184
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Yoga was traditionally seen as a way to prepare the body for meditation. Today,
many yoga classes include meditative elements, such as mindfulness practices
and chanting “om,” as ways to relax the body and mind. Science shows that the
benefits of these meditative practices also extend into your daily life.
MEDITATION
Q
Is mindfulness the same as
meditation? how is it practiced?
Mindfulness is a simple and
popular type of meditation that is
often practiced in traditional seated
poses. It also refers to a mindset
that you can bring into the rest of
your life. According to Jon Kabat-
Zinn, PhD, founder of the well-
researched Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction (MBSR)
program, mindfulness can be
defined as deliberately paying
attention to the present moment
without judgment. It often involves
observing breath, thoughts, sounds,
or physical sensations, all of which
are encouraged in yoga practice.
MINDFUL MOVEMENT
Yoga classes encourage
mindfulness through moment-
to-moment awareness, for
example during asanas. You
may notice this mindset spilling
into your daily life, making
even menial tasks, such as
washing the dishes, mindful.
Simply observe
your thoughts
arising. Its like
watching clouds
pass by while
remaining aware
of the vast, clear
blue sky.
MINDFULNESS
PAYING
ATTENTION
TO THE
PRESENT
MOMENT
ON PURPOSE
WITHOUT
JUDGMENT
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185
Q
Does
mindfulness
really work?
Anatomical MRI scans have
shown changes in subjects’ brain
gray matter concentration after they
participated in an eight-week MBSR
program, suggesting that MBSR
affects areas of the brain involved in
learning and memory processes,
emotion regulation, self-awareness,
and new perspective-taking.
Another study showed that even
brief training in mindfulness
reduced fatigue and anxiety, while
longer training seems to particularly
improve attention and focus.
Q
My mind is so
busy. Does this
mean I’m no good
at meditating?
No. Many people think meditating
is about “stopping” thoughts, but it
isn’t. In the form of meditation most
commonly practiced today, you
simply observe your thoughts
arising. It’s like watching clouds
pass by while remaining aware of
the vast, clear blue sky in which
they float. When meditating, your
only task is to gently remind yourself
to come back to the present in a
state of observing.
Q
Why do we
chant “om?”
An elongated exhale turns on the
relaxation response. One small
study also found that chanting “om
deactivates parts of the emotional
brain related to fear, compared to
chanting “sssss,” as seen in fMRI
brain imaging. This suggests that
“om” may have benefits beyond
the elongated exhale.
Q
How do I sit
comfortably
for meditation?
Sitting on a cushion, folded
blanket, pillow, or bolster helps you
to elevate your hips at an angle and
tilt your pelvis to neutral, bringing
a natural inward (lordotic) curve
to your lumbar spine. Another
traditional meditation posture is
Hero pose (Virasana), or kneeling.
If you feel any pain in your knees,
you can use blocks or a bolster to
elevate your hips. If neither of these
positions work for you, you can
also sit in a chair to meditate. Try
to sit tall and forward in the chair,
without leaning back. It may also
help to sit on a cushion as this will
tilt your pelvis forward slightly.
Place your feet directly under your
knees or a little ahead of them. If
meditating in any of these seated
positions is too uncomfortable,
meditate in Savasana (see p.186).
Did you know?
extreme focus, such as while playing an
instrument, has been connected with
meditation. psychologists call this a “flow
state.in both meditation and “flow,your
brain waves change from Beta—associated
with thinking and conversing—to mostly Alpha
and Theta—associated with relaxation and
creative problem-solving.
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