YogaTalk

Practical reminders for ordinary splendour

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LESS IS MORE

I have been practicing yoga for 42 years and am still amazed by the moves I can get my body into – or not! Throughout the journey of learning and experimenting I have come to realise that the more advanced yoga is how little I need to do for the benefit it can bring.

I often tell my students, ‘Do less – it’s more advanced’ but I’m not sure they believe me. Let’s be honest, why would they. The media is full of ‘extreme yoga’ – shapes to put the body into, asanas to impress. Yoga isn’t about that. For me it’s self-enquiry, introspective inspection, intentional movement and the binding of the movement with the breath – the very stuff of life.

One of my favourite quotes from Housman, ‘The stuff of life to knit me blew hither, here I am’ One clever dude! He was right. We are a product of our environment, experiences, influences and activities. They make us what we are. Let’s recognise it and take pleasure from the knowledge. The self-enquiry from this gives us the insight to enjoy or make changes to the here and now – whether on the mat or observing ourselves as we go about our daily business.

David Beckham sings the praises of Shona virtue, superstar yoga teacher and his personal trainer. I agree with her view that the high intensity training and sweaty gym sessions do more to stress the body than improve the well-being of the mind or body – both are inextricably linked. One really won’t improve without the other. We need to increase our dopamine and serotonin levels and decrease our cortisol levels. In our speak – feel better and less stressed. The best yoga teachers allow you to find the right moves to help you to balance these neurotransmitters and hormones in your own body rather than impress you with the shapes they can get themselves into. I’m not sure that’s even yoga at all!

For me, yoga is a lifestyle. We are deluding ourselves if we think that an hour a week at the local class will transform our body and our lives, however it’s a start and if we treat our bodies with the respect they deserve by eating well and living well, we can at least contribute to the well-being we would like to achieve.

It takes me back to my eternal message of ‘let’s enjoy the journey’ – forget the goals and the end game and take each moment for what it give us and enjoy that ordinary splendour. It’s what it’s all about.

 

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CHANGE

I’m on my annual summer holiday, sitting by the pool and observing how me and my family respond to change of environment and how we react negatively or positively to it. Personally I have been smiling and laughing at all the new things I have witnessed and experienced, such as different food, wine and surroundings – but the two men in my life, Simon, my husband and Henry, my son, have been grumpy and I think a little distressed by the changes. What was expected I wonder? New country, new food, new surroundings!! Was it a shock to the system or just the reluctance to accept anything new? I’m guessing both. Looking for things to be unhappy about , like the air con. not working – it is now after less than 24 hours of being here and being offered alternative accommodation for the first night to compensate – all perfectly reasonable and acceptable!!

So here we are by the pool and I am reflecting happily that the plane didn’t crash and I am enjoying the company of the local feline population after giving them all of Henry’s pork – on the strength that they need it more than he does!

I’ve just read an article in the Telegragh by Jim Khalili where he states that ‘all TV documentary makers are obsessed with journeys’. Well, sorry Jim, so am I. Who cares about the end game / the destination? The journey takes as long as it takes, leads us to our conclusions, feeds our desires and let’s face it, we can’t get there without the journey. It reminds me of a conversation with my son last week, an academic genius (biased mum view of course) unsure about his future. He looked shocked when I said ‘forget the end game and worry about enjoying the journey as that’s most certainly the best bit’. The inadvertent message all his life has been – we expect you to do well because you’re clever – such pressure! In truth, it doesn’t matter what he does as long as it fulfils his needs, puts food on his table, pays his rent and most importantly, he can enjoy the lifestyle he has chosen for himself. In my view he is lucky to have the choice. He has travelled the world to date with his most recent employment and is now looking to fulfil other needs in his life.

Do we seek the pleasure or task… or does it choose us? I don’t know. I do know however, that acceptance of change or lack of it makes a difference to how we view the world and our lives. Our positive experiences allow us the ability to accept and embrace change for what it is so we can enjoy the journey and all it brings. Or we don’t accept and let the negativity get the better of us, causing us to withdraw and maybe feel a little disappointed or afraid. The small shift in perspective allows us some discernment and power to choose what we do along the way.

Our goals and expectations can mislead and distract us from the pleasure of everyday, taking those everyday splendours of the small things in life, or rejecting the very small pleasures that make the journey of life worth living. Visit the lifestyle website of our friend Sarah who explores the extraordinary chaos of everyday family life and enjoys every moment it has to offer.

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BED YOGA !

It’s summer! It’s morning! I’m refreshed after a good night’s sleep. I was soon off last night with the fresh air of the wide open window and a session of yoga nidra and relaxation yesterday evening – my eyes were already heavy when my head hit the pillow.

This morning they opened lazily as the breeze stroked my face and the birds were entertaining with their usual dawn chorus. My body wanted to move but it felt too soon to get up and on with the day. Yoga was on my mind so I began shuffling around under the covers.

The shuffling morphed into lengthening, the lengthening morphed into curling, the breath turned softer and longer as the movement became fluid as the body reacted to each subtle change.

It became a morning practice on the bed which was so softly supportive.

I hit the day for real with a renewed calm disposition which stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Have a go next time you wake early and feel it’s too soon for the day to start.

Happy bed yoga-ing!!!!   Is that a word…….?

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OUR ARTICLES

ON WALKING

Our bodies are made for movement, which benefits all the physical systems; if lacking, we suffer greatly by its absence.

Not having to walk everywhere, especially when laden, is a labour-saving luxury of modern living – and too easily taken for granted. The benefit can also be a deprivation, robbing us of the free joy of walking as part of everyday life. This is an especial pleasure when hands-free, comfortably shod and without the pressure of rushing. Walking in fresh country air is a tonic, but an urban walk can still help blow the cobwebs away, if the air quality is half decent.

We can tell a lot by someone’s way of walking, it advertises their condition and frame of mind. What we were born like, what’s happened to us since, and how we are now, are all distilled into our present gait; and this in turn is setting patterns for how easily we will be moving in the future.

Mind-set is a major influence on a person’s ease of movement and bearing; affecting their whole self – how they breathe, how they hold muscular tension, their attitude and interactions with the world around them, and how they feel about themselves.

Conversely, as mental state influences manner of movement, so does that moving affect mental state – for better or for worse. So we all have the ability to influence how we feel by the way that we move, and vice versa.

A spring in the step helps improve the mood, whereas nothing positive will come of shuffling about in a state of collapse.

Awareness, attitude and lifestyle reflect on how we move. It’s unfortunately too common now for a person’s variety of movement to become more restricted with age. Consider the effect of taking very little exercise and sitting around too much – basically moving from bed to car to office to car to sofa and back to bed again for too many years.

If a body no longer moves in diverse ways it will soon forget how to, will no longer be able to. Then, tragically, the rich joy of free movement may remain at best a vague and elusive childhood memory.

Observation of many yoga practitioners confirms that the older person can move with the flourish and vitality of a child. Thankfully, subliminal lost movement can be restored, through conscious practice, till once again it becomes intuitive.

Mental state affects wellness. A positive person with physical restrictions can be more comfortable in their skin than one at peak fitness but with a gloomy state of mind.

One becomes as one repeatedly does. Habits, better or worse, can be easier to spot in others than in our own self. The gait speaks volumes. A mincing one may be consciously cultivated to present a character to the world, as may be the jaunty, athletic one, giving the impression of someone who takes life in their stride. The heaviness of a footfall is also revealing; so too is the pattern of wear on someone’s shoes.

A more attuned awareness helps us see the direction we, and others, are heading in. Many do have mobility problems by early adulthood; all the more tragic when earlier recognition could have helped prevent serious health issues.

