Healing
the Echoes of Exhaustion
with the energy of the Autumn Equinox
During a faculty meeting at the Albany Kripalu Yoga Center, a
not-for-profit center that is a beloved community for me, a dear
teacher spoke of exhaustion as a lack of "wholeheartedness." As I
sat in the sanctuary of the circle, her words hit me with a
hurricane force. So that's it! How many things have I been doing,
accomplishing, "getting done" that I'm not "wholeheartedly" devoted
to?
On a deep level, I sensed this a while ago. This longing for
wholeheartedness led me to spend time over this past summer cleaning
out clutter—tangible
clutter and relationship clutter. Treasures from my three boys' baby
and toddler days are packed away. Old toys have been donated or
sold. There is space in my home. A small room we call the "refuge"
has been dedicated. It contains a small rug, one chair and a wall
lamp. A rotting wall has been torn down on one side of the house (to
be replaced this week!). I've let go of all volunteer commitments at
my children's school, an act that would have seemed heretical to me
a year ago when I was deeply involved in many projects and programs.
But I'm still exhausted. In silence of my practice, I hear echoes
within the exhaustion. The echoes I hear intrigue me. What is their
source? Why am I hearing echoes? What is an echo?
Wikipedia provided some answers. "An echo is a reflection of
sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. A
true echo is a single reflection of the sound source. If so many
reflections arrive at a listener that he is unable to distinguish
between them, the proper term is reverberation. The time
delay is the extra distance divided by the speed of sound."
When I am exhausted, I am vibrating with reverberations—with
a multitude of reflections of physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual stress. If I don't listen to direct communication from my
body, mind and spirit then the unheard guidance echoes within,
looking for sanctuary. There are also the reverberations of all
unfinished business in my life. Just writing that phrase seems
overwhelming, but think about it. How often do we push away what is
difficult with the promise to deal with it later. Well, later is
now. What if we don't need to actively stop the echoes? What if all
we need to do is create space in our mind, body and spirit to allow
the echoes to land in peace?
According to Greek mythology, Echo was nymph who had been given a
task by Zeus (the King) to talk incessantly to Hera (the Queen, his
wife) so that he wouldn't get caught fooling around with whomever
caught his fancy. Hera caught on to Echo and cursed her. From then
on, Echo could only say what others had just said.
This resonates with me as well. I've been Zeus—distracting
others so that they wouldn't see the real me. I've been Hera—blaming
a third party instead of delving into an issue that needs to be
addressed. I've also been Echo—talking
incessantly (and equating talking about something with actually
accomplishing something).
September is beautiful and yet poignant. Abundant and ripe. It is a
time for beginnings (staring a new school year) and endings (leaving
behind the easy warmth and pleasure of summer). It has always been a
good time of year for me to look inside, to evaluate the course the
year has taken. It is a time to appreciate, to let go and to take
courageous steps toward authenticity.
The past early September days have felt almost unbearably intense,
especially around the time of the full moon on September 7.
Fortunately, I found guidance from one of my favorite Web sites,
www.astrowisdom.com.
Lisa Dale Miller offers full moon and new moon messages that are
filled with practical and spiritual wisdom. Regarding the September
7 full moon, she writes "I hope you are ready to step deeply into a
celebration of commitment to the enlightenment of all sentient
beings...This is the night to put into action all of your intentions
around better health, healing, facing addictions and giving of
yourself in service to the community."
This September is a month to work with a practice that will support
the energy that Lisa describes. While feeling the intensity of the
moon as well as the intensity of the anniversaries of Hurricane
Katrina and the events of September 11, 2001, this month's Sraddha
Yoga practice arrived as a dream. I led the practice on Sunday
morning, September 10, 2006 at the Albany Kripalu Yoga Center with a
large group of students. The resonance of our practice continues to
vibrate and echo (yes! there are positive echoes ready to land in
your life!) in the universe. I recommend that you work with this
practice for seven days in a row to clear space, to release echoes
of exhaustion and over-stimulation, to access and nurture your
strength and authority, to connect with your soul's presence and to
nurture peace in your heart, peace in your life and peace in the
world.
