nearby parks and recreation centers and see if you can take a dip in their pool. There are also some recreational facilities that would offer water aerobic classes so consider signing up.

* Tennis

Tennis is another activity that a personal trainer Camarillo would recommend to those who want to lose some weight. Tennis is definitely a good sport and you do not really need to be a pro just to enjoy the game.

Running after the tennis ball is enough to burn off all those unwanted fats in your body. Experts also suggest that tennis is a great activity that can help to strengthen one's cardiovascular system. So buy a good tennis rocket and invite your friends to one of the tennis courts in your area and enjoy the game.

So these are a number of the fun activities that you could do in order to stay healthy and fit. But if you really think that you have to shed off quite a lot of pounds, then you should see a personal trainer Camarillo and ask help.

About the Author:

Getting in good shape with the help of link not just improves your physique but likewise your health as well. The rewards that one can get from Perfect Workout Camarillo are endless

A Beginners Tips On Hiking As Shared By A Personal Trainer Los Altos

By Patricia Neill

Los Altos means foot hill in Spanish. The city was called as such because it was once an agricultural town in the olden times. Up until now, you will find various summer cottages and apricot orchards spread all over Los Altos.

The city government of Los Altos is making an effort to maintain its semi-rural atmosphere, thus, commercial zones are strictly limited on the downtown area only. People who reside in Los Altos are fortunate enough to be surrounded with the scenic beauty of nature, thus, most people there would choose to do some hiking for their daily exercise while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. If you want hiking to be part of your daily exercise routine, here are tips from a personal trainer Los Altos.

Get A Pair Of Good Shoes

If you're considering hiking to be part of your exercise routine, then you need to first invest on a good pair of shoes. You don't really need to spend a lot of money for the most expensive brand of trainer shoes out there, because any comfortable pair of shoes made for hiking will do.

The personal trainer Los Altos recommends that you need to buy something that fits your size well so you won't get calluses during your long walk and you won't end up hurting your feet at the end of your journey.

Map Out Your Route

The great thing about residing in Los Altos is that there are plenty of parks nearby that have walking trails, enabling you to map out a safe route for your hiking trail. Apart from being able to workout, you'll also have a nature fix, which, medical professionals say could help to lower your stress level. If you're already very familiar with your usual route, then change your route so you'll have a more enjoyable walk. The personal trainer Los Altos also suggested the use of Google Maps to search for hiking trails close by.

Make It More Fun And Enjoyable

The best way to enjoy hiking is to ask a number of your friends or co-workers to join you in your hike. If you've got children, you can also ask them to join you on one of your hikes in the park and perhaps have some picnic over there. You may also go fishing on nearby lakes or maybe walk your way to a beach and go swimming there.

For a more adventurous feat, the personal trainer Los Altos recommends that you go on a mountain climbing adventure every once in awhile and build a campsite on the hills. There are absolutely lots of ways on how you can make your hiking routines more fun and enjoyable.

Hiking is definitely a great way to sweat out particularly if you live in a place that's surrounded with beautiful sceneries of nature. If you want to train indoors though, you could hire a personal trainer Los Altos to help you through. The trainer can choose to train you in your home indoors or in the nearby gym or fitness center.

About the Author:

Becoming in great condition by using the help of Personal Trainer Pleasant Hill not only enhances your physique but also your health as well. The advantages that one can receive from Personal Trainer Los Altos are countless.