Many people don’t actually like their feet, and many do unwittingly wear shoes which are too small, so the feet become accustomed to their discomfort. Footwear is obviously a brilliant invention which has had a massive positive impact on our success as a species; but apparently our modern feet are too dependent on our shoes. It seems that human feet are generally becoming more mobile but not as strong; we no longer have the bounce and find it harder to do without our shoes. Lack of variety in the surfaces we walk on also doesn’t help – floors, pavements, too much time in heels and too little time spent barefoot.

It‘s easy to blame the feet, rather than the way we are using them. What we do with one part always influences the function of the whole – a problem toe may cause us to walk badly which puts pressure on the leg and hurts the knee, our lopsided gait leads to a problem hip which causes back pain, then having to leave a job we love, depression sets in and things are not looking good – all because of one problem toe!

Appreciating the importance of how we walk is power in our hands. Positive change may take some time, or come to us in an instant.

A walk may be a mindless rush, with the major focus on getting somewhere. But we do have a choice, and this can determine our condition upon arrival.

 

Kit Hartley. Lidgett. May 2017

SEE A WALKING PRACTICE

 

 

 

 

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OUR ARTICLES

ON PAUSING

Life without pause is not a life worth living.

To pause is such a simple thing – regularly done it becomes apparent that pausing is an integral part of harmonious human living.

Pausing before action is the basis of awareness. A split-second pause might be enough to inspire life-saving reaction, to let simple easy solutions spring up suddenly as if from nowhere.

A pause could stop a person in their tracks – before they say or do something later regretted.

To be able to dash about enjoying a busy life is a wonderful thing, not to be taken for granted. But being busy does not make a life more meaningful.

Busy-ness is not the same as fulfilment or accomplishment.

Compulsive repetition of unnecessary tasks does indeed become an obsession for some people; even moderate habits can grow into problems.

A pause can lend more skill to thought and action, so that more of our choices serve us well.

Does keeping busy make people feel more useful?

Perhaps fear of seeing too clearly can make us steer us away from opportunities for solitary reflection.

Encountering our thoughts can sometimes be a frightening thing – the unfortunate, mind-numbing remedy being to deny ourselves the space to stop and think.

It’s very easy to preoccupy our minds with many things clutter. We can miss many fleeting present moments dwelling on the future or the past, or occupied in thoughtless tasks.

A pause is a space to rest and evaluate, to slow us down or rouse us from a slothful state. A sense of inertia can keep us moving steadily, unthinkingly on, in the same unwise direction… or it can stop us getting up to move altogether.

Our pauses are as natural as breathing, but like proper breathing are easily sacrificed to the unwelcome pressures of daily life. Lack of pause not only compromises perceptive awareness of what is happening around us – it robs us of opportunities to absorb the daily wonder which surrounds us and links us to the living world.

This is such an exciting time to live! Fast changes in technology keep us all on our toes and tenterhooks; tech devices are now so much part of daily action that we can hardly imagine life without them. We can access things rapidly by the click of a key. Data tracks us and seems to know our preferences. Huge effort is made by manufacturers and service providers to make their products seem irresistible – thus keeping us hooked.

We can access vast amounts of digital information, but nothing is quite the same as the mentorship of human contact. Too much time and energy spent on devices reduces our ability to form meaningful relationships – it’s just plain common sense to see that this is the case. If we are not selective in using technology we risk becoming disconnected from ourselves as well as each other.

Problems with short and poor quality attention span can be offset by simply stopping to notice what is happening, allowing time enough to restfully sit and focus on nothing very much. Pauses and daydreams are a welcome default mode for the brain. Lulls or short rests give us time to absorb or reflect. They can provide insight and lend greater ease to everyday tasks. If the lack of pause starts to show then we need to expose ourselves to the chance of it, until it becomes an intuitive part of daily life.

The more I teach yoga, the more apparent it becomes that too many of us are frazzled!

