Background noise

Just back in from a walk around the center of town in the middle of the day when there is plenty of activity going on. Once again I've discovered that my mind has an easier time becoming quiet when there is some background noise as a setting. It helps me retreat deeper into myself into the calm waters, if you will, that keep me on an even keel regardless of the apparent storm raging around me. It is one thing to be able to sit in a silent room and meditate and another to meditate in the middle of a busy street. Don't get me wrong - I love sitting in a quiet cozy room on my soft woolly yoga mat for a meditation session. But when you can actually apply what you practice on the mat to everyday situations, I see that as progress!

This is what I try to convey to the people who come to my yoga classes and why sometimes it feels better if the neighbors above the yoga center are banging their pots and pans a little too loudly or if there are a few cars pulling in and out of the parking lot outside the door. How else can you learn to let the surrounding noise come and go if it's always silent? The thoughts generated in your own mind are deafening enough but I find that a bit of external noise softens the internal chatter a little.

The same principle applies to relaxing with and without music. Soothing melodies and healing mantras can be helpful tools for stressed out minds and bodies, which can barely lie still without twitching every few seconds, to come into a state of deep relaxation. But sometimes your breath or your heartbeat or even your thoughts are the best music to lull you into that restful state. Otherwise you might become conditioned to only feel relaxed if  you have the right music playing.

Some sounds, however, just don't mix at all with a meditative mind. The number one noise polluter that grates on my nerves to no end is the leaf blower! Somehow it has become adapted for year-round use and someone in our neighborhood has been starting one up every morning since last spring - arrrghh. I know, I know - take a deep breath...

Akal

Akal - undying. For Robert, November 18 2011.

Affirmations

Sometimes a few positive words can make a big difference in your day. My sister-in-law's mother passed away yesterday and my elderly father-in-law is currently at risk of doing the same. Not the cheeriest news to receive especially since the grief of my own father's passing is still tangible. But a simple reminder from an affirmation on a teabag tag helped me put things back into perspective for now: Life ends, love is endless.

There's no place like home

In my experience Sweden isn't the easy place to call home if you weren't born and bred here. The climate poses a real challenge, especially if you don't like the cold. But you can get around that by dressing warmly and always (I mean year round) have at least two layers handy. I must admit that we did have a beautiful summer this year and believe me I was very grateful! The tough part is the darkness. By November it pretty much feels like you're living in a cave. Sun comes up about 9 and goes down before 3; thing is, there usually isn't much sun so it's quite dim all day long. At least I don't live up north where the days are even shorter. See - I'm being grateful again :-)

Anyway, the last time I moved back here was after having lived in Hawaii for about a year. I spent so many of the following years just lamenting the move and wondering when and where we could move next. It wasn't productive and didn't make me a happy camper. When I started doing yoga on a regular basis things started to change. I experienced a gradual transformation on a lot of levels and discovered that home is indeed where the heart is.

I actually enjoy living here most of the time even though the cold and dark are still challenging. Today as I walked around my little town I thought about all the cool things that are available to me here. There are lots of wooded areas close by and I've found this great smooth slab of ice-age rock where I can sit and meditate sometimes. We have our very own viking village, constructed with the tools and methods used by the vikings. It's surrounded by meadows with a few sheep, cows and a couple of pigs.

Our town also has the most runestones per capita of any place in the country (maybe the world?)

Our woods have nice paths that you can walk, run, bike or ski on.

There are a couple of medieval churches in the neighborhood and just a 40 minute bike ride away is the Rosersberg Castle where you can enjoy the view from an outdoor café in summer. And if that doesn't suit your fancy we have a McDonalds ... and a Burger King!

I find it helpful to take inventory once in a while. To look around and appreciate what you have in your own backyard, even if it's dark outside.



Little by little

Autumn is officially here and the early mornings are getting downright chilly. Despite the cold I really enjoy the morning's first breath of fresh air when I head to the mailbox to get the newspaper. This morning the sky was so clear that plenty of stars were visible, as well as the crescent moon. Off in the east the black sky was just starting to fade into a dark shade of blue. This transition from dark to light reminded me of my yoga practice. In the darkness (unconsciousness) there are twinkling points of light (stars - aha moments as intuition increases and awareness/consciousness builds up) and a brighter light that keeps shining to lead the way (moon - discipline that urges me to continue practicing each day). Eventually the whole big picture (sky-consciousness) begins to brighten. I'm still at about the level of sunrise on my journey but am working towards reaching high noon little by little.

Life is Good

Yes, life is good, but that's also the brand name of my new t-shirt which came in the mail this week from my sister.

Perfect color
Perfect fit
Perfect message
Perfect sister

Thanks Josie! I love ya

Group Energy

Last night I held two yoga classes in a row and finished up a few minutes ahead of schedule so I decided to do my evening meditation at the yoga center instead of at home. The fact is, when I go home, my bed becomes way more attractive than my yoga mat and sleep usually wins over a bedtime meditation. There is a lot more activity and noise at home - nothing crazy but enough to distract me from meditating.

So I got into position on my already warmed up woolly mat and did 11 minutes of Kirtan Kriya. I noticed right away how the room already contained a lot of energy and it definitely heightened my experience. Thanks to all my students who contributed to the group energy!

If you're one of those people who shies away from doing yoga in a group, I understand how you feel. A yoga practice is quite personal on many levels. But there is a special dynamic that comes from doing yoga in a group. The group energy helps carry you through the tough parts and as I found out last night it lingers on long after the group has gone home.

Taking the Plunge

Finally. A trip to a neighborhood beach (think Swedish lake beach, not Hawaiian sand beach) this summer inspired me to start blogging, mostly about how yoga inspires and infiltrates my daily life. But alas, it was daily life itself that got in the way and prevented that blog from coming to fruition. Today the muse took its form in the guise of a stormy autumn day - not exactly what I'd call a day at the beach - but it proved to be just as effective at getting those blogging juices flowing again. So finally, I'm taking the plunge and entering the blogosphere.

Whenever I successfully manage to get up early enough to complete my daily yoga practice (sadhana) before the rest of the household is set in motion I'm pretty much guaranteed to have a good day. Things fall into place, there is a "flow", if you will, and life just feels grand. This morning I was successful in completing both the yoga set and the absolutely essential meditation, which is probably what possessed me to take a walk after lunch in the pouring rain and gusting wind. The invigorating green smoothie (avocado, spinach, apple, ginger and chia seeds) I had for lunch may have contributed to my enthusiasm as well.

Fortunately I decided not to brave the elements without an umbrella, even though it felt somewhat encumbering, because the rain steadily increased. At first the negative mind kicked in and I wondered what in the world I was doing out there when I could have been quite cozy in my warm home. But then I "got it".

My kapha constitution needs stimulation, especially in the form of physical activity or else I too easily become a slug. The pelting rain urged me on at a steady pace, got my blood flowing. The cool, but not cold, autumn air offered plenty of life-giving prana to suck into my lungs and I was ravenous for it. When the energy starts moving it puts a bounce in your step and even a leaden gray sky can look promising.

I smiled at every person I passed along my way and even if it wasn't always reciprocated, I felt good. I felt alive. And I thought it was kind of cool that the hunched over old lady, the baby snuggled in his pram, the harried shoppers hurrying to get out of the rain and all the other people I encountered on my walk were all sharing this same moment. Corny? Yeah, but those are the musings of a quiet mind!