How can we bring yoga and meditation together? What are some of the techniques that work best for beginners to both meditation and yoga? What key elements of meditation techniques can be used in yoga?

The first meditation technique that comes to mind is mindfulness; paying attention to the task at hand. Precisely the problem for the scattered mind. Is this an impossible situation? How can key elements of this meditation technique work in a yoga practice?  With other meditation techniques the power of concentration is essential.

Let’s find simple ways to make the mind less noisy and more quiet, i.e. to make the mind meditative, using mindfulness and concentration  in a yoga asana practice.

Helpful Perception

Beginners practicing a meditation technique that requires concentration, experience frustration as the mind wanders time and again in far away places. Yet this is exactly why you are here in practice. So yes there is the wandering; and “my mind is being trained” is a more helpful perception of what is happening.

Yoga Asana Practice

Bring this awareness that the mind is being trained into your yoga asana practice. That as well as  training the body, there is training for the mind. Training happens through concentration. In fact, in Yoga’s 8 limb program, called Ashtanga in Sanskrit, concentration (Dharana) comes before meditation (Dhyana).

What can we concentrate on and what can we be aware of when practicing poses?

1. The Breath

For example, you are practicing raising and lowering your legs from lying. Synchronize the movement with the breath. In fact go further than this. Let the breath surround the movement. Begin to inhale before you raise the leg and end the movement first, then the inhalation. Begin to exhale and then start lowering the leg. Let the leg come to rest on the floor and then end the exhalation. Keep the breath in your awareness.

2. Keeping Track by Counting

When do you end the leg raising and lowering? Is it based on the number of repetitions or on how you feel? Maybe it is both. In any event, count mentally when your legs come to rest, after you have completed the round. To increase concentration, practice in this way.

3. The Place of Stretch

We want to anchor our yoga practice in the body. Where is the mind? Is it  looking around or judging yourself? Judging is in opposition to meditation. Bring awareness to the place where you feel the stretch. Let the mind be a humble Witness.

These interesting meditation techniques that can be practiced within yoga asana are: (1) a helpful perception that yoga postures train both body and mind; (2)  to concentrate in a variety of ways; (3) to be a witness and avoid the role of the judge.

Heather Greaves helps yoga beginners and enthusiasts learn even more yoga even though their only teacher is a book. They say, To master something, teach it. Since 2005 Heather has been training yoga teachers in a certified program. For more yoga tips and information visit Body Therapies Yoga Training http://www.yogatogo.com

Amazing how all cells of the heart beat in synchronicity. When removed from the heart, heart cells continue to beat individually. When they touch however, they will beat in unison. The wonder of Nature. I find this fascinating.

How do we care for this heart that is always on?

Here’s quick advice for a healthier diet from the mayo clinic website: Eat grass-fed beef, limit unhealthy fats, choose low fat protein sources, use omega-3 fatty acids, enjoy walnuts and almonds, savor healthy chocolate in moderation, eat more vegetables and fruits, select whole grains, reduce salt in food, practice moderation.

If exercise is bad word for you, think of staying active instead. Staying active will help to keep the heart healthy. Keep moving: walk, swim, dance, take the stairs. Do what you love doing, what gives you pleasure. This way you can keep that activity up easily. Other steps for a healthy heart: quit smoking, meditate, let go of revenge and greed, bring more love in your life.

You will relax more, breathe better, think more clearly, be more energized, and need less sleep. And you will need less pharmaceutical drugs.

The heart is quite central to yoga. Yoga means union, to bind, to yoke. The foundations of yoga are the Yamas and Niyamas. These two limbs of yoga, suggest that we relate to others in a non-violent way, and to ourselves with truth. When we do so, another amazing thing happens.  We begin to open the heart and release the pain held there.

May we experience deeper and fuller breaths as we  accept ourselves, and love life more and more.

It’s the beginning of the school year and students of all ages will experience stress at one point. Good stress lights a fire and gets us moving. It becomes bad stress when the mind fixates on the situation.

When the mind is boss, it shows up in the body as headaches, digestive problems, poor sleep, lack of concentration, muscle tension, difficulty breathing, anxiety and many other symptoms. Interpersonal relationships suffer, and you become an unhappy camper.

Meditation offers great relief from these symptoms. A regular daily practice of 10-20 minutes can make a huge difference. There’s a smile in my heart when I see students interested in learning to meditate and taking the time to develop this life skill. I know first hand just how important it is to have the mind as a friend.

Here in Hamilton there are many types of meditation offered, for fee and for free. Here are two group classes:

1. Classes by Samara at the Regent Health and Chiropractic Clinic  (see http://tinyurl.com/ye2xb4w).

2. Classes at Blue Heron Zen Buddhist Centre (see  http://blueheronzencentre.blogspot.com/)

If your schedule is quite inflexible, private meditation classes are offered throughout our city as well. If you’d like to learn  meditation in a semi-private or private class, you may call  905-628-6463 or email us.

Heather Greaves

Yoga Teacher Trainer

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Community, prosperity and a courageous spirit to face the future can be yours if you so desire and intend. The method I suggest is meditation with a chant.

Why to Chant

Sound creates a vibration. Our thoughts are silent sounds that vibrations. We attract according to the frequency of our vibration. When you chant a mantra, you attract whatever you are vibrating.

How long to Meditate

11 minutes of meditation begins to change the nerves and glandular system.

Stage 1 –40 days to change a habit.
Stage 2 –90 days to confirm the habit.
Stage 3 –120 days to own the habit.
Stage 4 –1000 days to master the new habit.

When to Meditate

First thing in the morning is the best time right after your yoga exercise. Your yoga exercise could be a mindful walk, movement, or a breathing exercise. If another time is better for you, of course make it then. Get together with friends and practice in community.

Benefits

Mantras can transform destructive mental habits and limiting personality tendencies. If you like being alone or the other extreme seek attention and popularity these will evolve to community with your courageous spirit. Hoarding possessions or poverty consciousness will change to the realization of prosperity. And your courageous spirit will transform fear of the future or, the other end of the scale, fantasy of the future so you face the future.

The Kundalini Yoga meditation chant is available for free download on this site.