Discovery

Observing Columbus Day on the second Monday in October can be a controversial undertaking. But many communities have embraced the spirit of discovery in order to downplay the injustice of conquest. Read more here: http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day

What does discovery mean in your yoga practice? When we settle into asana (poses) or meditation, if we're paying attention, we can always learn something new about our body and state of mind.

Do you tend to criticize yourself when your muscles don't move the way you expect? Do you feel antsy or agitated when you first begin meditation? Do you get bored or distracted easily, ignoring your breath and just plowing through to the next pose? I have discovered all of those issues in myself and so many more!

The way to put these discoveries to work in a positive way is just to observe them with curiosity. No need to berate yourself for not achieving that elusive, and ultimately unattainable, "Yoga Journal" pose. Open your body and mind to discovering what this moment holds for you in reality, not what you *think* it should contain.


Today, I invite you to discover the silence between and within each pose and each breath. This session will take you about 8 minutes.

1. Once you're comfortable in your chair, breathing only through your nose, see if you can actually hear your own breath as it enters and then slowly leaves your body.

2. You may notice that as you concentrate on your breath, it begins to slow, each inhale and each exhale getting longer, deeper. Continue 5 more breaths this way.

3. Move your hands to grasp the outside edge of your chair seat, near your thighs. If the chair armrests are in the way, you can grab those instead. Sitting up tall, fingers holding the seat edge, inhale as you lift your chest forward, exaggerating the curve of your spine and drawing your shoulders back. ("cow pose")

 4. Still holding the seat edge, on an exhale, reverse the curve, rounding the spine as you pull your belly in and shift your shoulders forward. ("cat pose")

 5. Repeat numbers 3 and 4 each 3 more times, always slowly moving with the breath. Let your hands settle in your lap when you're done.

 6. Rest back against the back of your chair, but keep a long spine, good posture. Inhale as you straighten both knees, lifting both feet off the floor, ankles flexed so the toes point upward. Exhale them back down. Repeat 3 more times, pulling the toes toward you as the calves begin to warm up.

 7. Push about 2 feet away from your desk to give yourself some extra room. Slide the legs apart so that the back of your knees rest near the very outer (side) edges of your seat. Sitting up tall again, using the belly muscles so you don't need to lean back against the chair. Inhale as you raise both hands high into the air, reaching for the ceiling. As you exhale, sweep both arms forward and down to land on the chair seat between your knees or on your thighs. As you sweep your arms down, lean your torso forward, hinging from the hips. Repeat 3 more times.

 8. Close the knees together, let your hands settle in your lap, and lean against the backrest. Return to the quiet breaths that we started with today. Keep listening for 10 more breaths, then return to your day continuing to pay attention to all the sounds around you.