Meditation has always been something that has been challenging for me.  To sit with myself and all my internal chatter feels super overwhelming.  That is what in part drew me to the vinyasa style of yoga early on…the fact that it was a flowing practice that felt like a moving mediation.  I’ve tried many times to establish a sitting meditation practice, with limited success.  But I’m trying again, as I feel deep within me that being still with myself is so important.  As someone who loves to move and is always on the move physically and mentally, I think it is super valuable to balance it all out with the stillness.  That is also in part why I do Savasana (corpse pose) and legs up the wall pose every day, and in part why I do a restorative yoga practice every Friday. The stillness is important to balance all the busyness and activity of life.

Recently I had the great pleasure and privilege to take part in a free 7-day meditation challenge taught by Judith Lasater and her daughter, Lizzie Lasater.  It was so helpful to receive  a 5 or so minute mini tutorial  on one aspect of meditation and then have them hold the space for a 5 minute meditation.  10 minutes total each day was completely do-able, and I learned something new each day, which is right up my alley – learning!!  Since then, I’ve been sitting almost every day for about 5 minutes – sometimes longer.  And I’ve really come to look forward to that time: to start my day from a place of stillness and awareness feels so grounding and nourishing.  While I’m sure there is more for me to learn – the subtle nuances of sitting and the gentle return to myself and the moment - this feels like a great start.

This month I’ve been inviting time for meditation into our asana practice, so that we all have a few moments to be still and quiet in a mindful way.  It’s easy to drift off towards sleep in Savasana so I’ve been encouraging myself and my students to sit upright during meditation.  We’ve been thinking about our seat and our spine, and the breath…drawing inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh and other incredible teachers. 

If you are curious about meditation, there are many wonderful and knowledgeable teachers out there. You can look to Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, Cyndi Lee, Judith and Lizzie Lasater. And of course, there are many more, but this should get you started.   

I’m also including an 8 minute video here where I’ll share with you some simple tips to get you started and then we’ll sit for 5 minutes just so you get a taste of it.  Enjoy the stillness!