| So far on our exploration of yoga and the economy | | | | overall relief from emotions that do not serve you. |
| the economy of yoga, we have looked at how yoga, | | | | Practice regularly. You will notice the difference in your |
| the most economical of wellness systems ever | | | | life. |
| created, can help humans through economic hard | | | | Sit in a comfortable position on the floor, against a wall, |
| times. I noted that when our economy is as weak as | | | | or in a chair. Place the right hand in Vishnu mudra and |
| this one, it is likely our individual economies lose | | | | rest that elbow in the palm of the left hand, arms and |
| strength. We need to attend to exercise, mind work, | | | | shoulders relaxed and to the sides. To create Vishnu |
| and diet in order to get and keep our personal | | | | mudra, tuck the second and third fingers in the palm |
| economies-of-one strong. | | | | and leave the thumb, ring finger, and baby finger |
| In the last article, I offered physical and breathing | | | | extended and relaxed. |
| exercises that, if you are short on time or money, can | | | | Raise your right hand to the face and turn it to face |
| put you on the path to strength, flexibility, and balance. | | | | you. Close off the right nostril with your thumb and |
| Today, we'll look at a second part of the yoga | | | | inhale through the left nostril, engaging long deep |
| wellness package: mind-work and breath awareness. | | | | breathing (see article three in this series for detailed |
| Even if you are exercising regularly these days but are | | | | instructions). At the top of the inhale, close your left |
| experiencing more stress than before the economy | | | | nostril with the ring finger. Now you have both nostrils |
| plummeted, you are at risk of personal | | | | closed. After about six seconds, exhale through the |
| economy-of-one downturn. As we know, exercise | | | | right nostril. That is one round. Do a round to the other |
| takes us a long way on the path to physical and | | | | side: inhale right nostril (left nostril is still closed off), hold |
| mental health, and when done with breath awareness, | | | | the breath, and exhale left nostril, closing off left. You |
| can take us even further. | | | | can do as many rounds as you wish. Make your |
| But what if yogic exercise with breath awareness is | | | | inhales, exhales, and holds as deep and even as |
| not quite enough for you these days? What if, like a | | | | possible without any strain at all in the body. |
| good friend of mine, you are not sleeping well? What if | | | | 2) Let us now look at Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra, an |
| you are feeling depressed or anxious or worried, and | | | | ancient meditation practice, helps restore physical, |
| what if even one hour of sun salutations a day is not | | | | emotional, and mental health by way of deep, guided |
| completely helping you handle your reactions to the | | | | relaxation. It is one of the least explored yet most |
| world, or what if you do not practice yoga at all but | | | | beneficial of meditation practices and is available to |
| have an exercise regime and still find yourself suffering | | | | everyone regardless of physical ability or age. |
| emotionally or mentally from this recession? What if | | | | In Yoga Nidra, ('yoga' in Sanskrit means 'unity' and 'nidra' |
| you do not care for exercise of the body but want to | | | | means 'sleep'), the body and mind are neither fully |
| start doing something to help you? | | | | awake nor in a sleep state but, rather, are calm, still, |
| Yoga offers a solution for all. | | | | and quietly aware. |
| Exercising the mind is as important, if not more | | | | Yoga Nidra has many benefits. It reduces stress, |
| important, as exercising the body. It is crucial that we | | | | improves sleep, boosts the immune system, lowers |
| exercise our minds the way we tune our cars at the | | | | blood pressure, brings balance and harmony to the |
| mechanic's, or tune our bodies in yoga asana class. A | | | | hemispheres of the brain and nervous system, |
| strong mind, simply put, helps us create and maintain | | | | promotes higher consciousness and inner peace, and |
| healthy emotional and psychological perspectives. Our | | | | helps us drop our unwanted behaviors and habits. |
| ancients knew all about this and created within the | | | | Physical relaxation, breathing awareness, affirmations, |
| system of yoga thousands of years ago two (out of | | | | and visualizations are the basic techniques employed in |
| eight) entire limbs of study dedicated solely to mind | | | | a Yoga Nidra practice. Yoga Nidra sessions range |
| work. | | | | from about 5 to 45 minutes in length. The longer the |
| There are many, many mind-training exercises and | | | | session, the more work the mind does, but even a five |
| systems in yoga. An internet search or a search on | | | | minute session has been proven to be of great benefit |
| You Tube using keywords such as 'pranayama', | | | | to practitioners. |
| 'meditation,' Yoga Nidra' or 'dhyana' will fill your toolbag | | | | Yoga Nidra is a meditation you listen to. If you cannot |
| with tools for calming and strengthening the mind to | | | | find a Yoga Nidra teacher in your area, purchase a CD |
| function at its optimum. Today, I will instruct you on two | | | | or download and listen regularly. (My 71 minute Yoga |
| of my favorite tools: Alternate Nostril Breathing and | | | | Nidra CD, containing four Yoga Nidra sequences, is |
| Yoga Nidra. | | | | available at my website listed at the end of this article.) |
| 1) Alternate Nostril Breathing (or Anuloma Viloma or | | | | In the final article of this series, I will focus on the third |
| Nadi Shodhana) is a deeply relaxing breathing exercise | | | | part of the 'big three' in a yoga wellness package |
| involving a mudra (hand position). It brings a balance of | | | | geared toward a troubled economy. I will talk about |
| prana to the body, balances the right and left sides of | | | | most yogic, healthy, and economic diet on the planet |
| the body, calms the mind, and prepares us for | | | | and how it can help you, others, and the planet's health: |
| meditation or quiet sitting. It is a fantastic breathing | | | | raw foods. |
| exercise to help you relax, sleep better, and feel | | | | |