MEDITATION
We need to
connect the
earthly part of
our nature with
our spirit.
consciousteaching
together above their head. On the
exhalation, I ask them to lower their
hands to the level of the brow, the
palms together, and the fingers
pointing upwards. I then ask them to
leave their right hand where it is, and
to bring their left hand to the level of
the belly (their solar plexus), turning
the palm upwards in a slightly bowl-
shaped position. We then proceed with the yoga class. I
much prefer flow sequences, where
we move seamlessly from one posture
to the next. The movements
themselves become a type of
meditation, as do the poses. Of
course, the breath is important to
maintain throughout. The point is that
it is all meant to shift the
consciousness of the participants.
At this point I say something briefly
about how, in this posture, we
connect the earthly part of our nature
with our spirit. We stay in this
position, with the spine erect, for at
least a minute. I sometimes open my
eyes, and it is so beautiful to see the
students sitting in this powerful
fashion, radiating a spiritual energy
that is palpable. I then ask them to
bring the left hand to join the right
one. Both hands are then lifted above
the head on the inhalation. On the
exhalation the arms are lowered
slowly in a wide arc, with the elbows
slightly bent. I must mention that at present I am
teaching during people's lunch hours,
so there is not much flexibility
regarding the duration of the class. I
try to include a final meditation at the
end. Unlike traditional approaches, I
give people a choice whether to
meditate in the sitting posture or lie in
Savasana at the end of the class. The
meditation begins with a focus on
breathing.
46 www.yogicherald.com March 2019
As with other aspects of my yoga
class, the pranayama that I present is
improvised. Rather than doing
alternate nostril breathing, I urge
participants to begin by breathing
very slowly through the nostrils,
bringing their attention to the action
of breathing; the expansion that
happens in the abdomen, ribs and
chest on the in breath, and the act of
fully expelling the breath on the
exhalation. I urge them to become
"one" with the breath.
I then have them hold the out breath
after fully expelling, and at the same
time, have them focus on the space in
front of their closed eyes. As the
breath pauses, so do the thoughts.
The connection between the breath
and the mind becomes obvious. It all
stops as the practitioner waits for the
breath to come, and the mind reaches
a state of suspension. This is really the
culmination of the meditation and the
yoga session. It is in a state of pure
anticipation and openness that the
waves cease in the mind.
Note that I ask them to hold their
breath only for as long as they feel is
comfortable, and start the out breath
when the urge arises. There is no