A healthy level of stress is a natural part of life, it gets us up and moving to satisfy urges such as hunger –but prolonged periods in a stressful state are damaging. Sadly this is far too common, and it makes people ill. Chronic stress can too easily become a familiar companion, so that we grow into our tempers, stoops and frowns.

Conscious and regular pause helps us become more self-attuned. Taking better notice helps us respond to the multiple stresses that we face on a daily basis. We can grow stronger, flexing rather than snapping under strain.

Why be afraid to pause, to step back, to see a brighter, bigger picture?

For this can only help us to make wiser decisions, to choose paths which serve us better. And it allows space for our less fearful, more impartial, more benevolent self to emerge, positively influencing behaviour and showing ourselves and others in a more kindly and compassionate light.

 

Kit Hartley.   Lidgett. May 2017

 

SEE PAUSE, CONSIDER, ENJOY

 

 

 

 

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PRACTICE

A 10 MINUTE REST

 

 

This is also a podcast.  (To listen, click on the arrow above). Read it through a few times imagining you are at rest – it will help the suggestions soak in.

Use the practice as a prelude to sleep or to help quell anxiety if you’re having difficulty sleeping.

Also try the practice as an energiser during the day by permitting yourself time out, even just a few minutes, to take a rest.

Unless you’re already in bed, an easy chair with leg support is fine; or lie on the back, feet apart, palms uppermost. If the lower back complains – put a pillow under the knees.

The practice:

If tense once in position, stretch and yawn.

Let eyes relax and close; begin to settle.

Softly gaze into the back of your eyelids – notice what you see.

Become aware of your hands, keep noticing them.

Let the mouth softly close.

Place the tongue in the roof of the mouth. Let it lift at the back – it will help you keep the mouth closed and breathe through the nose.

Sense the breath at the nostrils, follow the air moving out… moving in.

Imagine more space for the air… in the chest, in the throat, and the bridge of your nose, for the lungs to breathe.

Notice the manner and rhythm of your breathing.

Allow the out-breaths to soften; feel them lengthen as they soften. Let the inhales and exhales be of similar length.

Take a few big… deep… breaths.

Open the mouth and sigh out the exhales. Do a few more of these, and imagine any worries or muscular tensions melting away along with those out-breaths.

Have the mouth softly close again, and breathe through your nose.

Now let go of your breath to notice other things.

Become aware of the expression on your face – imagine that your eyes are smiling.

Give yourself permission to be light-hearted and do nothing except lie there relaxing.

Feel face muscles releasing – no frown or hard line between the lips.

Let any tightness in the back of the neck melt away.

Allow the shoulders to let go of the arms.

Remind any tightness in the legs to release.

Feel your pelvis settle heavily; imagine it widening, as if to make more room inside for your abdomen.

With every out-breath let any hardness soften.

Sense your weight releasing down and enjoy the ground rising up to support it.

Be a good receiver of that ground underneath, and feel the weight of your body melt into it.

When thoughts come, just notice what they are – like clouds drifting across your mental sky.

When thoughts come… imagine them flying off like a flock of birds.

When thoughts come… imagine saving them for later.

Simply lie there and feel your body breathing and relaxing.

Imagine yourself being bathed in kindly white light.

When distractions come notice your hands and what you see with your eyes closed, and the softness of your breathing.

Focus on these simple things so that all the other stuff of life can melt away for a while.

And now allow your breath to softly deepen.

Feel that you can inhale whatever serves you well now – such as joy, peace, health, vitality… and let go with your exhales of negative things.

Breathe a feeling of more physical and mental space – space to think clearly and move with vitality when you get up, or the space to fall asleep and let go.

Listen to the 10 minute guided resting practice by pressing the arrow below.

 

 

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PRACTICE

A STANDING PRACTICE

We can occasionally find opportunity to do nothing but stand empty-handed.

We can make the best of a waiting or queueing situation.

