Beauty in Silence

When I was introduced to yoga, I was introduced to the kind that involved music of some sort in the back ground. I also remember always using music to run back in the day, and would never go for a run without it...Then I remember trying running without music, and it was extremely meditative...hearing my breath, listening to the birds, my feet hitting the ground, cars passing by, people talking, etc...I began to like it...and the plus side was that I didn't need to carry something extra with me...

So, on to yoga...

One day, in class, we practiced without music. I remember feeling very frustrated and agitated at little things around me and within myself...probably things I would ignore had I had the music to distract me... then as we kept practicing, day after day, musicless (I know it's not a word), I began to enjoy it. Hearing the entire class breathing together as one, especially during Surya Namaskara, where there's a particular placement of the breath to the postures, was a magical experience to me.

When music is playing, we get lost in the lyrics, or the beat, or whatever...if we know the song well, we sing along with it in our heads. That's just how we are wired. But I noticed that when there is music playing, it's actually more difficult to focus on the words of the teacher and on the body and mind. Actually, I feel that with music, it's almost more advanced, because it requires so much extra effort to focus. I for one like to practice both with and without music, but I wanted to lay out a few of the pros and cons of each. Sometimes, when I teach, I do so without music, because it gives the students a new experience and a different perspective on practice...showing that music is not necessary for the experience...it's actually kind of a luxury.

The PROS of music in yoga classes:

1. It is something to focus on.
Some music, like instrumental, non vocal, or mantra, can create a positive inner dialogue, or just create a comfortable atmosphere for the students and teachers.

2. It creates a mood.
 Slow music for yin/restorative classes, and up beat music for yang/fast paced classes. Music choice for the type of class that is being taught is crucial and could make or break a class, believe it or not.

3. Gives the instructor and students a sense of time.
 the instructor can use music as a timer instead of a watch, and the students can feel a sense of ease having something like music (how many songs have played, and so on) as an awareness of time passing, and not feeling so much like "when is it going to end?" (great for beginners)

The CONS of music in yoga classes:

1. Not everyone appreciates the same music
I've been in classes before, where people are like "I hate this song." or "omg, make it stop." Of course, I've had teachers who straight out ask us to tell them if the music is bothersome, and they change it or turn it completely off if it is.

2. Music can bring up emotions
I've actually cried because of a song, felt angry because of a song, and felt excited because of a song. I'm sensitive like that, and so are a lot of people out there. It's important to explore the emotions we are feeling. "Where is this emotion coming from, and what has triggered it? What can I do to soothe what I am feeling and to use it as a learning tool? Is it coming from the music, or is it coming from my body?"

3. Music can be distracting
I've been in classes where people start talking about the music, getting distracted from the practice and stating things like "I saw them in concert once" or again, "I hate this music" or "I can't believe you've never heard of them!" etc. It's like derailing the train of practice, and distracting for everyone. Including the instructor.
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I do not oppose the inclusion of music in yoga classes, so long as it is not distracting. A lot of times, the asana itself will bring out latent emotions, particularly heart and hip openers (for me personally), and I feel that it is important to bring our awareness to those places inside of ourselves, rather than distract ourselves from them with something on the outside.

When I do choose to include music in a class I teach, or even when I am practicing in my home, I like to steer clear of negative messages, sexual messages, drug references, party references, etc. I like to steer more towards either mantra music, instrumental music, or music that sends an over all positive message, like Matisyahu "live like a warrior" for example. A lot of times, my home practice is silent.

When we are in a class, and we have no control over music choice, and we absolutely hate the music, it is our responsibility to block out the music and just focus on the words of the instructor, and the movement of our body. If that's just not cutting it, after class, pull the instructor aside and simply let them know how you feel. Most instructors love getting feedback from their students. I know I do. We are here to serve, and we are always looking for ways to improve our skills and teaching techniques. Don't be shy :)

And instructors, when a student gives you feedback, remember not to take it personally. It's just feed back. They probably read this blog. ;) Chances are, if they are still coming to your class, they really like your teaching and most likely, they really like YOU. Don't sweat it. Just receive the information and use it to guide you to improving your methods.

I hope you enjoyed my insight for today. It came to me quickly. Be well.

NAMASTE <3 p="">

Starting with Self

mind·ful·ness

ˈmīndfəlnəs/

noun

1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
2. a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

Mindfulness comes to mind now for me, more than ever...or maybe I'm just being more mindful about mindfulness... 

Maybe it started with jamming my thumb due to lack of awareness...or the speeding ticket I received on my way to a yoga workshop out of town...or maybe forgetting little (and big) things here and there over the course of the past couple of weeks. 

What I've noticed about my mindfulness [or lack thereof] is that the busier I become, the more scattered my thoughts get, the less aware, the less thoughtful, the more rushed, the more prone to injury, the more anxious I tend to be. As a result, my negative self talk increases, and I fall into old habits and patterns due to the negative mindset...and as a result, I become even harder on myself. It is a vicious cycle that continues until mindfulness is brought back there. 

I choose to write about this, because this has been my struggle lately. This struggle has brought up many latent feelings that have not yet been dealt with, as well as many negative patterns that were never completely resolved. The unhealthy patterns are in fact symptoms of a bigger problem. 

I remember when we were on retreat in Costa Rica last November, we discussed a model that encompassed different parts of oneself- like the True Self, the Wounded/Hurt Self, and the Protective Self. I have returned to this model as a tool to reconnect with my True Self once again. 

A lot of times, when the parts of us who have been wounded or hurt are reminded of the pain by some circumstance that is similar in any way to the way we were harmed before, it is like rubbing salt in a wound...yeah, pretty painful. When we begin to feel that pain, we fall back into those old patterns in a strange way to [the way is seems] protect ourselves from experiencing that pain again. 

I'm working on being more mindful when things like this start happening in my own life; like right now...

When we bring our attention to these aspects of ourselves, that is when we can begin to heal the wounds. We cannot be self defeating in this process. That will only make matters worse. We have to set boundaries with our ego...that part of us that tells us that we are "not good enough" or that we are "a failure". The only way to go about this is by and through love...compassion...understanding...and the willingness to take action and get through it. 

I am fortunate to have wonderful people in my life who serve as constant teachers and reminders of these principles. I am blessed to have friends who support me and tell me what I need to hear in the moment...who help me to toughen up and to do what is right for myself...who remind me that I matter...that I need to take care of myself and be the warrior and hero of my own life. 

A simple fact of life is that, as my friend said today, "there will always be shit. If we didn't have any shit to work on, we'd all be just sitting here with nothing to do, like 'I'm so blissed out right now'".
So...we're all just here, doing our best. That's all we really can do. But it's how we do it that really counts. It's how mindful we are being while living this life that makes life yay or nay. It's how we think about it, respond to it, and decide to live it out. We are in fact, in charge of our own life. We are not responsible for anyone else (unless we have kids, but that's only about 18 years of life, but even so, we are not even responsible for our children, in the sense that we cannot and should not try to control their thoughts and opinions). 

I invite all of you to join the "MINDFULNESS" club with me...and to create a better wold...starting with Self.

NAMASTE