Vanishing the Vritti

After a particularly challenging couple of months, I began feeling overwhelmed by negative energy in my life.  Circumstances and people had left me feeling drained and I felt like I was drowning in the negativity.  I spoke to one of my yoga teachers who has been an amazing friend and inspiration in my life.  She kindly reminded me, "each of us has our own  unique process, you must trust that the Universe is supportive and guiding you to exactly what you need."(SSJ)  I thought a lot about what she said and made a decision to let go of the negativity by setting out on a journey to feel more "grounded" and accepting.

I looked at my mat rolled up in its' usual corner, and I knew I would need to go beyond my mat to overcome this "black cloud".  As I laid in bed working on a yoga sequence for an upcoming class, I looked outside and saw a beautiful blue sky.  Immediately I put on my bathing suit and headed towards the very inviting sunshine!  Now, I live in the northeast where the pools close after Labor Day and laying on a lawn is not only acceptable but it's "normal", so I set up a large beach blanket and my towel in the grass and hoped for the best.  

Closing my eyes I felt the sun warming my body and restoring the energy I had lost.  My feet were hanging off the blanket and the grass was tickling my toes as the breeze brought cool relief from the strong sunshine. Children were playing in a park nearby, and their laughter brought a smile to my face.  Many people were enjoying this beautiful day by walking and running along the river, and my thoughts began to fade far away from my own problems as I observed my surroundings.  Helicpoters zoomed around the pristine, blue sky, and I looked at the new World Trade Center Tower, wondering if I was seeing so many helicopters because the 10th anniversary of 9/11 is approaching.  Before I knew it I had closed my eyes and drowned out the sights and sounds.

Suddenly my phone began to ring and my husband was asking if I was sleeping on the lawn.  He could see me from our balcony and said I appeared to be asleep.  I said no, I was not sleeping, but I was feeling very peaceful all of a sudden.  A calmness had taken over my entire body and I felt like I was melting into the Earth instead of being an akward object failing to find comfort on the hard surface.  When I hung up the phone I realized that I had been was laying in Savasana (corpse pose) before the phone rang.  I set my phone down and returned to my restorative asana, now absorbing the serenity I was experiencing. 

Once I had been in Savasana for what felt like a good amount of time, I pulled my knees into my chest and landed in a gentle belly twist.  Inhaling and exhaling softly as my knees and shoulders fell towards the ground, detoxifying the negative energy.  I returned to Savasana for several breathes before moving into Setu Bandhasana (bridge pose).  My body moved slowly and easily in poses I may not normally relax into without a lot of effort.  For a brief moment I wondered if the people around me were judging my spur of the moment yoga session on the lawn. However, moving back into a more "yogic" mindset, I realized it did not matter what anyone else thought.  In fact, if other people were being judgemental, it would be an opportunity for me to work on Yoga Sutra 2:33, "When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite (positive) ones should be thought of. This is Pratipaksha Bhavana." {Yoga Sutras of Patanjali}  The interpretation given for this Sutra explains that we can control how we are feeling by altering our negative thoughts to positve ones.  If someone or something makes us feel upset, we can choose to change our environment to one that is positive and leave the negative thoughts behind!  If we consider what the result will be if we stay focused on the negative, we realize we only find outselves deeper beneath the "black cloud".  Replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts and surrounding ourselves with positive people who make us feel loved will ultimately affect our energy.  This concept is very simple, but so easily forgotten when we are caught up in the Vritti (mind stuff).  Gradually, I began to move into one of my favorite asanas, Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle).  I had successfully restored my body though Asana and my mind through recalling a Sutra that applied to my current state of mind.

I felt more positive, energetic, and light than I had in weeks!  I do not know whether it was the sunshine, the bright green grass, or the perfect blue sky that brought my mind, body, and breath into balance, but it happened effortlessly.  As soon as I allowed myself to forget the Vritti (chatter in my mind), I felt grounded again. There I was without my yoga mat, Lululemon yoga pants, or my bolster and  not only was I practicing Asanas, but I was feeling more "Yogic" than I had weeks!  The moral of my story is that sometimes to find the grounding you need, you need to put your mat away and literally  get on the ground! 

Restoration on Sizzling Summer Days

With much of the US experiencing extremely steamy temps, I started thinking how Yoga rejuvinates my body more than the cool temps of any pool or ocean!  I have absolutely pushed the limits of the most recent heat wave in the Northeast by attending Hot Vinyasa Flow classes, but the most beneficial classes for me personally have been restorative or gentle yoga.  Restorative Yoga may be overlooked by the typical Yogi, as classes for the weak, injured, or downright lazy. I may have been someone who would never have attended a Restorative class because I could not imagine "laying around on props" would be beneficial.

However, I was introduced to Restorative Yoga during my teacher training at YogaWorks in New York City, and after an hour and a half session, I noticed a profound difference in my body.  Being an athletic person, I have used movement or cardio to manage stress and achieve a sense of well-being.  Who knew I could find the same energetic sensation through restorative yoga poses that I would find after a 6 mile run on a hot summer day? 

A Restorative Yoga Session, even if you practice one asana (pose), will allow the body to find energy through relaxation.  So when the weather becomes extreme and the sun is draining your Prana (energy), hit up a yoga class and keep your Prana in check!
My suggestion for those who are not convinced is that you try one pose and hold it for 3-5 minutes.  Afterwards, examine how your body feels in comparison to how it felt before the pose.  Try the pose again when you are ready and maybe hold it for a longer length of time or experiment with a different pose.  Every body is different and poses may be beneficial to some and not to others, but you will never know if Restorative Yoga will feel good to YOUR body, unless you give it a try!  Check the schedules of your local Yoga classes and look for "restorative" or "gentle"  yoga on the schedule!

My belief in the benefits of Restorative yoga has led me to purchase my own props, so I can set up an at-home restorative session as needed.  The props are inexpensive and invaluable because once you are in your first Restorative Supta Baddha Konasana (Goddess Pose), you will not understand how you survived without a bolster, block, or blanket! 


For Suggestions or more information on Restorative Asanas, please email, SchillerYoga@gmail.com.


Namaste!