Length will vary, with each occasion different. 15 minutes is a long stand, but 2 is still useful. Take advantage of such moments throughout the day. Let what begins as conscious effort become intuitive, until it no longer feels like practice.

Don’t expect every practice to be interesting or enjoyable. Even when we’re not waiting for something, restlessness and agitation can still be a challenge.

Obvious influencing factors are footwear, clothing, environment and circumstance – pleasant or otherwise.

Recognise inconspicuous opportunities in public or in private – especially when barefoot.

Wherever we are, however we feel, a practice can be beneficial to mind state and comfort in standing.

Why not try it now, let’s begin…

Sense the freedom of a pause from action, and interaction.

Put down bags, be empty-handed.

Become aware of breathing.

Let yourself settle, grow and widen.

Release the jaw, gaze at nothing in particular, eyes relaxed or closed.

If in public, be inconspicuous and pause from interaction.

Stand on both feet equally; let surroundings fade into background.

Notice the feet. Feel their floor contact, and their comfort or discomfort. Allow the toes to wriggle if possible.

Rock on the feet slightly: forward, back, all round. Imagine them even springier and stronger.

Let the heels lift slightly by pressing the balls of the feet down, and then settle, no longer moving but relaxing.

Focus from the waist downwards. Are the buttocks clenching too tightly? Are you holding-on too much in the belly?

Try not to let overtight leg muscles push the knees back.

Relax the legs as much as possible but keep the feet springy.

Loosen the hands, and allow the shoulders to let go of the arms.

Play with how weight distributes around your feet. Can you relax more and resist standing stiffly?

Optimise muscular action, in the buttocks, the abdomen, and the muscles around the waist. Rather, let them collaborate in more effortless standing.

Bringing your attention to the ribcage; sense its volume. Feel it move with the breathing. Allow the back to widen.

Notice armpits. Bend the arms slightly, then relax them.

Permit the head to lightly nod, rotate, then settle, with chin level.

Feel the head float up – imagine it weightless. Let jaws, lips and face relax. Back of neck soft. Imagine the eyes themselves softly smiling.

All below the waist is anchored by gravity, whilst all above can release up, like a plant toward sunlight.

Resist trying. Can you enjoy the energy and vitality of effortless standing?

When you sense the time to stop, let the breath deepen.

Let ears listen and eyes look. Take in surroundings. Then, till the next time, move on.

See OUR ARTICLES ON STANDING

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PRACTICE

A PAUSING PRACTICE

We can only feel the benefits of a practice by remembering to do it on a regular basis.

Resolve to allow yourself pauses throughout the day, until it becomes part of what you unconsciously do. The challenge is largely remembering to do it.

It’s too easy to not make room for these practices, by feeling we can’t spare the time – even though they’re enjoyable and beneficial, helping us to function so much better. We actually save time in the long run.

(Like other practices, this will soon also be available as a podcast.) 

The Practice

Recognise a natural pause, a short break from action.

If upright, stand still; if tired sit down.

If clutching something, put it down. Be empty-handed and open-hearted, and welcome this space.

Notice the breath, which reflects how you are feeling. If you are stressed or have been rushing, allow the out-breath to soften; this will help reduce the heart rate.

Sigh a few deeper breaths out through the mouth, as if exhaling for now the cares of the day.

Remove any glasses to give your eyes a break. If the face feels tight, yawn and stretch it, then relax.

Allow the shoulders to drop and release the weight of the arms. Relax the hands. Let the head float up, jaw releasing, back of neck softening.

Take a moment to attune your senses. Feel your body breathing. Notice sounds, smells, temperature, and the contact of clothing on skin.

With relaxed gaze, take in your surroundings. If outdoors, notice wind and weather.

It is possible to become entirely absorbed in these moments, a central calm in the maelstrom of a changing day.

From what are you pausing? What kind of thoughts have you been thinking? Have they been a good influence on your behaviour so far today? Notice thoughts which come whilst you pause.

