Yoga, Meditation, and Sustaining Resilience.
By Lena Yudina. An Interview with Nancy While is included in the article.
What comes to your mind when you hear about the following concepts: Yoga, Tibet, Buddhism, or Mindful Meditation? Some people might go with perceptions like ‘monks,’ ‘difficult,’ ‘foreign to the Western Mindset,’ ‘I am not a pretzel.’ On the other hand, some of us might feel joyful sensations while practicing or learning about all concepts above. In this article, I share some health-related insights from my Yoga and Meditation Research and practices. You will hear the insights I gained from reading the book called ‘Meditation Without Gurus,’ by Zen monk, Clark Strand. Also, I will share my conversation with a Yoga Warrior Nancy While, that we held via Phone. Native New Yorker, now an L.A. Yoga practitioner, Nancy runs her Yoga Education Institute, and she offers classes and professional Yoga Teacher Training programs to all interested.
Have You Noticed that We Worry Too Much, Lately?
And there are reasons for that. The rapid changes in socio-economic patterns of life during Pandemic have made a non-erasable impact on our lives. It is hard to give a piece of universal advice that will address all the worries. But still, there are some lessons we can learn from those gurus who fight on the front-lines of public health and ultimate wellbeing. I believe that my article will help my reader to sustain resilience, heal the wounds, reevaluate some deeds, and stay compassionate and connected to his or her true self, nature, and the global community at large.
Mala Beads, the Pleasures of Meditation, and the Wisdom of Ancient Legends
I am always stunned by the appearance of the beaded Malas or so-called prayer beads that often accompany Meditation rituals in Temples, Yoga studios, or religious worship places. According to Buddhist traditions, Malas are more than prayer beads. I wondered, what are the meaning and practical use of the “favorite tool?” Is there a way to learn from this Eastern tradition to calm down the worries? Please note that there is no need to practice Yoga or become a Buddsits to gain insights that might help. But on the other hand, and in my personal opinion, practicing some Yoga, QiGong or Meditation, or learning about them wouldn’t hurt.
Malas
Malas – the colorful beads that often look like bracelets, are used to keeping count when repeatedly chanting a mantra. Tibetan Malas are 108 beads long. The Buddha taught that 108 desires afflict humans and that they bring negative Karma to the person’s life. These desires include greediness, aggressiveness, ignorance, sexual misconduct, addictive behaviors, satisfying negative beliefs, gossiping, laziness, greed to steal or keep what wasn’t freely given, and more. The number 108 might also refer to the learning from the Kangyur, the Tibetan Buddhist canon, a loosely defined list of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Meditation.
Popular Legend and Lesson Learned
“According to a popular legend on the origins of Buddhist Mala practice, King Vaidunya once said to the Buddha: “In recent years, disease and famine have swept my country. The people are distressed, and I worry about this night and day without interruption. Ours is a pitiful condition. The totality of the dharma is too profound and extensive for us to practice, given these circumstances. Please teach me just the main point of the dharma so that I may practice it and teach it to others.”
The Buddha replied: “King, if you want to eliminate earthly desires, make a circular string of 108 bodhi seeds and, holding them always to yourself, recite, ‘I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha.’ Count one bead with each recitation of these three.” This is the earliest tale of Buddhist mala practice, and it was clearly intended for those who, unlike members of the Buddha’s monastic assembly, could not abandon the worries of secular life.
The Three Jewels of Buddhism
In the above statements, the word ‘Buddha’ refers to the real person who lived in the 6th century B.C.; the word ‘Dharma’ refers to Buddha’s Teachings, and the term ‘Sanga’ refers to the community of trained Zen Monks and Nuns. This three-cornered pillar refers to the concept of Three Jewels of Buddhism. The Three Jewels are one of the tangible and practical ways to center ourselves in times of uncertainty. The Three Jewels (also called the Triratna) are the three essential supporting components of Buddhism. They guide and give refuge (safety and comfort) to Buddhists and non-Buddhist’ lay-people interested in learning from the Eastern Wisdom and Mind-Training traditions.
According to Clark Strand, an ex-Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and a former Senior Editor of Tricycle, “All beads are worry beads— sometimes popularly referred to as “Power Bracelets,” worn by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. People of every religious tradition will claim that their beads are for praying—for appealing to a higher power, for collecting the spirit or concentrating mind—and while this is indisputably true, that is not their primary purpose. Beads are for worry.”
( Clark Strand is an ex-Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and a former Senior Editor of Tricycle. His books include Seeds from a Birch Tree and The Wooden Bowl: Simple Meditation for Everyday Life. L.Y.)
“The Buddhist Mala acknowledges this. It is a way of engaging our fears. A way of combining the universal need for talismanic objects with the kind of repetitive movements that calm the body and mind. The difference between the Buddhist Mala and the Malas of various Western analogs is in the different meanings of the Beads.
The mala practice was clearly intended for those who could not abandon the worries of secular life. That Mala beads later came to be used by the monks themselves. It probably testifies to their effectiveness in calming the kinds of worries that afflict us all, monk and lay-people alike. When questioned in an interview, even the Dalai Lama admits to being attached to his beads.
How Can We Apply the Mala Powers to our Daily Practices?
Whether or not you wear a power-bracelet, take time to reevaluate your shortcomings and desires that bring negative Karama to your life. Do it before you accuse strangers, colleagues, or neighbors of causing problems in your life. Identify harmful thought patterns, take your ‘inner garbage’ out, clean the space so that the nature within you and outside your body can breathe some fresh air.
