2. It is best to meditate on an empty stomach (2-3 hours after meals)  because meditation takes an enormous amount of energy.  (You don’t want your body spending all it’s energy digesting your meal or you’ll want to fall asleep instead of meditate.)  Sleep is also good but different than meditation! 

3. Exercise – If you have time, exercise a little before meditation.  Yoga is a great pre-meditative exercise.  In fact, yoga originated as a way to prepare the body to be comfortable sitting for long periods in meditation.  

4. Location – Set aside a room, or small part of a room just for meditation.  Try to find as quiet a spot as possible (if this is difficult, try using earplugs or headphones to block out noise.)  Fill the room or space with things that inspire you –pictures, flowers, inspirational books, and candles etc…  You will find that over time you will want to meditate when you enter the space.  This is one of the most important tips yet the one that most people seem to skip.  Right now, think about where you can create this sacred space.  If your home is small consider a portable or mobile ‘sacred space’ – Place your inspiring objects on a tray that you can place in a closet when you are done.  The simple act of creating this space will inspire you to take the time to meditate.  It will become like a ritual or a celebration of yourself.

5. Sitting – Find a comfortable seated position – on a chair, bench, against the wall,  or on a cushion.  Sit upright, without being rigid.  If you choose to sit in a chair, try not to lean back.  Whatever your position, keep your back straight, chest raised, head erect, eyes closed (as if the gaze is slightly lifted up), arms and shoulders relaxed with your hands resting gently in your lap or in a Mudra. The important point is to be comfortable.  Believe me, if you’re uncomfortable the only thing you will be able to meditate on is that!

6. How long? – Set a realistic daily goal for yourself.  It is better to meditate 5 to 15 minutes each day than to meditate for an hour on the weekend.  The key is to be consistent.  You can gradually increase the length of your meditation over time.  Even 5 minutes a day will change your life.

7. It helps to meditate with other people who have been meditating longer than you have.  The energy of a group meditation often helps you to meditate longer than you would ordinarily be able to on your own.  You may want to join a meditation group in your community.  Check out http://www.meetup.com for groups in your area or consider starting your own group.

8. Practice breathing exercises to relax.  Place one hand at your chest and the other at your belly.  Observe the rising and falling motion of the inbreath and the outbreath.  Notice which hand is moving more – the one at your chest or your belly.  Gradually begin to deepen the breath and move it into the belly, observing the expansion of the belly on the inbreath.  This simple breathing exercise is one of the quickest ways to relax.

9. Aim to hold the body still for the length of the meditation.  Through meditation we are cultivating awareness and concentration, so if you allow yourself to fidget you are cultivating restlessness. (However if you are in pain by all means adjust yourself).  

10. Don’t be discouraged if it feels like all you are doing is fighting distraction.  That’s just the ego playing tricks on you.  It might try to tell you that you’re doing it wrong, or that you will never get the hang of it, that meditation isn’t helping…a whole myriad of excuses not to do it.  But don’t listen.  If you are sitting down to meditate (even if it feels like all you’re doing is merely fighting a torrent of thoughts, emotions, and sensations) the fact that you have ‘taken the seat’ makes you a successful meditator!  Keep in mind that meditation is a practice.  When you are practicing something you have to give yourself some space and be gentle as you learn.  You didn’t learn to walk, talk, do algebra or play an instrument on your first try…the same is true for meditation.  Keep practicing and don’t get discouraged.  You are making progress even if it doesn’t feel like it right away. 

Good luck and happy meditating! 

Beauty is everywhere if we slow down to see it. 

The question is, do you see it? 

Consider this…You’re on your morning commute and you notice a man in the subway station playing a violin.  He’s wearing a baseball cap, jeans and a t-shirt, standing by a trash can…Do you walk by in a rush without really noticing, oblivious, or do you take a moment to stop, to listen – to really appreciate the music and the moment? 

That was exactly the question that Gene Weingarten wanted answered in his experiment for the Washington Post.  Only in this case (unknown to the commuters) the violinist was Joshua Bell, considered to be one of the best musicians in the world, playing a violin worth $3.5 million. 

Of the more than 1000 people that passed by in the 43 minutes that the musician played, SEVEN  stopped (yep- that’s right…only seven) for at least a minute.   The rest rushed by, oblivious that what they were seeing was extraordinary, once in a lifetime.  A free concert from a master whose talents can command $1000 a minute.

Revealingly, the one who paid the most attention to the musician was a 3 year old boy. His mother rushed him along, while he continued to look back at the musician. Other children had the same reaction, but were ushered on impatiently by their parents.

So the question is, if we’re so busy, so rushed to notice one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the most beautiful music ever written, just what else are we missing? 

