As my head started to clear, the curiosity to know myself better grew. My monkey mind was like a dirty lake where a pebble could create ripples and cause disturbance. Meditation with the practice of Yama, Niyama made me curious. My focus shifted from the mind to the heart, which is a vast ocean, hosting mysteries and truths unknown. Sitting by the shore and watching the waves did not seem an option anymore. I wanted to take the deep dive!
I had traversed some distance from being trapped in the chaos of the mind, to being able to ignore the mind and still myself to try and listen to the whispers of the heart. To let go and not be incessantly bothered by the same baggage was the other hurdle I had to cross. I understood the importance of staying alert, and attentive so as not to miss anything. But my physical self was not supporting me in my endeavors! And thus, yoga’s limb three and four happened - Asana and Pranayama.
“Pranayama is a combination of two words, Prana and Ayama. The word Prana is derived from the Sanskrit An, which means ‘to move’ or ‘to breathe’, with the prefix Pra which generally is used to intensify the meaning of the root with which it is associated. The word Ayama means ‘expanding, extending, stretching,’ so Pranayama means to extend or expand the life force or breath. Ayama also sometimes means ‘restraint or control’, in which case it can also mean controlling or restraining the breath. So, both expansion and contraction are there in the process, as in the process of breathing itself. https://heartfulness.org/magazine/pranayama”
Heartfulness practice starts with relaxation. A few simple instructions to help relax, and let go of the irrelevant, so that the mind can focus or contemplate on the core. Pranayama is the breath of life. A disturbed mind is like a ripple filled lake where the murky waters disrupt a clear thought process.
Alert and still, with the willingness to surrender and let go of all that is not relevant for me, I sit for meditation and wait, patiently for the answers. The mind is clear, the body is relaxed, and I am ready to know myself a little more, take the deep dive.
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