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Cyndi Lee Author Archive Mindfulness of Body: Yoga as Meditation The following article appeared in the Shambhala Sun in the January 1988 issue. "In
the end I find I can't separate brain from body. Consciousness isn't just
in the head. Nor is it a question of mind over body. If one takes into
account the DNA directing the dance of the peptides, body is the outward
manifestation of the mind." A recent cover of New York magazine proclaimed, "YOGA BOOM!" and it certainly seems to be true. It's not just dancers and fitness freaks who can already turn themselves into pretzels. My classes are full of baby boomers traveling various rites-of-passages including the first gray hair and more expensive wrinkle cream, sending their kids to college (and paying for it), burying their parents, and more and more frequently each other. These 40- and 50-somethings are hoping they're not the next one to die of a heart attack, while simultaneously relishing memories of their youth back in the flower-power days of peace and love -- and yoga and meditation. They come to my yoga classes with the following agenda: 1) loosen up shoulders, 2) tighten up butt, 3) quit smoking, 4) and, oh yeah, how about a little peace of mind. What's really interesting is that over time all of these requests tend to melt into #4 which somehow arises by doing nos. 1-3. The regular practice of Hatha Yoga can lead to physical benefits such as increased flexibility, strength, cardiovascular and digestive health. But since the body and the mind are inextricably connected, while becoming more intimate with your own body through the practice of yoga, you will also become familiar with your mind and your heart. Hatha Yoga has traditionally (and the tradition is 5,000 years old) been used as a preparation for meditation. In the classical yoga sutras, practicing asanas or yoga postures is only the 3rd limb of the 8 limb path followed by breathing, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation, and samadhi or enlightenment. After the moral observances such as non-violence, and the rules of conduct such as cleanliness, a healthy and purified body is considered to be essential for the more subtler practices that follow. According to yoga master, B.K.S. Iyengar, "Asanas have been evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind." That means we've really only got those two things -- mind and body -- to work with in dealing with our life. Since they are both there with us all the time, why not work with them at the same time? This approach is especially ideal for today's overachieving urban dwellers who want to have a family, a career, a fit body and a sense of well-being. In fact, some of my students who are also long-time meditators have told me that now they do their meditation practice every other day because they consider their yoga class to be meditation-in-motion. That's sounds great, right? But how does one make that connection with mind and body that defines yoga as something different from other physical exercise? These very cleansing, balancing, energizing and restorative postures all have one common denominator -- an emphasis on breathing. The breath is the connection between mind and body. It is what defines a living being, what separates life from death. We can tell when a person has died by checking to see if they are still breathing. If they are not breathing we consider that their mind-stream, consciousness, soul, has left their body. That connection has been severed. Very advanced yogis can control involuntary functions such as their heart rate and body temperature, but even we regular folks are able to consciously control the involuntary function of breathing. Since the moment we were born and took a big inhalation (inspiration) until the moment of our last exhalation (expiration), we never stop breathing. Without even trying and usually without even noticing, we do it between 18,000-20,000 times a day. The basic instruction for meditation practice is to be mindful of your breath which functions as a constant reference point for returning to the present and a tool for awakening to whatever is happening right then. In yoga practice, we are also taught to place attention on the breath, but we use manipulated breathing techniques -- slow, deep breathing -- which aid in quietening the mind through slowing down the body. Yogic breathing is also audible and gives you immediate feedback regarding your state of mind. When we notice that instead of doing yogic breathing we are panting, grunting, or not breathing at all we get feedback which introduces us to ourselves -- too much effort in stretching, fear of inversions, habitual approach to challenges, ("I could never do that!") We get to watch our minds by using our bodies. We also get to make friends with our bodies. Hatha Yoga is quite a challenging physical practice with a seemingly endless vocabulary of postures to be experienced. It quickly becomes clear to most of us that we will not wake up one day and say I have perfected yoga and now I think I'll take up ice skating. Every class begins with the Sun Salute, and after doing this repetitive practice on a regular basis, most students find their initial goals ("I want to touch my toes, stand on my head, do the splits.") giving way to simply experiencing each class, each posture, each breath as a fresh start. By quietening our mind and staying present with our breathing, we can all open to the experience of sacred world through working with our body, no matter what shape or size. You don't have to be an expert hatha yogi to experience the seasons, the tides, and the rhythm of the sun and the moon in the beating of your own heart and the movement of your breath. Simply standing still, even a beginner can feel a sense of equanimity arising from the gentle swaying of their body as they ride the balance of this big moving ball where we all live. As we understand our bodies limitations we learn to accept them as well as to stay open to the possibility that we those limitations might change. Our ambition softens, we are more able to forget everything that we think we know about ourselves and backbending, and rest in a state of not knowing. Just as in meditation, this process of gentleness, precision and letting go becomes the practice. Somehow the agenda that we started with (see paragraph 2 nos. 1-4) turned into just one goal -- nothing. The practice is the path and to quote Chogyam Trunga, the path is the goal. Is that meditation? Pema Chodron says making friends with yourself and all of your quirks is the ground of meditation. If making friends with your tight hamstrings, fear of falling, habit of holding your breath, and the inability to become a complete lotus pretzel, counts as making friends with yourself, then, yes, yoga is meditation.
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