Imagine inhaling everything you need right now, to help improve and make the best of your day.  Breath in what’s helpful, breath out what isn’t.

Move on when ready, restored by this pause… until the next opportunity.

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BEST FOOT FORWARD

Let’s get straight to the point. What I’m thinking is… throw the shoes to the back of the cupboard!! ‘Have I lost my senses?’   Maybe I have, or maybe I’ve just gone to sleep. Let me explain…

Consider what it feels like when you cover your ears, they don’t work properly, the sound is muffled. In other words the sense of hearing is dulled and the sensitivity is lost.

Imagine the same scenario with your feet. Put on a lovely comfortable pair of supportive shoes. The result is the feet are so cosy they go to sleep. They have nothing to do, no ground to feel, no heat or cold sensation. In other words, they’ve stopped having to bother. We may even work harder to search for sensation by stamping or hitting the ground harder in order to compensate. This can have the knock-on effect of creating tension or damage in the joints.

SET THEM FREE!

Kick off the shoes and socks, walk along that lovely shag pile that cost a fortune. Let the wool tickle the toes. As the feet feel what is beneath them, enquire where the weight is. Feel the toes spread as the weight shifts to the front of the feet. Feel how much they are able to bend when there are no shoes to stop them.

Take it to the beach for the wow factor or walk on the early morning dewy grass before breakfast. This will wake up the feet and let them feel again.

Clearly it would be poor advice to say no to footwear completely. It’s obviously not a good look with the interview outfit or at the busy shopping centre. We need to be aware of the hidden dangers of walking on unsuitable surfaces or being hurt by sharp objects. Let’s do it when we can. There’s nothing like the feeling of the ground beneath the feet or feeling the earth rise up to meet us as we walk. So feel your feet on the ground and let the floor be your friend.

 

(Inspired by my deliciously very touchy feely feet and an article I listened to by Leslie Kaminof)

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PRACTICE

A WALKING PRACTICE

This is a practical reminder, to help you notice how the way you walk affects the way you feel. We aim to also shortly make it available as a podcast.

As this practice is written and we can’t read whilst walking, please read it a few times beforehand, and imagine you are walking, so that the suggestions soak in.

The more we practise, the more benefits we feel. So consider even a short walk as an opportunity; the benefits will gradually soak in until it no longer feels like a practice.

If possible be unburdened, except perhaps for a moderate backpack.

For the first few times, alone is best.

Switch off or leave behind mobile devices.

Be in comfortable footwear.

Be outdoors, hopefully in clean air – though large indoor spaces are also suitable.

Remember to appreciate the ability, and the liberty, to walk.

The Practice

Recognise small opportunities to practise.

Look around as you walk and take in your surroundings.

Pay attention to walking safely, so as to avoid collisions and trips.

Set a moderate pace which allows easy breathing through the nose. Let the mouth softly close.

Stretch the hands as if newly released from tight gloves – then let them relax.

Allow the shoulders to soften, and let go of your arms.

Feel the head releasing upwards as though weightless; let the neck be free of tension.

Let your powerful feet press down; allow their spring to push you forward.

Sense the length of your legs as you enjoy their movement. Resist any habit of tightening the ankles, or of walking from the knees.

Become aware of your breathing. Let your exhales soften.

Feel the breath in your back; follow it out, follow it in.

Imagine the whole of your body being breathed.

Stay aware of your surroundings whilst walking alone. (!) Let ears listen whilst relaxed eyes scan.

Notice the expression on your face – if it’s tight, let it relax.

Can the line between your lips feel soft? Imagine your eyes smiling. Let any frown or furrowed brow melt away.

If the shoulders and neck tighten up, let them go again.

If unwanted tightness or thoughts creep in, imagine them dissolving with your out-breaths.

When walking uphill, put more spring into your step, and push down with your feet. Then imagine your head leading you up and forward.