Simple Meditation
- Find a clean and beautiful spot in your home. Take a blanket and a meditation pillow ( if you have one). Sit down in a comfortable position either on the floor or a chair.
- Find an object in your place that brings you good memories of vibrant sensations. In Yoga, people call it a Drishti Point. It can be a flower in your favorite vase or a rock that your child brought from the beach. It can be anything like a small aromatic candle, or a picture on your wall.
- Stare at your chosen object focusing on your breath.
- Breathe deeply from your belly, letting the air fulfill your inner organs up to your lungs.
- Let all your worries melt away, like mild snow, after a sunny day. You can use calming music as a background to your meditation, or rely on the energies of the healing Tibetan Singing Bowls. You can also visualize something beautiful like nature or waterfall, and repeat mantras for positive affirmation.
How Can We Bring Simple Yoga Exercise into Practice?
Recently, I spoke on the phone with Nancy While, a yoga practitioner and the Director of her Yoga Education Institute. It was a pleasure to talk with Nancy during the Pandemic and hear her thoughts. Here are some fragments of my Interview with Nancy.
L: Nancy, could you share your thoughts on Meditation. What is the best way to practice Meditation, in your opinion?
N: I prefer to talk about and practice Mantra Meditation. Mantra Meditation brings transcendental experience to the human mind, and it directly corresponds to the healing of the human body.
L: Word ‘Transcendental’ describes a spiritual or nonphysical realm. When something is intuitive, it’s beyond ordinary, everyday experience. A transcendental philosophy emphasizes the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical. How can one bring this experience into daily life and healing?
N: We should dedicate a particular time of the day, let say morning 6:00 am. Also find a guaranteed spot in our apartment to practice Meditation. The exercise can last for about 10-15 min, or longer if you prefer.
- Sit down in a comfortable position. Choose a word or a phrase such as “I Am,” or “I Am Powerful.” Then inhale with the words “I am” (mantra), and exhale with the word “Powerful” (mantra). The Mantra words can be simple and straightforward but positive and affirmative.
- Take a deep breath and start counting on each inhale and exhale for four-five counts. Visualize the numbers 1,2,3,4, 5 with each try.
- You can also choose an object and focus on its presence. It can be a rock, for instance—stare on its shape, noticing all the curves, colors, and size. Be present, bring your mind to a present moment. It will help your brain to free some space and meltdown some fears and worries.
Music and Meditation
L: What is the value of using music during the Meditation Sessions? Do you use music during your Yoga and Meditation classes?
N: Music sound keeps your attention and inner focus better, so we use some music and humming during our sessions. I am trying to avoid songs that have lyrics in them. Such songs might distract the mind and make the mind unnecessary busy. Using communal or individual humming is a great practice.
L: Many proponents claim that the vibrations of a Singing Bowls can produce beneficial changes in the body by reducing stress. They work towards “harmonizing” the cells, and “balancing the body’s energy system.” Some also claim that Tibetan Singing Bowls can stimulate the immune system. What do you think of the value of Tibetan Singing Bowls, and what is your take on their powers?
N: Some yoga and QiGOng schools use Singing Bowls, as sound vibrations of music tones of specific frequencies can produce beneficial changes in human brain waves.
L: I know that you usually teach Yoga Classes and offer training programs at your Yoga Education Institute. During the Pandemic, many things have changed, and the majority of people work and study from homes. What Yoga postures can you recommend to those who are in front of their computers 9–5 pm / 7?
N: I would suggest people set-up an alarm clock for the intervals of 30-45 minutes each. Get out of the chair, each time doing some simple stretches or postures like a Dolphin Pose, Camel Pose, Warrior, or Cobra Pose, or poses that aim to relax hands, shoulders, and fingers.
L: I love ‘Dolphin Posture,’ it relaxes the spine, hamstrings, calves, and arches. Besides, it provides all of the benefits of Downward-Facing Dog without doing the Dog Pose. The Dolphin Posture relieves from headaches, insomnia, fatigue, and mild depression. What are other Yoga postures that you favor?
N: One of the postures I can recommend is excellent for body relaxation: Put your hands behind your back, open up a chest, take your shoulders apart, and slightly back. You can add a rotation with your head, stretching some muscles in your neck. Keep the posture for about 10 seconds, then release and repeat it again. Don’t forget to breathe in and out, using your abdominal breath, or the so-called breath Ujjayi, which is also my favorite. (The chest opening pose that you mentioned is one of my favorite too. It corresponds to the Heart Chakra, so it might help to invite some compassion into our daily life, projects, and business affairs. L.Y.)
L: Some of your Classes and Courses include Teacher Training programs in Prenatal Yoga and Yoga for Kids. What is the best way for people to reach out to you or take some of your classes during the Pandemic?
N: I can be reached via email on my website. We communicate with my students via Zoom and I share other pre-recorded yoga and training sessions online with those who applied.
I thanked Nancy and felt grateful to the author of the books that I’ve mentioned in this article. In conclusion, I can say that there are many other ways to remain calm and maintain Serenity and Resilience. I openly shared my beliefs in my recent Interview with the Thrive Global and Authority Magazine. Recent changes in the economic behaviors will urge the global communities to come together and learn to cooperate with compassion. It seems that learning some techniques of self- healing as well as compassionate approaches in treating ourselves, other people, and the Earth is the only way to sustain purposeful and healthy life.
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