Pratyahara

We experience the external world through our senses, and our brain processes the information and informs the mind, which in turn, informs the body (as well as doing LOTS of thinking about it)

We are constantly bombarded with sensory images and impressions, forcing us to absorb and process what is coming at us, all the while challenging our equilibrium and inner peace.

Pratyahara is “Sense withdrawal” and is the practice of consciously closing down the senses, and is the first stage of turning inward for Meditation, however, Pratyahara can be an everyday practice once we know what it is and how to apply it.

When the senses are withdrawn, it is easier for us to turn inward, and to be quiet, and we are more likely to be able to concentrate and hold our focus, leading to clarity of mind, and supporting us to feel more harmony in our lives.

We do this by focusing on something internal like an image in our mind, or a positive experience, it can be anything, as long as we can stay focused on it.. it does take practice though : )

Visualisation or staring with a soft gaze at a ‘dot’ on a page, are other ‘simple’ ways to practice Pratyahara. The concentration will render our other senses less active and will drop us into the Parasympathetic Nervous System calming the body and mind, bringing us into a peaceful state, and ultimately preparing us for Meditation.

Sitting in a church or temple where there is a strong buildup of prayer and contemplation can also help us withdraw from the sensory world.

Pratyahara actually happens daily without our knowing, as we focus on something, we are not responsive to other stimulus coming our way.. we are shut down so to speak.

Being mindful could be considered a form of Pratyahara as we direct our focus at what we are doing eg: working in the garden, or going for a walk, and during the activity, we can pay attention to our thoughts and feelings as we are engaged in it. We can become absorbed in what we are doing (Pratyahara)

Consciously choosing what we watch and listen to when it comes to media, is controlling the input into our senses, and therefore we exercise our will to determine what we are exposed to, we are being discerning with what we allow ourselves to experience, in response to the overload of sensory input from the external world, and lessening it's affects on our mind.

Strong impressions from Media or the external environment, can have a negative effect on us, often without us even noticing, and can lead to an insensitive & ungrateful state of mind, even dulling the mind which is not optimal.

We want to be awake, and conscious of what we are experiencing and feeling, we desire independence of thought and strive to hear our inner voice.. discerning with impressions and associations.

Pratyahara teaches us to conserve our energy, and not let it out all over the place. It can then be used for more creative and spiritual endeavours.

In other words we want to live a Sattvic life.. to be clear & clean, & energised by what we eat, drink, watch and listen to.. even the people we hang out with.. really, we should be discerning with what we consume on all levels.. obviously this is a work in progress, and for us mere mortals most likely a lifelong project, but as it says in patanjali’s Sutras, even the smallest amount of work on this path will save us from immense suffering..

A sensory 'fast' is a good idea, just like we would with food, we can have “Quiet” weekend, or a “screen free” couple of hours before bed, or first thing in the morning.. it will give our minds a much needed break, and potentially open a space for more peaceful & mindful practices like yoga &/or meditation.

Love & light, Sheli x

Breathe

Since the Big Bang, the universe has been in a constant state of evolution, transformation, expansion and flow. The nature of this motion is cyclicle.

Everything moves in cycles, take the rising and setting of the sun, or the seasons, even our breath has a beginning, middle and end.. in fact, the life cycle of birth, existence & death can be applied to everything in the universe, from the stars in the sky, to the very cells that make up all living beings ... All of it flowing from birth to death in the dance, or the pulse of life.

The life force behind our existence, driving it and supporting it is Prana, or Qi (Chi) in Yogic, and other Eastern philosophical frameworks, it could even be called God.

It is a flow of energy animating and motivating life itself to move forward, to reproduce, to reach further, to know more. This life force, or current of energy, is the pulse of the universe and everything in it.. it's heart beat so to speak.

It is undeniable, and inescapable.

Our lungs operate in a way that reflects this pulse, as they expand and contract in the beautiful symbiotic exchange of Oxygen and CO2 between us and the outer world.

Our Lungs are also the vehicle that enables Prana or Qi to enliven us, riding in on the breath, and circulating around the body through the Nadi's or Meridian's - the channels that carry this current of energy within the body.

On a side note, the Chakras are junctions of concentrated Prana and Qi where the Nadi's or Meridian’s meet and/or cross over.. more on the Chakras in a later post.

It's so easy to take our Breath for granted, the silent giver, it is always there no matter what, giving us life, urging us to move, to grow, to love and to play, and, it can be unconscious or conscious.

In Yoga we practice breath control, called Pranayama.. Prana, meaning Life force and ayama meaning to extend, stretch, lengthen.