Read the full article here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

Mantras can be powerful tools for meditation.  Basically the repetition of a word or words helps to focus and quiet the mind.    A mantra gives our restless mind something to ‘hook’ to.  Focusing on the breath only in meditation can be difficult for beginners, however if you add another layer with a mantra it becomes easier to concentrate. 

Mantras are often Sanskrit, however you can use any word or words as your personal mantra.  “I am peace”, “I am calm”…whatever appeals to you.  Personally I find that Sanskrit can be powerful because I don’t associate anything else with the words.  For me, “I am peace” gets my mind thinking about Gandhi, flowers, peace signs, the sixties, volkswagen vans…you get the idea…  However something like “Om Namah Shivaya” stands alone. 

The Gayatri Mantra has a special place in my heart (as you will know if you have taken any of my classes!) During my Yoga Teacher Training in Sedona we learned this chant and did it every morning (at the crack of dawn).  We also played it at the start of all our mom and baby yoga classes and the babies would relax almost immediately.

  It is said to be ‘the mother of all mantras’, second only to OM.

The Sanskrit is:

 Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha

Tat Savitur Vareniyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhi Mahi

Dhiyo Yo Na Prachodayat

Translation:

 OM Earth Atmosphere Heavens

We meditate on the sacred light of the effulgent Source.

Let that inspire our thoughts.

OM

 Deva Premal does a beautiful version on her album The Essence.  Enjoy!

Do you struggle to Sit Still in silent, seated meditation?  If so, you might consider using the labyrinth as a tool for meditation.

I discovered the labyrinth quite unexpectedly – I guess you could say it ‘found’ me.  While in Lucca, Italy my husband and I decided to visit the “labirinto” that was featured so prominently in the tourist brochures and souvenirs.  Not knowing anything about labyrinths at the time, we envisioned a huge maze carved into stone in the bottom of a cathedral where we could compete to see who could find their way out first without getting caught in a dead-end.   I imagined it would be similar to the maze in The Shining (sans a knife-wielding Jack Nicholson!)

We spent what seemed like hours searching for the elusive labyrinth.  We knew we must be close because there was a sign for the labyrinth carved into the wall of a particular cathedral.  Surely it had to be here!?

Well, it turns out that the “sign” for the labyrinth (which we had taken as an indication that we were getting close) was actually the labyrinth.  The famous labyrinth in Lucca is about 2 feet square and carved into the marble on the wall outside of the church! A little anticlimactic for us two who had envisioned spending an afternoon running around in it!

Although our experience of the labyrinth wasn’t exactly what we had expected, the image was very beautiful and my curiosity was piqued. What exactly was the labyrinth? What was it used for?

I discovered that the labyrinth is actually a metaphor for our search for spiritual wholeness and has been used for centuries as a tool for meditation. Unlike a maze which sets out to confuse you, the labyrinth is unicursal, meaning it has only one way in and one way out.  It’s a metaphor for our journey to self and back out again into the world.

Although the Lucca labyrinth was likely used by tracing the path of the labyrinth with your finger, many labyrinths are big enough that you can walk their path.

I walk the labyrinth when I am struggling with a question that I can’t seem to solve on my own, when I want to let go of something, or when I just want to see a new perspective.  I use it as a time of self-reflection and connection to something bigger than me.     

If you’re interested in experiencing the power of the labyrinth, St. Paul’s Church Hall in Vancouver’s West End has a beautiful labyrinth that is open to the public.  Check out their website for more information:

http://www.stpaulsanglican.bc.ca/index.php?a=Labyrinth

If you’d like to find out more I highly recommend reading “Walking a Sacred Path” and “The Sacred Path Companion” by Lauren Artress.

Sit Still.  Well, mom was usually saying it in the context of stop fidgeting so much but it really makes a lot of sense when you think of it.  Good advice to help us slow down.  Sit Still – You don’t always have to be busy.  Spend at least 5 minutes a day in silence. Just observe your breath.  Anytime your mind wanders just come back to the next breath. Five minutes a day really can change your life.

Go to your room!  Again, mom likely meant this in a slightly different context than I’m using it now… but it’s useful advice nonetheless.  When establishing a meditation practice it’s important to actually designate a special place for your meditation.  Fill it with things that inspire you.  You’ll find that you’ll want to be in the space and it will be easier to ‘practice’ your meditation. It’s like your own personal sanctuary. 

Turn off the TV!  In moderation TV can be a source of entertainment, but watching TV can also be a way to zone out and avoid things in your life.  Or worse…it can actually create more stress.  Have you watched the news lately!?  Good grief.  It seems there’s nothing but negativity.  Ask yourself how much time you spend each day watching TV.   See if you can cut that back and replace it with something a little more positive (like…say meditating for 15 minutes!)

Mind your manners – Mom was likely trying to teach me that “please” and “thank you” go a long way and that it pays to be polite.  The same is true today.  Be kind.  Have some compassion for others. 