If outdoors, take in signs of the season, the quality of the light, particular smells and sounds.

Notice your reaction to changes in the weather or to sudden noise – do you tend to over-react, or to hunch up against the cold?

Counter heaviness or lack of energy by feeling more purposeful.

Try quickening your pace, perhaps varying the length of your steps. Discover what you can do to feel more at ease.

Be playful, lighten your heart, be glad not to take life too seriously. So that’s why children skip! Try it yourself, or break into a run.

Remember, this awareness in walking affects how you think and feel. It can change you! Make a positive choice to enjoy and use this power.

From time to time, stop… allow yourself pause. Do nothing. Notice how you feel. Look up at the sky!

Returning to your normal stride, with an easy breath, set a comfortable pace and rhythm.

Avoid rushing, and the urge to simply arrive.

Be open to the idea of receiving the things which come along for free!

When you encounter others, see them in a kindly light, knowing that how they have sat, stood or moved will affect how well they think and feel.

Remember that it costs nothing to smile at strangers.

Continue to focus on these simple things; welcome this breathing space that allows less helpful thoughts to slip away.

Notice how you feel as the practice winds down, and you arrive somewhere. Hopefully you will want to hone these skills by repetition in the future.

And, last but not least, appreciate your fortune that you are able and free to walk.

 

SEE ARTICLE ON WALKING

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OUR ARTICLES

ON RESTING

Rest is a lull from action – a period of some minutes sitting or lying in comfort, free from mental clamour or thoughts which disturb the mind.

Resting helps us thrive. The lack of it will make us restless and unwell. The full regenerative power of proper relaxation is often overlooked or undervalued as a vital part of health, despite its positive effect on everything we do.

When our life is out of balance it is also common to feel restless, and the things we eat or drink or do to help us relax might be making things much worse. We are naturally pleasure-seeking creatures, and can too easily do what does not serve us best!

When feeling under pressure and short of time, it is easy not to make the room for decent rest –even though a break will help us feel and function so much better that it saves time and energy in the long run.

Lack of proper rest is a major source of human suffering. Conscious repose is therefore a basic Hatha Yoga practice.

During rest, the mind has moments free from conscious thought. Organs function at their optimum rate. With the heart and breathing steady, the nervous system calmed and soothed, then the mind is quieter.

Such quality repose gives respite, where we can restore strength and renew vigour. It improves the mental state so we are less over-reactive at other times.

By taking care we become more aware of how things can drain our energy and make us vulnerable to malaise.

Holding unnecessary and habitually unconscious muscular tension can indeed wear us out. The mind and body are part of each other; where there is muscular tension there is also mental. It is a vital part of human make-up. But in chronic excess it is a common bane of life, much more than people realise.

Many do not know that holding on to tension causes hurt, not just to themselves but to others. A tightening reaction to a situation influences our response, over-reaction being a common cause of conflict. Hence the aim to be free of this is a worthy part of daily life.

Rest is distinct from sleep. But while resting, there may well be pleasant moments drifting between wakefulness and slumber. An optimum nightly period of deep sleep helps keep us well. But it is possible to be restless and asleep. It is possible to sleep in pain. It is possible to sleep with such tension that teeth are ground away. Holding tightness during sleep means waking up exhausted.

A simple focus for attention at the beginning of rest will aid relaxation. Bringing the mind to settle on just one or two things reduces mental fluctuation.

Stirring up emotion is un-restful, so this focus should be neutral, such as the breath, the hands, or some non-evocative sound. A visualisation needs careful choosing, so that it does not set off a train of thought.

How much quiet is needed for rest can depend on the frame of mind and the individual. What is background sound to one could be distraction to another. Sounds heard should not stir us by the listening. Eyes tend to close, but softly gazing into the back of closed lids can help focus attention.

