Dwelling on the past has never helped me live in the present. A momentary reflection might help me appreciate the present more, but lingering any longer than this puts me in a place where I start to become dissatisfied with the present state of things. I believe, and have experienced embracing things as there are. Moving from high to low, gives me a unique journey that holds its own special rewards and joys. How about you? I find that the most obvious enjoyment in moving back down to a lower state is the closeness I have with the Earth below. A feeling of groundedness and security that I can experience seated on the earth in a calm, lowered energetic state can be experienced once living in the present moment. It can be nice to spread my wings and fly high for a time in the different posture of life like working at my job and yoga poses like warrior or a one leg balance, but these activities require allot of energy, and it is very enjoyable to have somewhere to rest afterwards. A home to return back to after the adventure is over, active to passive, is what a lower state of energy offers us. I think that my discomfort, my suffering, my unrest when transitioning to a lower state is a matter of attachment and conditioning. I have learned that I should always be busy and active, that I always need to be accomplishing something to make my life worth while. So transitioning to rest can be a bit difficult, even to the point of suffering from insomnia of and one for many months. This is my experience in the matter of living in the modern world, and encourage you to think of your own in such matters, maybe it is similar? I invite you to come with me on a journey, very simple and literal in some ways, standing, folding forward, embracing the Earth, and finally sitting to rest. I find that these moments are the best times to experience what is happening within my consciousness, what is at ease, and what is in need of some tenderness and care.
Transition from standing to sitting
- Standing, maybe legs are spread if we are transitioning from a warrior pose or other standing posture. I invite you to point both feet in the same direction, toward the long edge of your mat. Bring your awareness to your emotional self. How do you feel? Do you feel pleasant? Do you feel ready for a rest? If you still have some energy that you need to work through, you might want to do some more warrior poses or other standing postures.
- If you are ready to rest now, explore folding forward with me about half way, so that the torso is about parallel with the ground, trying to maintain a nice flat back, hinging at the hips. How do you feel? What is the difference in energy as you move you body?
- When you are ready, allow the arms to hang down, bend the knees, and embrace the ground below with the palms. Feel the energy come into your palms from the ground below, and how it moves through your body from these points. How do you feel now? Do you feel some rest and relief as you begin to allow the Earth below to support you?
- Finally, bring the feet together, heal toe heel toe perhaps, squat down to a seat. Of course, this is all a suggestions, so transition to seated however feels best for you and your body. Now that you are seated, how was the journey? Now might be an appropriate time to briefly recall the feeling you had when standing, so you can compare it with this new feeling in seated. How is it different? How is it the same? What feels better? What might feel uncomfortable? Do you feel calmer and more relax? I thank you so much my body for aiding me in this experience, this grand journey of life! I invite you to press your hands to heart center, to share gratitude for the support of the Earth, the sustenance of the vital breath, and to say a word that means my inner light honors your inner light, “Namaste!”
My hope and prayer is that this simple movement has shown you something joyful about life! I hope that you are finding health and happiness a bit more accessible now! May joy and life greet you in your various transitions of life, my friend, now and always! Thank you so much for being wonderful you, for practicing with me today! Godbless and Namaste! Aaron :-)