March 5, 2009

We had a really good yoga session and sit last night.

It began with one of my regulars coming in and just saying, "I feel like shit, I hope I'm not getting depressed.  I really feel like crap!"

We talked for a moment, and discovered it could be Spring Fever.  He's a really bright student, and knows how and where to find counseling if he should need it, but we decided to call our mutual unsettled state Spring Fever.

So when everyone arrived, I asked if they would like to do some yoga stretching before we sat meditation.

Everyone was really into it!

First we shook like Jello, really shook it out, and laughed.  We started at the crown of the head with lots of patting and tapping, all over the head, down the face, neck shoulders, across the chest where we thumped like Tarzan, all the way down the front of the body to the tops of the feet, where we played the "Earth Drum!"  It sounded very cool.

Then up the backs of the legs, all the way up, to the arms, shoulders and finally brought our hands into Namaste.

Then we did a round of Upward Salutes, down to a round of loose Uttanasanas.  We gripped our elbows and just let everything tumble down.  

We rolled up and shifted our weight side to side, letting our neck gently follow.  We shifted our weight forward and backward, coming into a centered, relaxed Tadasana.

We did a bunch of Shoulder Shrugs, and really let the shoulders drop!  Came into Namaste.

Finally we did a bunch of self hugs, dropping the chin to massage the thyroid.  Came up and bent the knees, coming once more into Namaste.

Then we sat meditation.

I suggested that physically, we adjust our bodies in the seated position, just as we had standing.  So we rocked from side to side, then forward and backward, until we each found what felt like a relaxed, centered place.

I also encouraged everyone to remain as un self conscious of the sit as possible--if a perfectionist voice came up, just to acknowledge that voice, then to simply affirm, "I am Buddha, I have Buddha Nature."  And just to see if countering the perfectionist voice with that simply affirmation made any difference.

After the sit, I invited everyone to stretch in whatever way they felt they needed.  A few students just flopped into Savasana.

After several breaths, I asked everyone to gently cover their eyes with their palms, and seal the energy they had created by practicing yoga and meditation.  To think in terms of gathering that energy within the heart.  Then I directed them to Namaste, and we were silent for awhile.

I then asked then to consider the energy we create as a group sitting together in meditation, and by sealing that energy within, we could make a choice how we wanted to use that energy.  We might use it help us with Spring Fever, we might consciously offer that energy to a loved one, or as a Metta practice, or even fling it into the Universe, scattered like seeds.

Namaste!