Through the practice of Pranayama, we learn to control the breath, to lengthen it and slow it down, helping us find more space, and peace by turning inward.

The Rishi's of India (Ancient Yogi's/seers) believed that we were born with a finite amount of breaths that were ours till they ran out and we died... lengthening the breath prolongs it, and as such, gives us more life.

There are many Pranayama techniques, however, just stopping to take a slow deep breath, feeling the chest expand, then allowing a long, slow exhale, is a simple way of honouring and embodying the breath and it's life giving power… this is conscious breathing.

Try this short Pranayama exercise:

Sitting comfortably, close down the eyes and breathe normally for a few cycles.

See if you can bring your awareness to the beginning of the breath, the middle and the end, or top, of the breath..

Now slowly start to count the breath - Inhale - 1,2,3,4,5 - Pause - Exhale - 1,2,3,4,5 - Pause.

Do this 5 times.

Then still counting the inhale for 5 counts and pausing, count the exhale for 6 counts.

Do this 3 times.

Then still counting the inhale for 5 counts and pausing, count the exhale for 7 counts.

Do this 3 times,

Then still counting the inhale for 5 counts and pausing, count the exhale for 8 counts and stay here with this count as long as you feel comfortable.

When you are ready, come back to regular breathing, and sit for 30 secs - 1 min with eyes closed.

Gently notice what you notice without trying to analyse or label anything.

By controlling the breath, and extending the exhale, we have lowered our heart rate, and allowed ourselves to drop in to the Parasympathetic nervous system, where our brains tell our bodies that we are safe, and that everything is OK.. there is nothing to run from, nothing to fight.

We have also connected to the life force that is Prana, or Qi, and we have experienced, even if momentarily, a hint of peace, hopefully gained an idea of what is possible, and felt a glimmer of who we truly are.. we are part of the unified field of Prana, of Life force, of God.. It's all connected, the whole universe, including us.. we are not separate.

So breathe consciously when you can.

Allow life to move with and through you, and always remember you are not alone..

You, me, all of us are connected.. everything in the entire universe is part of the whole.

Love & light

Sheli xx

Water

Theres a lot to be said about feeling centred, balanced & stable.

When we are feeling centred, time moves at an appropriate pace, we are able to step left or right at a seconds notice without losing our balance (physical AND mental/emotional). We are able to respond, rather than react, and we are able to literally 'Go with the FLOW.'

In 5 Element theory (Traditional Chinese Medicine) The Water Element is about finding that FLOW, and that adaptability.

Water seeks a clear path, one free of obstacles... don't we all : )

The element of Water is linked to the Kidney and the Urinary Bladder organs and their meridians (energy channels).

Working with these meridians in YIN Yoga, by targeting the Fascia through which the meridians run, assists us in experiencing that centredness and flow by increasing the Qi (life force energy) that stimulates and enlivens these meridians and the body as a whole.

The Kidneys hold our "Essence Energy" called "Jing" and this "Essence Energy" makes us who we are, it determines our constitution - physically, mentally and emotionally.

We are born with a certain amount of "Jing" and it's finite... ie, it can't be made, or replenished... however it can be protected so we don't over use it, and deplete it. In YIN we increase the Qi in the Kidney meridian giving it a power surge and suring it up, and strong Kidneys and their meridians help sure US up aginst fear and insecurity, aiding us to feel centred and responsive as opposed to anxious & reactive.

The Urinary bladder meridian runs directly into the Limbic system in the Brain, which controls our emotional health, libido, motivation, as well as sleep and apatite, so increasing the Qi along this channel works towards calming and soothing the Limbic system, which in turn allows for a more balanced approah to life and it's situations, helps us be more considered and centred in our responses to all the things that we need to deal with on a daily basis.

Working with the Water Element in YIN not only physically affects our body, mood and emotions, by enriching and enlivening the channels and their associated organs with Qi, but also reminds us that Water is fluid, it is adaptable and flexible, despite it's changing forms be it liquid, ice or steam, or appearing calm or wavy.

So lets thrive!

Lets charge up the Kidneys and soothe the Limbic system so we can walk the middle line (The Tao) in a centred and considered way, responding to life and it's challenges without losing our balance.

AND... Drink LOT'S of Water! Our bodies Love being hydrated, especially the Fascia : )

Spring..

As the winter fades away and the days grow longer and warmer we unfurl from our cocoon trusting the subtle familiarity and opening ourselves to the promise of life.

Spring is a time of freshness, of newness, and of opportunity.

We feel hopeful. We feel, in a way, that we are reborn, as we sense the wonder and potential that is unfolding around us, and not only around us but also within us, in our internal environment, as we live out life's expression in our movement, in our breath, and in our hearts.

