Living Yoga Course Weekly Practices and Resources (Week 4)
Visit this page daily to access videos and other resources to help you maintain a regular practice at home.
Each page opens in a new window: simply close it when you are done with the practices therein.
This week, the relaxation and meditation practices will remain the same as last week, so the link below will take you to the respective Week 3 page.
Please try to fill in the feedback form every day.
If you prefer, you can continue with practices from Week 3.
To access the Week 3 practice page, click here.
General recommendations
for the inclusion of practices in daily life
A) DAILY TIMINGS
Upon waking: mantra practice with sankalpa (resolve). This timing is best because the mind is very impressionable right after waking up.
See “Early morning routines” above for details.Before breakfast: asana (postures) and pranayama (yogic breath-work). Starting your day with asana and pranayama, regularly, will help ensure that your body and your nervous system function at their optimum capacity throughout the day. Therefore, even though other timings may sometimes be necessary due to clashes with your schedule, allotting 15 minutes for regular morning practice will give more benefits than even a much longer time at other times of day.
After breakfast: if you can, try find 5-10 minutes (or more) for cleaning and tidying your living space / around it. What we are looking for here is not so much an improvement in the general state of your environment - even though that is surely an welcome added benefit - but a daily, reliably present experience of the relationship between our inner and outer life. As we purify our bodies through shatkarma and asana, and minds through the various practices of deep relaxation and meditation, the habit of morning cleaning is going to be a very useful and surprisingly powerful way of reinforcing the effect of the practices on our minds and the stability and quality of its moods.
In the afternoon: relaxation practice, such as long shavasana (see “Relaxation & Meditation” above). Conscious relaxation techniques provide a much faster and far more efficient way to destress and unwind than what we usually consider relaxing activities (watching a show, having a drink, etc.). It will give you extra energy for whatever activities you normally do after work, and generally help maintain a more relaxed and positive attitude.
In the evening: a practice of meditation (more coming soon), where you give 10-15 minutes to yourself to reconnect with your inner source of strength and composure, and where you learn to disassociate from the limiting and detrimental parts of your own personality, as well as to throw away unnecessary mental and emotional “baggage”, often imposed on you by your environment. The practice of Kaya Sthairyam is a great start as it teaches us this process with what we can experience most tangibly: the physical body. A slightly longer practice than what we did in the live session is available in “Relaxation & Meditation” above.
B) OTHER SUGGESTIONS
Focussing on one thing at a time. This is an essential part of yogic lifestyle. By focussing on one activity at a time and not allowing your mind to get dissipated by either internal or external distractions - desires and thoughts of past and future, and devices / people / environment respectively - you will gradually develop willpower, focus, and strength in the mind. You can develop this ability to a considerable degree by a regular practice of yoga and meditation; however, it is only when you apply it in external life that you can make real use of it. It will lead to increased efficiency and energy, which gets otherwise dissipated by the contradictory thought currents of an untrained mind.
To really develop this ability, our focus needs to be on developing a friendly - even loving - attitude to what we are doing. A great approach to life is summed up in the saying “Do what you like, like what you do”; however, it is only the first part that we normally strive to accomplish. To “like what we do” implies developing a friendly relationship with all types of actions, work, etc. that we need to do - in other words, with the present moment, whatever it may be like at any given time. Even a little effort in this direction brings a lot of joy and fulfilment, so it’s definitely worth trying!Digital detox: Our bodies and minds have not at all evolved at a pace corresponding to the pace of technological evolution. After all, a human generation is thought to be 20-25 years, while machine generations last 4 years or less, and are possibly shortening.
While incredibly useful, our various devices also have a majorly externalising effect on our minds, aggravating our disconnection from our own bodies and living environment.
While a complete control and ability to disconnect at will are skills that may take a some time and effort to develop, one simple practice that helps is to make sure the phones, tablets etc. are not present while we eat. This, of course, includes TV’s, loud music and so on. If you are in the habit of eating while these distractions are present, you will be surprised how much more taste and enjoyment you experience when eating in silence, or perhaps while a neutral / uplifting conversation is going on.
Indigestion and many other problems is greatly reduced.Sitting in vajrasana (thunderbolt pose; sitting on heels) for 5-10 minutes after meals is a simple practice with profound effects. To test it, choose a meal time where it is easiest for you to do, then try to apply it after every meal if possible. Along with benefits for the digestive system, it is also a great aid to help you learn the art of meditation. Simply close your eyes and observe all the processes in the body after you’ve eaten.
Remember, if vajrasana feels really uncomfortable for the ankles and/or knees, it’s perfectly fine to roll a firm blanket and place it between the heels to sit on. That said, if you develop the unsupported vajrasana gradually, you will gain a classical seated posture with many health benefits, as also a great way to sit for meditation.Strive to develop a regular practice - 5 days a week is recommended for best results. It is far better to do a little every day than a lot every now and again.
Feedback: I am here for you if you need any help with the practices, or are struggling with their inclusion in your routine. Use the feedback form or email me with any queries.
I wish you success with your daily practices, and look forward to hearing about your experiences!
Om Tat Sat
Mahesh