Copyright Lance Kinseth, 2011
MODERN PRACTICE of yoga can come to resemble
calisthenics—warming up the body, and then increasing the pace. But rather than being simply physical
conditioning, the dynamics of any yoga session may carry over into daily life
in skills such as deep relaxation, as inspiration for actions, by promoting
balance in encounters with the vicissitudes of life and, finally, by encourage
the expression of attributes such as harmony and peace and compassion. There are at least five key elements
that are not new, that practitioners often incorporate to some degree into
various phases of a general yoga session.
Their grace lies in their simplicity and freedom from dogma. In restorative-yin practice, these five
elements may become intentional, ritualized components that are likely to be
enhanced or deepened by the slow, calm process of restorative-yin practice.
The First
Excellence:
“Coming To The Mat”
[Stillpoint and Pranayama]
“Coming to the Mat” implies a number of processes:
Practically, in all yoga practice, “coming to the mat”
aspires to trigger a physiology of rest to aid in increasing flexibility and
strength in poses and the capacity to sustain relaxation throughout the session
and to also contribute to a practical outcome: stress reduction. In restorative-yin practice, the
rational for “coming to the mat” goes much deeper.
Overall, in the process of “coming to the mat,” the sequence
of events that occur in your mind guiding body physiology triggers a physiology
of rest:
- Crossing
a threshold,
- Gathering
supports,
- Setting
up matt,
- “Settling
in:” and “centering,”
- Coming
to a “stillpoint” on the mat, and
- “Breath
work” [awareness, softening/lengthening, focus on exhalation, cessation of
exhalation].
This mind-directed physiological shift, in turn, opens
mental shift: When we taste such an elemental force as our breath as freshness
and freedom, everything becomes a place of grace. Everything offers.
Everything offers an “opportunity” for gratitude, wherein life does not
simply continue, but rather, has the opportunity to be transformed.
Specific Sequence of “Coming To The Mat:”
In restorative-yin practice, we cross over a threshold from the fast pace of the everyday into a place and
a process that aspires to calm.
Crossing over a “threshold” of sorts at the doorway, we are
not cut off from our children or from our family or from myriad
obligations. We are not giving up
anything or leaving anything behind.
However, “Restorative-Yin Yoga” is not a continuation of the fast pace
of everyday modern life.
There is a sense of taking refuge (sharanam) in a larger landscape of support that extends both
deep into the tradition of yoga and into the vast universe. Given this larger context, the details
that seem overwhelming and the struggles that seem to make you smaller can be
swallowed up by the vastness and released. And when stresses intrude, you can place them on the other
side of the threshold and look at them rather than either be the stressors [e.g., becoming an emotion such as
anger] or let them go. Crossing a threshold of sorts, we enter an inner terrain, where, if we go far enough in our relaxation, the "inner" is found to weave seamlessly into the, heretofore, "outer," forming an overall tapestry of landscape, of self, of identity, that is without boundaries.
Crossing over this threshold, we might aspire to stop our
everyday “high-speed cruise control.”
We simply begin to slow, and to quiet, and to still as much as is
possible, side-stepping out of the fast pace of everyday life. But more than either letting go or
“calming down,” we begin to make a “space for grace.” It is a quality that is likely missing from our everyday,
from our weekend, from the day after Monday, or from any day that we might
choose.
The mat is rolled out and a place of practice is
established. In Restorative
practice, the process of gathering supports such as blocks and blankets and settling on the matt creates a small
ritual of preparation and entry.
For restorative practice, you might gather blocks and blankets and
perhaps a ball or bolsters—all of which build to a “ritual of transition,” not
unlike an artist gathering materials before a blank canvas.
“Coming to the mat” offers a center point. We might sit or lie down, and even wrap
the body on a blanket. Coming to
the mat provides a place to “settle in” and “center” oneself—a “centering process” that aspires to go deeply
inward into the heart-mind to the point where, when deeply relaxed, identity
might, paradoxically, expand into the larger landscape rather than lead to
isolation and self-absorption. There may be a sense of focusing on the specific actions of the body, as one might focus on an incoming wave in the ocean, and yet with a sense that the wave is expressing the ocean rather than something exclusive to the wave form itself; something inclusive, opening and expansive.
