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Often
I stress arriving at the studio at least
10 minutes prior to the start of class.
This gives you the opportunity to be
prepared once class starts with out
chaos and confusion that is associated
with rushing into the studio at the
very last second.
Yoga postures are supposed
to be a meditation in motion. Now that
may be counter to many of the concepts
that you have about meditation. But
meditation is more than setting in lotus
pose and contemplating nothingness.
You can do a walking
meditation and I often times will do
that during the course of my working
day. In between patients I will go outside
the building and as one foot hits the
ground I will mentally
say THANK and as the other foot hits
the ground say YOU.
Walking along the beach
is one of my most favorite places to
pray and as a boy,being in the woods
on my family farm was also one of the
best places to walk and talk with the
Divine!
Thus giving yourself
a few moments to transition on your
own is fantastic way to start your practice.
There are many rituals
that I use in class to assist your transition.
Also many that I do out side of class.
Before coming to teach,
I always soak in the bath tub..for at
least 10 minutes. I have the bath water
warm so that it relaxes my muscles and
I add Epsom's
Salts to the water. The salts drain
not only toxins from my muscles but
also negativity from my body,
a trick taught to me by my acupuncturist.
I emerge from the bath,
cleansed, literally and figuratively
and it sends a signal to my body that
we are about to do some yoga. Not unlike
Pavlov and ringing bells!
The surface of my skin
is clean so that the pores breathe and
the "dirt" of the day as well
as any unpleasant odors are gone!
Consider establishing
your own rituals that include some sort
of cleansing before class, as well as
arriving in a timely fashion!
namaste
Ray |
