Calming Chants

"If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. 
If you are at peace, you are living in the present."
-Lao Tzu

When we first began our Kundalini journey, we were taught a chant by our teacher: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo. She then explained that it meant to bow to the teacher inside of you while being open to your own infinite wisdom and creativity. She sang this chant to us to begin and end every practice, and it resonated with me. I took the time to listen to other yogis chanting the phrase, and each had their own unique style which I really liked. 

After the first three weeks of Kundalini, I found myself, either in my head or aloud, chanting Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo to help calm me or just get me through a rough moment. It was comforting to know I had something to fall back on when there was nothing physical to. I also tried chanting it in an effort to fall asleep on restless nights- not that it always worked. It is a process and experience that needs to be repeated often for a true effect. 

The act of tuning in both in and out of yoga class has helped me center myself. It allows my breath to flow easier and my mind to slow down for a time when before it was on an accelerating treadmill. I plan on continuing to practice this mantra even after we switch into restorative yoga, as well as search into others, like Sat Nam. My mind and nerves has definitely benefited from this.

Citations:

“Crystals.” Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/pin/327707310373192523/.

New People, New Experiences

"Yoga is about compassion and generosity towards others. It means being mindful of the world around us." 

-Christy Turlington

After many months of sitting in the couch and walking my dog, I have at last brought yoga back into my life. I can already feel my muscle memory working and restoring my flexibility with each practice. The biggest shift of this new yoga experience is the people; I am not at a yoga studio, but in a classroom on my school campus. It is open to all students, but not so surprisingly, mostly girls signed up. Having only practiced in the past with men and women in their 40's to 60's, now being surrounded by teenagers my own age has created a completely different atmosphere during practice.

Instead of coming into a quiet, calm room with people stretching and waiting for practice to start like I am used to, I walk in at 8 a.m. to be welcomed by 30 mats and talkative, laughing girls. Most of the class are beginners, so everyone learns as we build off each move. Compared to the judgmental and harsh social world of high school, the atmosphere during practice is light-hearted and fun. Hearing laughter from my classmates as they fall out of moves is much different to the sometimes serious and intense classes I have taken. Practicing with other teenagers makes me feel much more comfortable as well, which shows how much the people add to your practice. I look forward to the positive environment and people I can relate to when I come to yoga.

Being opposed to new things can limit your experiences, which in turn rob people of great opportunities. Having different perspectives on a topic can really give someone the full view of what it all means. Yoga allows us to empathize and work with our bodies and minds, but that doesn't mean ourselves alone. There is always the chance to help others grow as well. Through yoga, I hope to create a bond with my classmates that I was too scared to try before.  

Citations

Turlington, Christy. “Yoga.” Picture Quotes, Picture Quotes.

Val. “Preteen Yoga With YogiVal®.” YogiVal, www.yogival.com/preteen-yoga/.