Beginning Practice

As we approach the new calendar year, many of us seek to shed our "old bodies" and get shape by making New Year's Resolutions to join health clubs and do cardio, lift weights, eat healthier, and lose weight. If we don't see dramatic results immediately we lose heart and go back to our old bad habits, often gaining more weight and getting in worse shape than we were in before.

The key to getting and staying in shape is consistency. One must first make baby steps, make them on a regular basis, and keep making them over and over again until they become a new good habit. Over time, you will see the results. They will not be so dramatic at first, but others will notice. Then you will notice that you feel better, and when you skip too many days you feel worse. This should give you added incentive to keep up a regular practice. Following is a guide for an ultra beginning Surya Namaskara A (sun salutation A) for those who have limited upper body strength. Practice this if you can for six days in a row until it flows easily with your breath and you can do at least 5 in a row without stopping. Then you can lie down and rest for 5 minutes. The entire routine should take about 10 minutes. Ideally, this should be practiced in the morning before you do anything else.

Inhaling, lift your arms up and touch your palms together, looking at your thumbs. Exhaling, fold forward at the hips until you touch the floor alongside your feet. Bend your knees as much as you need to so your back does not round excessively. Keeping your fingers on the floor if you can, inhale and straighten your arms and back (put your hands on your legs if you can't keep your hands on the floor. Be sure not to pinch the back of your neck). Exhaling, place the palms down and step your feet back and slightly apart to a pushup position, then lift your hips up in the air as high as you can. Keep the hands flat and reach your heels down even if they don't touch. This is "downward dog" pose. Relax your neck so you can see your feet, but look at the tip of your nose. Breath deeply in and out five times. If you can, on an inhale breath jump your feet up between your hands (walk up if you are less ambitious!) and straighten your arms and back (the fingertips should stay down, but you can place them on the legs if you are tight in the legs; watch your neck - don't tighten it!). Exhale and fold down. Inhaling, stand up slowly with a straight back lifting the arms up overhead. Exhaling, lower the arms down.

Follow the link for Ashtanga.com on the sidebar to find dvds on the Ashtanga method, or to go to Guruji's website where you can find an active demo of the Surya Namaskar (traditional method). Remember that it takes time to build strength and endurance, so don't do too much on the first day. If you've never done this before, maybe one is enough for a couple of days. If you are sore the next day, don't do any more until the soreness goes away (but don't stop, either). Add only one at a time until you can do five in a row without being sore the next day, and do that six days in a row. Build the good habit.

You will then be ready to add Surya Namaskara B, which adds lunges and two more downward dogs. Or you can add the upward dogs in (without the pushups yet), or start adding the "yoga pushups". If you have been to an Ashtanga class, you have seen those pushups, with the elbows in to the body rather than opening outward. If you are not sure how to perform these correctly, please do not attempt them on your own. Find a class with a qualified teacher who will work with you on proper alignment and technique so you can avoid injuring your shoulders and lower back. The modified version given here will suffice until then.

Namaste, hon!

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Coming, going, the waterfowl
Leaves not a trace,
Nor does it need a guide.

Kigen Dogen
translated by Lucien Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto
Zen Poems
Everyman's Library Pocket Books
Alfred A Knopf publishers
ISBN # 0-375-40552-6

Being mindful in our daily lives, in every task can be challenging and difficult but allows us to bring our yoga practice off the mat and out of the studio and into the real world. Since the most important part of the asana practice is the breath, and the most important part of meditation practice is the breath, bring your mindfulness of your breath into every mundane task.

The Moment is Now

There is only one moment in time when it is essential to awaken.
That moment is now.

The Buddha

The Bridge of Stars 365 Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations from Around the World
Duncan Baird Publishers
ISBN 1-903296-27-7

Being alive and awake in the present moment is a true challenge, isn't it? We regret things we've said or done but we can't take them back or undo them. We dream of things we want to do or wish for things we desire but can't have but get stuck in a cycle of gimme gimme wanna wanna and then are disappointed when these things don't make us as happy as we thought they would.

Sometimes the simplest joys are right there in front of us - the sun shining down on us, the birds singing, our children laughing and playing in the yard, a meal well prepared and shared with someone we care for. Nothing else matters in that moment but what is happening in that special moment.

In that moment, we are awake.