Clean your room!  Get rid of the clutter in your life.  This can be literal – as in the stuff that falls out of the closet every time you open it, or figurative as in the stuff that clutters our minds.  Get rid of the stuff that doesn’t serve you. 

Go play outside!! There’s nothing like being in nature to figure out what’s really important.  Go to a park, sit by the beach and be present while you’re doing it.  (that means don’t go for a walk in the park and miss the experience because you were too busy thinking about all the bills you have to pay, replaying the argument you had with your spouse that morning, etc…) Be present.  Being in nature really puts everything into perspective.  It’s in nature that we come to know our true nature (and incidentally…it’s not to be connected to a computer, juggling a million different things at once.)

If you don’t have anything nice to say…don’t say anything at all.   More great wisdom from mom.  At the time she was likely referring to the names I was calling my sister and brother  (sorry Natalie and Darrin!) but I’m referring to negative self talk.  Think about all the negative messages we tell ourselves.  How many times do you give yourself negative messages like-I’m not good enough…I’m not worth it…I’m too fat…  etc…  Begin to notice how often this voice comes up…each time you notice it…replace it with a more positive message.   I can do anything I want, I’m worth it..

Don’t eat so fast – choose 1 meal a week to eat mindfully.  That means NOT while driving, on the computer, on the phone, standing in the kitchen… Experience your food with all your senses.  You’ll enjoy it more and the added bonus is that you won’t eat as much… Think of it as the meditation diet!

And last…but not least.  There are people starving in Africa – likely this was in reference to the unfinished broccoli or cauliflower on my plate at dinnertime, but the reality is…everywhere in the world there are people starving, people experiencing great loss, people in pain.  Again, a good reminder to be compassionate and to be grateful for what you have.  We have so much to be thankful for.   

Here’s what I think:  People get Downward Dog, Warrior and Cobra but referring to them as Adho mukha Svanasana, Virabhadrasana and Bhujangasana… is that really necessary?   I get the essence of the cobra.  It makes sense to me. I understand what I’m striving for in the pose. I can picture the cobra and understand what the pose is supposed to look like….But Bhujangwhatsana?  What does that mean to me? 

Let’s put it into perspective….Does it matter to me that triangle pose was originally called “Trikonasana”?  Well it matters to me about as much as it matters that originally the word for “year” was “annus”.  Is “annus” somehow more special than “year”?  Isn’t the essence of it still the same no matter what I call it?  

Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s a place for this stuff in yogic philosophy and yoga teacher training.  But I find that in most cases students are coming to me for something other than a language lesson.

 Anyways…food for thought.  Maybe I’ll have a “novus annus” party on Dec 31st just to try it out….maybe somehow it will be more special…?

Let me know what you think….

The bootcamp/”buddhacamp” was every day for 30 days at 4:20am.  We started at 15 minutes and progressed to 1 hour.  Silent, seated meditation.  No guided visualization, no mantra…Just the instructions not to move and to focus on our breath.  Sounds simple enough, right?!….

I refer to it now as the  “Are We There Yet?” syndrome   My mind wasn’t used to being still.  It reminded me of traveling with young kids and their incessant “Are we there yet?” until you reach your final destination.  Only in this case my “destination” was sitting still for 15 minutes.  15 minutes might not sound like a long time, (when you’re doing something else) but 15 minutes of sitting still for me was like the longest car ride in history.     It went something like this….

Minute 1…This is going to be a breeze…all I have to do is sit here for 15 min?  No problem.  Focus on my breath….I can do this….

Minute 2…How long has this been?  (Are we there yet?) It must be at least 10 minutes by now…My legs are killing me…

Minutes 3 to 15….  My back is killing me.  How long has this been already…?  (Are we there yet?) Okay…focus on your breath….you can do this… Wow…my leg really hurts…I wonder if this could permanently damage my  knees…okay…focus…just breathe….focus on your breath….The person beside me is really breathing heavily…I wonder if they have fallen asleep…I can’t believe how tired I am… why do we have to do this at 4:20 anyways…oops…focus on your breath….watch your breath…just breathe….Hey I really like that song“Just Breathe” by Faith Hill…(mentally start to sing it)….Oh, I wonder how long it’s been…(Are we there yet?)

15 minutes…Final destination.

But an amazing thing happened as the days went on…I began to realize that nothing was permanent.  The sensations (pain) I felt in my body moved and changed, and I learned that I wasn’t attached to the thoughts or emotions that surfaced.   It was a powerful lesson for me that I didn’t have to try to change my experience of things- that I could be aware of what was going on within me without judging it as “good” or “bad”.    Just to be. 

And I was hooked…

So, the moral of the story is…don’t give up.  Your mind may try to play tricks on you in the beginning (Are we there yet?) but if you stick with it you’ll notice amazing changes in all areas of your life.  Not just when you’re “Sitting Still”….

Namaste!

Tammy