Thoughts may come and go while resting. Observing thought waves can be a conscious practice. At rest, one can be aware of thoughts, of their frequency and intensity, without being spurred by them into more thinking. In skilful rest one is not roused by, or attached to, the kind of thought one has; they remain as mental fluctuations, like clouds drifting across our mental sky.

Prolonged minutes of wakeful rest, with thought waves pleasantly absent, may be regarded as meditation. This can happen with the eyes open but not looking. A lowered gaze helps keep the mind from distraction. And any aural or visual input needs to be non-evocative.

Slipping into the rapture of meditation does not come from trying not to think. It is a mental state, inherent from early age, which can happen spontaneously – if we allow space for it to happen.

At such times one is unaware of breath or body unless they demand attention.

Minutes of meditation can compensate for hours of lost deep sleep.

Daydream, rest and meditation are a welcome default setting for the brain. Such wakeful disengagement from daily action can foster insight and creative thinking. It can produce effortless inspiration. And, out of this void, solutions to weighty problems can appear without bidding.

 

Kit Hartley.   Lidgett.   May 2017

 

 

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BLOG

The power of rest

 

Nervous energy keeping you awake…   insomnia…   high anxiety…  

Sound familiar? Wouldn’t you like to wave them goodbye, and say hello to well-balanced harmony, and proper sleep?

Please do check out our related Yogatalk articles and practices, on recovering sleep and rest.

You might think that me being a yoga teacher makes me forever bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and superfit…   Wrong!!

Quite honestly, I have a string of health issues and a history of addictive tendencies and anxiety.

I really don’t mind admitting this, because when people see me well and happy they must then conclude that yoga actually works – saving me from myself!

Joy and I teach yoga so we can share with people these simple ways to keep fit and well. This website is our way to try and cast the net a little further.

Lack of rest and sleep is a growing malady for the world; its proportions are endemic, especially it seems for the young. Too many teenage brains are in a constant device-checking default mode, even throughout the night!

So these poor frazzled brains have acquired minimal attention spans; they’ve forgotten how to rest and even how to sleep… and they’ve still got adulthood to come!

Alarmingly, we can grow accustomed to this compromised state, and regard it as normal.

Yoga’s focus on vitality and energy, which I love, makes modern science fascinating to me.

I read in the New Scientist (a kind friend gives me her old ones – I read them and pass them on to others) that our present age is being called the Anthropocene, viewed as the period when human activity is having a significant impact upon our planet, and all its occupants.

Scientific data confirms that more and more of us are living in the realm of the walking unwell. Modern neuroscience has raised awareness (useful but alarming) of the link between lack of rest and poor health.

Lack of sleep and rest really is torture.

There’s a growing interest in how the 24-hour cycle (or the circadian rhythm) affects health, and a growing consensus that we tick along to not one, but thousands of body clocks. Understanding this can improve lives.

It’s now no longer trendy to burn the candle at both ends – hurrah!

And we should now be encouraging our exhausted teens to stay up late, and to rise late… this suits them better, apparently.

Modern science is finally catching up with yoga teachings as a route to health. If we know what to do, and feel inspired to do it, we all have the power within to keep well. Yoga is joyful, not austere, and inspires us to practise. 

As I said, I’m no stranger to anxiety. I was an anxious child, but I developed numerous strategies in order to cope.

Years later, in my first ever yoga class, I was reminded of some of these nuggets, and I thought, ‘So it’s called yoga – seems familiar!’ The point being that I could have avoided years of anxiety, just by remembering – or by taking up yoga sooner.

Feel free to check out ‘A resting practice’, which my childhood experiences helped to formulate.

A practice can help positive overcome negative. It can help quell that anxiety of being wide awake at 3 when the alarm is set for 6.

Once free from fretting and mental clamour, we can just savour the peace of a new dawn. We can slip back into lovely sleep, or just happily rest and listen to the blackbirds.

Ps the practical reminder ‘A resting practice’ will soon also be available as a podcast, along with others… so watch this space!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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