In The Moment

I do Bikram Yoga. It’s also called “hot yoga”. It is called that because the class is conducted in a room that is heated to about 105 degrees. However, depending on the number of bodies in the class, and the time of day, the room can even be hotter. Bikram Yoga is one of my favorite things and it is also something I resist. I love it because of how healthy I feel after I am done. And when I do it regularly without a break, I feel better in every way. I feel strong. I feel flexible. I do not get aches and pains. My neck doesn’t “kink up”. In fact, my visits to the chiropractor nearly cease.

I resist it because it requires a total commitment on my part. A commitment to MYSELF. Once inside the classroom, there is no turning back. The door is locked. I have agreed to give my best, my all. I MUST SHOW UP, completely.

The other day during yoga class, I had an experience that Oprah would call an “Aha!” moment. I was lying on my back during a resting pose, which is graciously given between each posture in the “floor series”, lasting about 10 seconds each time. As I stared at the ceiling (it is necessary to keep your eyes open for the entire class) I tried to think about which posture I would be doing next. I didn’t know. I tried to remember what posture I had JUST DONE, and I couldn’t remember. I realized that, in that moment, I had no idea what was coming, or what I had just experienced. I was completely “in the moment”. And I noticed that I was OK with that. I felt calm. I knew that everything was under control. I knew that there was a higher power (the instructor) who would tell me what to do and when to do it. My job was just to “follow the simple instructions”, which is a saying that Byron Katie uses to describe how she lives her life. Never had I understood that so well before. It was truly freeing.

I am wondering how to apply this lesson to my life. It is so easy to get caught up in thoughts about the past: how our parents screwed us up, who did us wrong in relationships, “if only” thoughts that can literally eat up our lives. Equally, we spend a LOT of time WORRYING about the future: how to be successful, how to find “the right person” for us, what if I make a mistake? It seems to me that if we spent more time in the place where we ARE, we would have less stress and be much happier people. So, how do we do that?

You can check in with yourself. One simple technique is to ask the question, “Where are my hands right now?” Pay attention to where you are PHYSICALLY in space. Feel the “life” in your hands, feet and legs. That exercise gently slows the brain and causes you to focus on the NOW.

Or, you might be a “thrill-seeker”. It is thought that people who sky-dive and rock climb are in fact yearning for that connection to the present. Under such circumstances, a small distraction could mean life or death. Certainly, jumping out of an airplane is a good way to FORCE yourself into the moment! I cannot speak from experience on that one. :-)

I have a favorite quote by the Zen Master Rinzai: “What in this moment is lacking?”
This is one of the easiest ways for me to “check in”. When I start to focus on what might be missing (in my day, in my life, in my bank account), or when I get upset about what I forgot to do, or how someone failed to meet my expectations, I can ask that question. So far, the answer is always the same. “Nothing.” Right now, I am breathing. I am alive. I am safe. The sun is shining. The tide is moving in and out. I live in a free country. I have choices. I have friends. I have family. I can always find someone to return a smile. I am still breathing, and there is still plenty of air. All is well. I am OK.

And remember! There is also YOGA.