Visualization Exercise: Melt into the Sand

This is a visualization technique that I personally use when I'm having difficulty falling asleep. I find it incredibly relaxing. This is a short version of it, but you can always add more! Some ocean sounds, calming music, or a longer script can all have wonderful stress-relieving effects.

(Image used courtesy of Creative Commons. The original image can be found here.)

Transcript: 

Hello! This is Michelle from DesireHigher.blogspot.com and I am going to guide you through a visualization exercise today. This is a great beginning technique for meditation. Let's begin.

Close your eyes. Breathe in. Picture yourself lying on a beach on the warm, comfortable sand. Hear the seagulls, the waves, the laughing people on the beach. Breathe out and imagine your worries leaving you as you exhale. With each breath inward, feel yourself absorbing the light from the sun. With each exhale, feel every last problem leaving you.

With each exhalation, your body slowly sinks into the sand. Visualize each of your limbs turning into sand, and then your whole body, from your head to your scalp. Inhale as you become one with the beach. Inhale and realize that there are no problems in the now. Exhale and release any tension you may have.

To learn more about meditation, yoga, and mindfulness, please visit DesireHigher.blogspot.com. Thank you!

420 Yoga: Pairing Yoga with Recreational Drug Use

In this New York Times article by Laurie Winer, Liz McDonald speaks about a specific class she teaches called 420 Remedy Yoga. The class encouraged participants to smoke marijuana before class.

Since yoga and meditation have their roots in searching for inner peace, and marijuana can serve as a tool for relaxing and mellowing out, the two have been combined for decades.Some evidence even suggests that mind-altering drugs have been used for centuries in combination with yoga and meditation.

In California, where McDonald teaches, medicinal marijuana has been legal since 2003. With the recent election, which legalized the usage of small amounts of recreational marijuana in Washington and Colorado, Winer writes that more classes like McDonald's 420 Remedy may start appearing. However, possession is still a federal offensive, so students may have to smoke before arriving at class.

McDonald recognizes that most yogis would disagree with her stance on marijuana and yoga practice, but she says that it assists her class. "People don't believe that they can feel their heart beat or that they can send breath into their lower appendages. A little pot relaxes them into comprehending," she says.

Many other yogis say that using marijuana interferes with the principal of self-discipline, and say that altering your reality is equivalent to escapism, not relaxation.

I personally do not partake, but I wonder if grouping these two traditionally "psychadelic" practices actually has any merit. I would love to see some studies that show the difference in yoga practice between someone who has imbibed and someone who is completely sober, or even just getting some insight from surveys or interviews.

I also do not think this is a recent trend, although it will be interesting to see how the new legality of marijuana in some states impacts businesses, including yoga studios.

Inspiration: Arthur's Story

This YouTube video has been floating around lately -- it's been emailed to me, posted on Facebook, and talked about at work. It really is impressive how this man, Arthur, has managed to change around his life simply by changing his mindset and committing to a yoga practice. If you haven't seen the video, take a second to watch it.

Arthur, a disabled veteran, said that he had essentially "given up" since he couldn't walk or run and many other yoga instructors turned him around. As you can see from the video, he worked extremely hard and, most importantly, didn't give up.

Arthur's story is inspiring because it shows that anybody, regardless of fitness level, age, weight, or any factor, can benefit from a consistent yoga practice. He was able to lose the excess weight (over 100 pounds!), begin walking again, and, by the end of the video, even run. More importantly, his mindset completely changed! He went from hopeless to full of hope.

If you are ever feeling discouraged, whether it's with yoga, meditation, or any aspect of your life, remember what Arthur said -- "Just because I can't do it today, doesn't mean I won't be able to do it someday." No matter what you are struggling with, don't give up! With enough hard work, you will absolutely be able to accomplish it one day.

Interview with Jessica Mullen, creator of a Daily Meditation Series

I interviewed Jessica Mullen, who runs a daily meditation series on YouTube, about her thoughts on meditation. She shares some tips on how to get started as well as how meditating regularly has impacted her life. Enjoy!

When did you first start meditating? 

When I was 16. 

How did you get started? 

I wanted to get what I wanted. Grades, boys, health, you name it. So as a rebellious catholic school girl, I looked into the occult and came across guided meditations in a book about Wicca. 

Why do you continue to meditate? 

I stopped meditating in college. When I got a day job and started feeling the life getting sucked out of me, I remembered how much meditation helped me focus on what I wanted. It made me feel powerful. I stopped again for a few more years but came back to it again when I started to wonder what to do with my life after grad school. Basically, I keep meditating because it helps me remember the big picture in life (nothing is serious!) and it helps me focus on what I want. 



Describe your typical mediation session. What type of meditation do you do? 

I sit on a yoga mat and gaze at a candle. I usually do this with my wife Kelly. We set a timer (using the Equanimity app) for 15 minutes. I try to focus on my breathing (7 counts in, 7 counts out) with the goal of slowing my thoughts. If I can focus enough, time goes by in an instant and I feel connected to god. 

You recently started posting meditation videos on YouTube. What was your motivation? Do you find them helpful for you as well as others? 

One time years ago I did a drunken seance in a cellar. It was super fun and it felt natural. Then a few months ago at work, my boss had me record a voice over for a video, saying I sort of had a phone sex voice (that sounds bad taken out of context but it was a compliment!). Ever since recording audio life design lessons with Kelly, I'd been wanting to do a guided meditation, and that compliment from my boss gave me the confidence to try it. It was so scary at first! After doing it for a week and receiving positive feedback, I lost my voice. But I got over my fear and kept going with it. Doing the meditations is SO helpful or me. It forces me to "get it together" emotionally and vibrationally, because I can't really fake it. And when I'm not recording, I hear my voice in my head, doing the meditation all the time. It's really comforting and helpful and it's like a way to stay centered at any time. 

What would you recommend to someone who is new to meditation? 

Start by just sitting quietly for 5 minutes. Light a candle and set a timer if it helps. You don't have to -do- anything or accomplish anything. Sometimes it helps just to be aware of your thoughts. Try sitting 5 minutes every day until you get used to it. And if your thoughts are too distracting, try counting as high as you can, or just follow your breathing. The pranayama breathing app really helped me. Meditation isn't supposed to get you anywhere - it's more like giving your mind a bath. It always calms me down and gives me a new perspective on my day.

Thanks for answering my questions, Jessica! For more from Jessica, check out her post, A beginner's guide to meditation.

Guest Post: Coping with Chronic Disease

 Today we have a guest post from Mary, who blogs about coping with psoriatric arthritis. I asked her to talk a little bit about her experience with yoga, breathing, and her chronic disease.

I have very little experience with yoga. I followed along with a beginner yoga video with my older sister when she was home from college one summer, so I must have been in late elementary school. I found the poses more entertaining than anything. I didn't touch yoga again until I picked up a yoga DVD of my own at Target a few years back, but I'm afraid I chose poorly. Admittedly, the options in the tiny fitness section at Target were limited, so there may not have have been a better choice for my impulse purchase. It proclaimed on the front that it featured Sting's music. I like Sting, so that was a selling point. I didn't realize the woman featured on the cover was Sting's wife. Although there was some definite cheesiness, the main problem was that it was far too advanced and fast-paced for my complete lack of yoga experience. The only reason I don't regret my purchase is the included meditation sequence. I was really struggling with stress at that time in my life, and a run through that guided meditation every night as I wound down for bed was my saving grace.

I don't use the DVD anymore, but I still turn to meditation for stress relief, and also to help me manage my chronic pain. I have several painful, chronic diseases: psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and endometriosis. I have all manner of medications in my system on a daily basis, but there are still times when I need to breathe through the pain. Meditative breathing works well at those times. I won't claim that meditation is a cure for me (it's not), but the stress relief and coping skills it provides are invaluable.

My rheumatologist is on my case for me to exercise and stretch daily. She's given me two options: swimming, or yoga. I've been stubborn and have been walking for exercise instead, but when my psoriatic arthritis disease activity increased a few months ago, I fell off the daily exercise wagon. Walking any significant distance just hurt too much! I was swimming at my neighborhood pool for a little while, but of course Fall arrived and got in the way of that too. Now I'm left with trying to work yoga into my schedule somehow. I know it's worth it. I feel better when I exercise and stretch. My pain and inflammation decreases and my quality of life improves. I gain so many hours of decreased pain for every hour of exercise I put in. After all, "for arthritis patients, emphasis on stretching and strength, posture, balance and the ability to adjust pace and intensity are important components of a safe activity, all of which yoga encompasses." [1] Yoga seems like the perfect solution for me. Maybe Mia can help me figure out what kind of yoga is best for my needs!

References

[1] Haaz, S., & Bartlett, S.J. (2011 February). Yoga for arthritis: a scoping review. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America, 37(1). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3026480/

Thanks Mary for sharing your experience! I hope that my other posts have helped you think about the yoga that might be right for you. If the DVD was too fitness-oriented, try a Hatha or Ashtanga class or DVD!

Yoga in America Infographic

Interview with a New Yogi

I interviewed an anonymous new yogi at Sunstone Yoga. She has been practicing for only a few weeks, so I thought it would be interesting to see her perspective on her practice so far. 

How long have you done yoga?

I think it’s been about 2 weeks now. I haven't really gone too consistently yet, I just finished my third class. I plan to keep up with it, though, for hopefully a very long time.

What type of yoga do you practice?

I go to a studio that does Hot Yoga. So far, I am mostly doing the "Fire 60" classes, which is 1 hour of Bikram-style yoga.

Do you practice at a studio or at home? Which do you prefer?

I currently only practice at a studio, though perhaps once I am more comfortable with it I will do some at home on days where I cannot make it to a class.

What made you decide to practice yoga? Why did you continue after your first class?

I had always been curious about it, but had never seriously sought it out until a friend gave me a ticket for a free class and brought me along with her. She got me there, the class itself got me to stick with it. Having no balance or heat tolerance, I always thought that it would be something I couldn't do. But after my first class, I felt fantastic, physically and mentally.

Have you seen any benefits personally from doing yoga?

I have definitely seen benefits from it. Of course, there are the physical benefits of each time feeling stronger, more flexible, better balanced. However, as cliche as it may sound, it has also been very good for me mentally so far. 

Shortly before I started doing yoga, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I adamantly refused to accept that I had the disorder until a lot of things started crashing down around me. I finally started on the right medications for me and am working on managing my disorder. My counselor suggested that I start doing yoga, among other things, to help give me an outlet for my anxiety and to help with my lack of focus. Even though I have only gone to a few sessions, I have found that it definitely does help me cope with that. It gives me goals to strive for and accomplishments to reach. It definitely felt great tonight when I was able to balance in a difficult pose, and applaud my friend on being able to touch her toes!

What kind of person would you recommend yoga to?

I would recommend it to anyone, but I would especially recommend it to people who have something about themselves they would like to improve, whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. I think that people with insecurities and concerns would find it more beneficial than people just looking for a workout or an activity in their free time. It is about improving yourself from wherever you are at right now, and it is something anyone could benefit from.

Thank you to my anonymous yogi for sharing your story with us!