It is a great time to clear out the house and open all the windows to allow the fresh warm air to flow into and through where we live, so to, is it a perfect time to clear out HOW we live, to metaphorically open the windows allowing fresh Prana or Chi to flow from the outer to within, enriching and enlivening us, and flowing back to the outer again, in the beautiful act of reciprical respiration.

Regardless of whether we are conscious of it or not, we live as connected beings in the vast network of life as we share our Prana (breath) in a two way exchange with the nature around us, and we represent all of "life" or "source" as we are made up of the same elements and minerals that everything else is.

Each one of us a microcosm of the outer world, the solar system, the cosmos.

Each one of us participating in the dance of life playing out our own story, differing only in our individual perceptions & interpretation.

Each one of us simply another variation of life itself, at the core, a living aspect of God/Brahman expressing life through our thoughts, words and actions, with our inner selves in constant stillness, in constant peace and in constant perfection.

So lets open our arms to Spring. Let's invite the newness in, let's open our hearts and minds to the potential in every moment, and let's allow our selves to breathe in the gift of love that floats gently on the breeze always searching for somewhere to land, looking for someone to touch and for seeking out hearts to fill.

From a YIN Yoga perspective, the organs & meridians associated with Spring are the Liver and Gallbladder, and the Element is Wood.

The Liver calls us to take charge, take right action and to follow through. While the Element of Wood guides us to be steadfast in our convictions.

The Liver is the major detox organ of the body, and just as it filters the blood, it asks of us the same thing, to filter what comes our way, and to take only that which serves us and discard the rest, trusting that we will not only take right action for the world at large, but also for ourselves, as we navigate this beautiful, challenging and sometimes messy life.

Love & light,

Sheli

Yoga for me

Yoga for me, over the many years I have been engaged with it, has been and meant many things. At first it was a practice that gave me a physical discipline, a form of exercise and a glimpse into an inner state of peace (although I put that down to just the pure bliss of Savasana : )

I was young then and my experience was somewhat like an Ice skaters, I was enjoying the movement and the sense of freedom it gave me, however it would be 30 yrs before I realised I was only experiencing the top layer of the ice, and in fact, an endless ocean lay gently & silently beneath me, just waiting till I was ready to look further. I was 21 then, I am now 60 : )

Somewhere along the way I decided I wanted to be IN yoga all the time, every minute of every day & I remember being in Savasana after one of Kat’s amazing classes and thinking how lucky she was to be doing what she loved so much, and this train of thought soon became the express train direct to the Yoga Teacher Training with Body Mind Life in 2020.

There are lots of defining moments in our lives, that is for sure, but the decision to do the teacher training was not just defining, it was profound, and the experience of the TT was not only defining & profound, it was quite literally Mind & life altering (grateful hands emoji : )

t was kind of like having a baby… you go into it not really knowing what you’re in for, you go through months of weirdness, with leaps & bounds in physical, mental & emotional growth & you pass through days of excitement, doubt, joy & fear until you reach the point of birth.

New life… and a new way of being in the world… it was a new me - I had birthed a new ME.

What I now know in this moment is that Yoga gives us the space to be with ourselves - to be present, and to literally be in our bodies (embodiment), to listen to our thoughts and to find the peace in our hearts.

It gives us the opportunity to express & experience compassion, forgiveness & acceptance of & for ourselves, and in turn for others, because until we let ourselves off the hook we will never let others off the hook.

The more you learn about Yoga the more there is to learn. It is a science, an art form, a philosophy & a way of life - but it is not a religion. It is a never ending microcosm of life, constantly evolving (just like us). It can be as intense & in depth as you want it to be or it can simply be the ONE HOUR A DAY YOU TAKE JUST FOR YOURSELF.

Every time you step on the mat you are in a different state, physically, mentally & emotionally. Any number of factors will determine this, did you have a big night, have you just eaten, or concerned about a loved one.. plus our cells are replacing themselves every 24 hrs or something like that, so yeah, I rest my case.

This means your practice will always be different, and we need to accept that and meet ourselves where we are at in the moment.

Being present, listening to our bodies and allowing ourselves that non judgemental freedom - If we can accept who we are and where we are at in each moment, well..

I endeavour to practice Yoga in some shape or form everyday. I strive to practice non judgement & acceptance of myself, and of everyone around me. I try to accept ALL situations, knowing everything ultimately leads to my growth & evolution.

My promise to you is to hold the space so that you may practice this also.

May Peace be with you at all times, and may you find gentle acceptance of yourself today & always.

In loving service

Namaste