“Settling in,” Stilling the body turns off the everyday “cruise control,” and we
apply the brakes, and we are offered a place to stop. We bring our awareness to the body, to our thoughts and to
the sensory stimuli of the practice space: the quality of light, sound, touch,
and perhaps fragrance. Unlike most
exercise, we bring mind strongly to the body. Stilling—non-action—is deep, intentional action that is,
paradoxically, doing a lot. We
quiet further—no sound—and the practice seems to take on a sacred quality, and
to become something akin to living non-sectarian prayer. Taking some moments for stilling and
quieting and kindness to oneself is not selfish. Returns to restorative practice radiate outward into the
world in the form of reduced reactivity, increased listening and awareness, and
kindness and compassion for others. Stillness reveals non-stillness, breath, perhaps heartbeat,
and even activity that is not typically in consciousness—a “rivering” of
breath, digestion, a streaming of mental imagery, and perhaps overall energy of
the body.
“Pranayama”—breath work and body energy activation—becomes a crucial
action. After stilling the body,
intentional focus is brought to the breath, at first, just as it is—enduring, steady, and “present.”
Perhaps still in our everyday mode and given to analysis, we might
assess whether or not breathing seems stressed or whether we have sense of
breathing for the body rather than following the breath. However, the intention is to follow the
breath—just as it is—no ritual, just breath coming and going. Just cool air across the lips or nose
and warm air exiting.
Presence: With attention to the continual process
of breathing, we come concretely into the present moment. It is not really an acute “mindfulness”
of one sensation after another as much as it is a sense of flow where the “arrow
never really strikes a target.”
Then, perhaps, we may be admonished to “soften” the
breath. Softening the breath, inhalations and exhalations become longer. Aspirations to lengthen the breath or
to equalize inhalation and exhalation may be sensed to be akin to “work.” “Softening” is better, as it is
intuitive and relaxing. The naval
may rise, followed by the solar plexus, and then by the lower lungs and finally
the inhale may ascend up under the clavicles. There may a gentle, overall sense of the soft breath being
akin to a slow wave and the mind, a “rider.”
Having softened the breath, attention may be directed to
exhalation—perhaps first to the sense of
relaxation of the muscles of the chest.
Along with each exhalation, participants may be directed to release any
sense of tension.
Then, we might aspire to cease the breath as the final
part of exhalation.
You let the ceased breath—stillness—continue: “Perfectly Peaceful Pause.” The heartbeat might come into
awareness. In the cessation of
each exhale, heartbeats pulse perhaps two times or four times and gradually
build to more. Inhalation of
breath is encouraged to occur on its own. This first incoming, spontaneous
breath is remarkable. It is not
unlike that first, refreshing—exalting—breath upon coming up from
underwater. And perhaps you
awaken to sense that each and every breath is like this—freshness and freedom,
in its most basic form. In this cessation
of the breath on exhales, following the breath rather than breathing for the
body becomes apparent.
As your breath softens, as the breath cycle slows
significantly, body physiology that reduces reactivity strengthens. Brain chemistry, parasympathetic
components of heart rate and blood pressure and endocrine regulation shift
toward stress reduction and away from the sympathetic “fight-flight.” Brain waves change because
neuro-chemicals change—beta waves into alpha
waves. Practically, slowing the breath cycle triggers
parasympathetic nervous system responses: neuro-cardio-endocrine that set in
motion the process of increasingly deep relaxation throughout the
restorative-yin practice session.
The Second
Excellence:
“Setting An Intention
For this Practice Session”
[Inspiration /
Invitation]
“Setting an intention for practice” is not really that
goal-driven. It is more a process
of inspiration than a practice
outcome. “Setting an intention”
often occurs early in the session, but it can be initiated after a period of
relaxation. When more deeply
relaxed, our language may change from everyday chatter to a more heart-felt and
intuitive response.
We might “invite” or offer an invitation to some quality to be in our lives to be in our
awareness that is beyond the physical process of the sequence of asanas. We
might offer the practice in behalf of others.
If new to the practice, an intention may simply involve an
exploration of the practice and a sense of receptivity and openness to see what
it is about.
Perhaps:
- A sense calmness, quietness,
- A sense of respite, taking refuge and release,
- A sense of positive energy,
- A sense of healing or restoration, or revitalization or renewed energy to apply to the everyday,
- Impacting a particular physical issue or emotional issue, especially toward an outcome of release rather than resolution,
- Optimizing creativity by opening, expanding: In yoga, each pose can speak to us—child, dog, bridge, and supine goddess. Each pose is an invitation to open, expand and create/transform
By returns to practice, perhaps the inspiration from, or an
invitation for the emergence of spiritual attributes [characteristics of
“spiritual persons”]: sacredness, humility, freshness, peace, surrender, grace,
and eloquence
The Third
Excellence:
“Honoring Oneself: Allowing Practice To
Be Just As It Is”
[Santosha: contentment with life as it is, on the mat and in
everyday life]
Inspiration, yes, invitation, yes, but release from goals,
expectations, striving, performance, anticipation, achievement, comparison with
others, competition [as everyone can “win”]
“Abandoning the fruits of our actions:” Full involvement
now, without thought of a goal; unending entry vs. either goal attainment or
achievement
Intuitive practice: Following the body—breath, tensions, and
doing what is needed today in this session. What is frustration with our
ability level offering us in this moment?
