Mindfulness Myth: "I Can't Meditate, My Mind is Always Racing"

Welcome to life as a human being. There are many misunderstandings when it comes to meditation but one of the ones I seem to hear a lot is, "I can't meditate...my mind is always racing!" It is the nature of the mind to race, to judge, to compare, to reflect, to bounce from one thought to another with every new sensory input. That said we all have the special ability to observe that racing, comparing, judging mind. It is in the simple witnessing of the race that we begin to harness the mind power of meditation.
If you can't get out of the rat race than start to become a keen witness of it, starting with your own mind. A busy mind is not a barrier to mindfulness, it is the why you need the practice in your life. With practice we can begin to shift our perception to become a little more connected with that witness and a little more detached from that monkey mind. Don't expect the mind to stop...in fact, don't expect anything and you are on your way with mindfulness.
One simple and profound meditation practice that I learned and would share with you is to observe your breath and each time you notice you are indulging in thought simply say, "Not Now" and come back to your breath. The truth is that each time we are following the fantasy of the mind we have slipped out of this present moment and it really is Not Now. Familiarize yourself with your own mind and body and you will take a major step in your health. Practice watching that racing mind and you may just discover a deep sense of peace awaits.

Be Mindful of Health,

Steve

Yoga+Meditation for Stress: Thought, Belief and the Space Between

Those who develop a regular yoga+meditation practice soon discover the benefits manifesting in the places they need it most. Initially, the practice takes place on the yoga mat but soon we realize the practice extends far beyond into our relationships, home, school and work. One specific way to take the practice beyond the mat is through Self-Inquiry. Our last blog introduced us into the specific process shared by Byron Katie and known as The Work. Today, we will deepen our understanding of how to use The Work to target the enormous challenge of stress in our lives. There are many examples at the website, www.TheWork.com and they are so well done it seems redundant to repeat them here.

Stress is the result of an unmet expectation. The word "tension" implies there are two points that are at odds with each other. Imagine a rope and you are holding onto to one end; the other end is tied to a stake in the ground. The rope is your thought about how something should be, and the stake is your belief in that thought that is not supported in your reality. Yoga teaches that thoughts aren't the problem but rather our attachments to those thoughts, essentially our beliefs. You may have realized by now that you cannot change people. Ghandi has a great quote that is timeless, "Be the change you want to see in the world". How about, be the change you want to see at work.

For many, the workplace is the greatest source of stress so begin noticing the relationship between thoughts and your beliefs about those thoughts. Apply "The Work" to your beliefs in order to realize, experientially, that these beliefs are not supported by reality. By practicing self-enquiry, yoga and meditation we can become more aware of this connection between thought and belief. Believing every thought that passes through your head is a recipe for stress and suffering. A student once asked a meditation master about the difference between the student's mind and the mind of the master, the Master replied, "thoughts that arise in this mind are like clouds passing through the sky".

Each time you feel the contractions or tightening characteristic of stressful moments, explore the thoughts and your belief about those thoughts that lead to that internal reaction. Practice is the key and withdrawing your expectations of reality in favor of being with your reality. The difference is subtle but profound.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Yoga: Exercise for Body and Mind

I often forget how most people consider yoga to be simply physical exercise. More people are discovering yoga in gyms in North America than in the many yoga studios that seem to be on every street corner. Of course, we have to get a bit more creative in rural areas. The way the public thinks about yoga is quite telling. One of the fundamental challenges we face, according to yoga psychology is our over-identification with the body. That means we fail to recognize our psycho-spiritual nature (for the most part). Human beings are like ice-bergs where there is more going on than meets the eye.

Any activity that is intended to re-unite our fragmented experience of reality can be classified as yoga. Even living in an ashram for 10 years there were many people that continued to say, "this is yoga and that is not yoga" Well, unless you could see into the heart and mind of that individual how could you possibly know if they were practicing yoga or not? We go to a class and get on a mat so that we can learn to concentrate the mind, strengthen the body and improve our health but the practice of yoga need never stop. You are continually faced with your perception of reality and the myriad of ways your ego reacts to that perception. Simply being aware of this process is a yoga practice.

To say, "I don't have time for yoga", then is the ultimate misnomer. It is time to deepen our understanding of this ancient practice. One translation of the above statement could be, "I don't have time to remember who I am". I would say it is more a function of space than time. Learn to create space in yourself and time will loosen its grip on you.

Be deep,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta