A Present for You from Me in Milan

After 36 hours of mental mayhem, we made it to Rome in time to catch our Mediterranean cruise. It ended up being a fabulous break, and now I’m back to my freshly dusted, de-cluttered daily routine. I may have been gone for a while, but I didn’t forget you, dear readers. Here is a gem of insight that I brought back just for you from Milan, Italy.

Because we docked in Genoa, we took one of those corny tours to hop a bus to Milan and land ourselves in the best site-seeing spots. The tour guides were less than enthusiastic and very difficult to understand, so when free time finally arrived, we made a mad dash for the roads less traveled. While the rest of the tourists hit the shops, we embarked on our favorite travel pastime—getting lost in unfamiliar cities.

As we weaved in and out of narrow, crooked alleys, it hit me why most people run for the shops instead of the streets—it’s that natural human tendency to try to hold onto and prolong what’s pleasurable. We had two hours of free time in Milan. I can’t deny that I also experienced that urge to grab souvenirs that would remind me of my time in the city and snap a gazillion pictures to capture the sites.

I don’t think we managed it in every city, but at least in Milan, I can honestly say my husband and I basked in the present. We focused on experiencing rather than capturing the city. If you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Milan, I highly recommend sitting down with a rich cup of Illy espresso. It’s the perfect way to open your taste buds and your mind to the present as it exists in Milan.

Hard Core Airplane Yoga

Forget airplane seat or aisle yoga. Try sitting on the tar mat for 2.5 hours as you watch your connecting departure time to Rome flash before your eyes. Thanks to US Airways, I'm spending the night in Charlotte, NC, instead of spending the day in Rome. The crossword puzzle in the airline magazine was my saving grace. It helped me focus on something other than the pending probability of missing my international flight. I think it's going to take a good episode or three of Tara Brach to get me through tomorrow's forecasted thunderstorms to the Mediterranean cruise I'm hoping to catch by 5pm on Sunday.

Should Yoga Be Served Any Way You Like It?

I've been visiting Calvary Baptist Church for about two months. No, I haven't returned to the fundamentalism of my youth. This is a different kind of Baptist church. The pastor is a woman, and a gay couple—J and A—serves as the unofficial welcoming committee.

Calvary Baptist is the kind of place where the following video could conceivably form the basis of a Sunday morning sermon.



And now, I will use the above video to kick off a discussion about yoga. But first, back to J and A, who threw a fabulous dinner party last night. A is a Calvary Baptist deacon and is sometimes frustrated with his perceived lack of clear, defined core beliefs about Christianity at Calvary. On the other hand, J appreciates having the freedom to find his own way on his spiritual path and being welcomed and supported at Calvary no matter what his beliefs are at the moment.

Our discussion immediately reminded me of yoga. What happens when each person is free to practice whatever style of yoga she likes best, no matter how far removed from the ancient, traditional, original practice of yoga? Does it make yoga accessible to more people? Does it get watered down like Ricky Bobby praying to dear, sweet baby Jesus?

In the interest of full disclosure, I practice something closer to the dear, sweet baby Jesus variety of yoga. But I'd love to hear thoughts on the matter from both sides and in between.

A Path Through Depression: How to Maximize the Healing Potential of Yoga

Now that I'm back to a regular asana routine, I decided to pull out my copy of Yoga as Medicine and revisit the chapter on depression. The three-day weekend gave me ample time to practice yoga to my heart's content, and I'm feeling the best I've felt in a very long time. What is it about yoga that has such a positive effect on my mental health?

The Case for Yoga

The scientific evidence for yoga as a valid treatment for depression isn't all that strong. There is a small study out of UCLA and a couple small studies out of Universities in India--of course they're going to say yoga works. But we don't need a scientific study to prove everything, right? I mean, do you really need a peer-reviewed journal to tell you chocolate tastes good?

I didn't think so. Here's the case for yoga, made eloquently by Timothy McCall, Patricia Walden, and the editors of Yoga as Medicine:

1. Yoga reduces stress. One of the tests sometimes used to diagnose depression is the dexamethasone suppression test, which examines whether or not stress hormones decrease when they should. According to Yoga as Medicine and my personal experience, yoga lowers stress hormones.
2. Yoga improves posture. Slump your shoulders and let your chest cave in. Now sit up straight with shoulders back and chest open. Which posture puts you in a better state of mind?
3. Yoga encourages self study. Although depression often has a genetic and biological component, the yogic discipline of svadhyaya (self study) can help you identify the behavior patterns that contribute to your brand of depression.

I also like this gem from Patricia Walden: faith is the key to unlocking the healing potential of yoga. Commit to your practice, be patient, and watch what happens.

Yoga Rebel Returns to Practice

Most of you aren't dying to know what my yoga practice was like during my three-month blogging hiatus. Lucky for you, there isn't much to write about because I went through what you might call a yoga rebellion. Never heard of it? Lest you experience this unfortunate state, please read on.

Signs of an Impending Yoga Rebellion

1. You wonder if you're using asana and meditation to numb yourself to the harsh realities of life.
2. You stop going to yoga classes with the intent of bringing asana in-house. Classes cost too much money anyways, and you'd rather do your own thing.
3. Asana looses its charm. It becomes more of a have-to than a get-to.
4. You begin going to the gym more often than doing yoga. (Being a couch potato more often than practicing yoga also counts.)
5. You slack off on your yoga blogging.
6. You make the bold assertion that you could quit yoga anytime and experience every bit as deep of a spiritual life as the past four years of steady practice.

Shortly after that bold assertion, I took the plunge head-first into yoga rebellion. I quit for a good two or three months. I didn't fall into a spiritual black hole, nor did I warp into a tangled ball of tight muscles. But I did learn a thing or two:

1. Yoga isn't magic. Yoga won't fix your life (although it certainly can help), and if you stop, it won't ruin it either.
2. You don't have to do yoga to be spiritual. Connection is accessible in a cathedral, your garden, washing the dishes, and in your daily interactions.
3. However, unplugging is a necessity. Daily life has a way of lulling us into trance. Over time, our actions come from habit rather than presence. We must have a way of stepping out of the trance, whether it's asana, meditation, practicing a religion, or something else.

For me, stepping out of the trance is possible when I practice yoga. This afternoon, I spent two hours in asana and meditation. Folks, I think I'm back.

Thoughtful Thursday: Meshable Buddhist Teachings for Yogis

It turns out that my mixed feelings about struggling with consistency aren't necessarily a problem. I revisited Tara Brach's podcast on wise effort (9/23/09 episode) and noticed a new tidbit. Check out these two seemingly opposed, yet complimentary Buddhist teachings:

1. There are 84,000 paths to freedom, and no matter which one we choose, it demands that we give it our energy. However,...
   
2. The moments of true freedom come from non-doing, non-striving, and non-efforting.

How do these two teaching mesh? Through non-doing and non-efforting, we let go of the wants and fears that drive us and instead come from a place of purposeful energy. It's what Tara calls wise effort.

It took me a while to figure out this next part. The way we access wise effort is by letting go of fears and wants so that we can return to the present, where our true energy lies. As Tara says, the only place we have any power is now.

Maybe I could be more consistent if I can learn to operate in the present.