Opening rather than answering: If we strive for a goal or an answer, we may miss very
interesting “turns along the pathway” or new questions that may spontaneously
emerge, especially in the deep listening of restorative-yin practice where
poses are held longer.
Be that which is: body, breath, and mind
Moderating highs and lows: A sense of give and take, as a
powerful, de-stressing and opening process
Balance—equanimity across all vicissitudes of
life—especially with regard to immanent emotions and thoughts; harmony between Yin
and Yang
Finally, “contentment” may open the door to allow getting in
touch with the richness of life as it is—deeply inspiring, and miraculous in
all of its vicissitudes (highs and lows)]
The Fourth
Excellence:
“Acknowledging
Gratitude”
[Opening Joy]
Gratitude Flowers Into Joy / Cultivating Humility and Joy: Just
saying the word “gratitude” toward some sensation [fresh breath or stillness in
yoga practice, or seeing a leaf fall at home] immediately offers an unexpected
gift: joy.
Peace is every step, every moment: Acknowledging the peace
that is offered by the practice space, the support of other participants, the
quietness and calmness.
Finding gratitude finds joy, and joy is much deeper as much
less elusive than happiness.
Happiness comes and goes, but by finding gratitude in any
moment—regardless of the nature of that moment, be it suffering or calmness or
celebration—finds joy.
Beginning with a moment that might seem to be the greatest
challenge: It is difficult to find happiness in suffering, but it is not
difficult to find joy in suffering.
Being alive in that moment, being able to experience suffering
viscerally and emotionally, offers simply the richness of being alive in that
moment, or joy. There is a deep
ground have in both suffering and non-suffering that is beyond belief, in
which, as Toni Packer has suggested, is like the sun or the wind. We don’t have to “believe” in the wind
or the sun. They are there in the
moment, and we offer gratitude, and we experience joy. This is why suffering, adversity, and
all of the things that we don't like about ourselves or others, offer us
something that transcends our beliefs and habits, and has the capacity to
transform us in a way that concepts, values, distinctions, achievements fail
us. Just sun and wind and drinking
tea and coffee or clean water, going to the bathroom, evoking a smile in
another offer us containers of joy when we simply are grateful.
In the gentleness of restorative-yin yoga, we have a
“laboratory” skewed toward experiences that generate gratitude and that reward
us with a sense of joy. We may
call this joy but other names such as “calmness” or “grace” or, even though the
poses seem simple, “eloquence.”
Restorative-yin practice is so stripped down, so elemental, that we
might, at times, melt away the chatter of the everyday, gazing—not quickly
glancing--deeply into myriad sensations, memories, and directives for our
lives.
The Fifth
Excellence:
“Taking/Activating
Gratitude Into The World/Into Everyday Life”
The many moments of yoga practice that generate authentic
sense of gratitude in yoga carry over into everyday life. The health benefits for everyday life
of yoga practice are well documented.
They are especially strong for restorative practice, creating physical
and psychological benefits.
Beyond immediate medical and psychological benefits, there
are qualities that can become attributes (in the sense that they become ongoing
aspects of one’s life). Body-mind
practices can transform temporary behaviors into persistent attributes.
Very concretely, we are likely to be less reactive to stress
and possess autogenic skills to
relax. Slightly
more effusive, there may be an enhanced sense of “harmony,” “balance,” and
“energy” and of an enhanced capacity to “lighten up” (releasing negatives and
attachments) with repeated practice.
Even more personal, there may be an optimal health or
thriving orientation toward life and deeper engagement with all aspects of life,
including a sense of richness and meaningfulness in the, heretofore, mundane
and overlooked and ignored aspects of life.
There may be an even deeper sense of transformation; wherein
identity expands to include experiences that heretofore seemed to be “beyond
self.” Deep
relaxation/calmness simply opens awareness that, in turn, opens experience
that, in turn, offers new information that, in turn, may be transformative,
lifting us out of black-and-white routine to experiences that are more subtle
and interwoven and inseparable from others.
There may be a sense of one’s activities as capable of
becoming “radiant:” Being capable of radiating gratitude or energy or calmness.
