This is a photo of me and my sweet niece Caroline. The sun is getting ready to set over the White Mountains. We're sitting on a little mountain in Maine called Jockey Cap, not far from where we live there in the summertime.
I love this photo because it captures a precious time -just me and Caroline and the big sky...... just chillin.
It was a restorative few minutes.
It was mind clearing and mind pleasing.
Anything restorative gives our "thinking mind" a little rest.
"Mind is the sole source of bondage or liberation."
Maitri Upanishad
Most disciplines describe two minds that exist in all of us - thinking mind and intuitive mind. I believe we have three minds.
First - Thinking Mind
Our thinking mind is by nature extroverted, using our five senses to assemble a picture of the world. It reacts to stimuli, keeping us safe. It is logical and sometimes agitated - using up lots of energy to problem solve. It's good at that but its not good at clearing the mind. Its primary focus is on survival and comfort and acts our of fear and ego-centered goals. It's an important part of our existence.
Second - Intuitive Mind
Our intuitive mind is naturally contemplative and creative. It's good at coming up with new ideas and at knowing what is truly good for us. It lies below the thinking mind and is full of good wisdom for us. It is not logical or full of thoughts and reasoning. It is creative and full of wonder and is connected to wisdom beyond our selves. You have to grow big ears to listen for the intuitive mind, it sometimes speaks softly - but, always powerfully.
Third - Clear Mind or Restorative Mind
Clear mind is naked. There is no conscious thinking of any sort taking place. Sometimes clear mind is simply the little space after the inhale or after the exhale and sometimes it lasts a lot longer than that.
Clear mind is restorative. Clear mind can happen when you're reading a book or sitting on a mountain top.
Restoring Your mind, body and spirit
What kinds of things do you do to clear and restore your mind, body or spirit?
These are some of the things I do -
Get up early to see the sunrise
Meditate
Practice Yoga and Qi Gong
Exercise
Listen to music
Read
Write a story or a poem (this is one of my very favorite things to do and I don't do enough)
Hold my husband's warm hand
Relax with my children and grandchildren
Look at birds, sunsets, water
Appreciate the aroma of a good glass of wine
Light candles
Take a casual walk
Take a hot bath
Teach yoga and Pilates
Enjoy a really good, nutritious meal that I prepared
Laugh often
Eat delicious dark chocolate
Work - I founded a charitable organization called Hons On A Mission (check out our blog at www.honsonamission.blogspot.com)
Sleep well
Get a massage
Spend time with good friends
Learn
Kayak
Snorkel
Sit by a fire
Sip a cup of hot tea
My favorite green tea is decaf Bigelow - it doesn't taste swampy like lots of other green teas
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And this is one of my very favorite restorative yoga poses - Viparita Karani
This photo came from the book - Yoga The Iyengar Way, by Silva, Mira and Shyam Mehta
This is a restful practice where the body is inverted without effort. I use it sometimes at the beginning of yoga classes to quiet the mind and body before beginning standing asanas. To get into the pose you place a pile of blankets (you don't have to use a bolster) against a wall. Sit sideways on the blankets as close to the wall as possible. Slowly turn and place your legs, one at a time, up the wall. Your rear end should touch the wall. If it's not touching, scooch forward. Bring your arms up overhead. Stay in the position for 5-10 minutes. Notice your breath but don't try to change the quality of your breath. Just breath and be here without anything to do.
This pose nourishes your internal organs. It promotes "venous return". With your legs up the wall, blood flows easily through your veins to your torso. It rests your heart and mind.
A modification - open your legs wide or bring the bottom of your feet together, place your arms in any position you want.
I just got back from assisting in a special needs yoga class. There were 6 students, the eldest being 88 years old. The lead teacher had the students do this pose near the end of the class.
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Think about what you do to restore yourself. What restores you? The world is such a busy place, very complicated and demanding at times. If you aren't doing enough to restore yourself - try Viparita Karani or some other restorative pose for just 5 minutes. Turn out the lights in your office, shut the door and place your forehead and arms on our desk in a forward bend - breath, stay - just stay for 5 minutes. Stay and breath. If you are a teacher, do this with your students. If you are a prison guard, do it with the prisoners. If you work in a nursing home, do it at lunch time with your co-workers. If you are a parent, do it with your kids. Tell everyone it's a fun time out for all of you.
Look for those little moments that could be free - like when the casserole has 10 minutes left to cook, when the clothes are almost dry but not quite, when it's almost but not quite time to leave for an appointment. Take those minutes and instead of thinking, thinking, thinking, with your thinking mind - do a restorative pose. There are many of them. If you google "restorative yoga pose" you will see. You may find one you can't live without. There are also "restorative yoga sequences".
When you find these hidden moments or when you plan restorative time, tell yourself - "This is my restorative time, this is just for me." Focus on 3 deep breaths to begin with and just be there. When it's time to come out, take 3 more deep breaths.
These kinds of things keep our storage box full so that we have a more efficient thinking mind and we can hear louder our intuitive mind.
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I'm going to end this blog today with a copy of a poem my parents sent to another of my sweet nieces many years ago. In case you can't read it here it is -
Happy Birthday Alicia
May neither drought, nor rain,
nor blizzard
Disturb the joy juice
in your gizzard!
And may you camp
where wind won't hit you,
where snakes won't bite
and bears wont' git you!!
Love,
Moo and Papa
I don't know where this poem came from. Maybe she coped it from Reader's Digest or one of them could have written it. My Dad was always writing little poems for my Mom. He would sometimes put one on a little index card and prop it up by her coffee cup (he was a lover).
My interpretation - May you always have a good stiff drink and a safe place to drink it. But.... in this modern 2012, joy juice could be restorative energy!
I thought it might bring you a little restorative belly laugh to you today! he he he
Do something restorative for yourself, something every single day!!
Much love,
Donna Rae
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