An interesting question was posted as a comment to my last post. And it indeed alludes to one of the main reasons we meditate.

Triska asked-”how do you chase thoughts away when you mediate?”

After all, don’t we mediate to give ourselves a break from those never-ending thoughts that chase each other around and around in our minds! We’re not even conscious of many of them! They are part of what is described in classic Yoga teachings as “the monkey mind”! These thoughts are like a bunch of chattering monkeys that go on and on and don’t let up! Right?!

But there is a way! First, it is good to start your Yoga practise with some exercise. You loosen your joints up first and then do some asanas or yoga positions.
This gets your mind focused and present.

Then you finish with a Yoga Nidra or Deep Relaxation (as I have described in the last post) and it’s usually when you’re up to the point of watching your breathe that those pesky thoughts start up.

So what you do is think of them as clouds. Watch them- don’t get involved in them- see them float by and let them go! If you become aware that you’re getting caught up in them take yourself back to your breathe and focus on it again.Breathing in and breathing out. Or you could take yourself to a place that makes you feel calm and peaceful and totally visualise that!

You can control those thoughts but it does take practice and perserverence. And it is worth it.

Hope this helps.

The other important part of yoga is The Meditation. My favourite practise in Yoga is a meditation called Yoga Nidra.

Before I go into this practise in particular I’d like to mention that meditation isn’t anything that’s particularly weird or strange.It’s basically a way of getting relaxed and communing with yourself. We lead such madly busy lives these days that we don’t give ourselves enough “alone” time.
Meditation is something you can regular schedule into your life. Just 10 minutes a day will have a huge benefit on your mental and physical well-being.

Anyway…to my favourite….
You lie down in what is called “the Corpse” position- any guesses what that looks like?
Yes – you’re lying on your back,eyes closed, hands resting at your side with the palms facing upwards and your fingers relaxed.
Your legs are stretched out in a relaxed fashion with your feet falling outwards.

And you go inwards mentally. Yes – this is your chance to focus totally on yourself!
Mentally “go through” your body checking which parts are tight or tense and consciously relax them. You can even just deliberately breathe in and tense those parts and then relax them as you do a releasing breathe out. It really feels good once you get used to it.

Then focus just on your breathing and slow it right down. You breathe in from your belly first letting it rise as it fills with air and then expanding your lower ribs and then let your ribs and belly relax as you breathe out. Just watch your breathing for a while. It’s so relaxing.

The stress leaves you and you feel re-energised when you’ve finished. If thoughts come into your head just watch them and then let them go! You can also pretend you’re in a favourite place,somewhere that makes you feel relaxed, happy and peaceful!

Then after say about 10-15 minutes (but after all who’s counting!) or when you’re ready, check back through your body again, wriggle your toes and hands.

Open your eyes and have a big stretch! And then allow yourself time to come back to the world before you sit up and get on with your day.

Everyone has heard of Yoga and many people want to know how to do Yoga but it ain’t that easy.

Once you start looking into the subject it’s really easy to get confused!

…. Is it a religion?
…..a set of weird looking positions you put your body into?
…..people sitting around cross-legged chanting “om” to strange Indian music?

…and what does it have to do with us?!!

And yet, you read everywhere that it’s good for you and helps the soul!

It’s actually all of those things and more! And the great thing is that you can do whatever bit of it appeals to you.
There’s no rules and regulations about it (unless you’re a practising Hindu – but even then – there’s many paths to the same goal and many styles of Yoga!)

Yoga can basically be split up into 2 different aspects: The Asanas or Postures (that’s the exercise part of it) and The Meditation.

The Asanas are different positions, many of which can be easily learnt, which stimulate different systems in the body as well as tone the body.

For instance there’s certain positions my teacher tells us to practise during winter to build up our immunity system to protect us against colds and ‘flu! And you know, while everyone around me (especially my husband!) has had the flu this winter (I’m in Down-Under Land), I have stayed remarkably healthy and well!

If you want to learn or get a feel for how to do Yoga Asanas at home – get a feel for it- have a look at Yoga At Home

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