This practice will lead you to a sense of inner balance at a time
when our world spins into balance. Let the time of the Autumn
Equinox be, for you, a time of inner searching. Notice what is out
of balance in your life and take small, consistent steps to move
into balance. Although this practice was born in the fall, it is
appropriate any time you feel out of balance and exhausted.
Please e-mail me with any responses or questions. I would appreciate
knowing how the practices I offer work in your life. If you would
like to receive this newsletter, please sign up! The newsletter is a
new adventure for me. If you have any problems signing up, please
contact me: lisa@sraddhayoga.com.
Blessings to you,
Lisa
SEPTEMBER 2006 PRACTICE
"Security is mostly a superstition.
It does not exist in nature,
nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
To keep our faces toward change and
behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength
undefeatable."
—Helen
Keller Let Us Have Faith (1949)
Centering Meditation
We are all connected.
There is no security.
We are nothing.
We are everything.
We are full.
We are empty.
What do you cling to? What do you fear letting go?
Acknowledge your own anger and pain with compassion and curiosity.
Know that your pain does not define you.
Awaken to your practice.
Awaken to your life.
Happy or sad. An opportunity to practice.
In sickness or in health. Practice.
Alert or worn out. Practice.
Holding a newborn baby. Practice.
Caring for a dying parent. Practice.
Enjoying a meal with family. Practice.
Enjoying a meal alone. Practice.
Going to sleep in your own bed. Practice.
Going to sleep on a cot in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina.
Practice.
Standing on a mountaintop on a warm September day.
Practice.
Standing on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center on September 11,
2001. Practice.
At a yoga class, with others. Practice.
In your living room, alone. Practice.
When we practice, we step deeply into a celebration of commitment to
stay present, body, mind and spirit.
We are all connected.
There is no security.
We are nothing.
We are everything.
We are full.
We are empty.
Practice to Heal the Echoes of Exhaustion
This is a vigorous sequence. Warm up thoroughly before the sequence.
Relax deeply after. I recommend moving through the entire sequence at
least twice, but three times will begin to clear your energy field past,
present and future. Practice for at least seven days consecutively.
1. Chatter Release (1 minute)
Stand with hands by ears: fingers up, palms toward head.
Shake hands vigorously.
2. Hara Punches (1 minute) Jog in place, make
fists with your hands and punch the air vigorously.
3. Spirit Cleanser (1 minute)
Take a wide stance, toes pointed outward. Hands are open as if they are
holding round sponges. Inhale and circle arms up. Exhale as the arms
circle down with a "HA" sound. Be fierce.
4. Victory Squat with Arm
Movement
Take a wide stance. Move into Victory Squat with the variation of toes
pointed outward, heels in. Stablize. Center through the core of the body
so that you are not leaning forward or back. Feel strength of your core.
Reach arms in front of you at shoulder height, palms together. Open the
arms wide and bring them back together with a clap 26 times.
5. Hara Kumbhaka (three-movement
sequence; do entire sequence five times)
A. Warrior
Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Palms of hands on solar plexus.
Inhale arms up. Exhale with a "HA" sound, lunging forward with your
right foot. Inhaling, step back, return your hands to your solar plexus.
Repeat on opposite side.
B. Victory Squat
Inhale arms up a "V" (elbows bent a bit) and out to the sides. Exhale
"HA" as you step your right foot wide to the right side, bending your
knees and bringing your elbows downward, fingertips up, palms
facing inward. Inhale, return to center, hands to solar plexus. Repeat
on opposite side.
C. Standing Squat
Interlacing your fingers over your solar plexus, turn your palms outward
and inhale arms up overhead. Exhale "HA" softly as you bend your knees
and sink into a Standing Squat, pressing your palms out at shoulder
level. Inhale, straightening your legs and raise your arms overhead.
Exhale, returning your hands to your solar plexus. Repeat this movement.
6. Prana Pulls (1 minute)
Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Press the soles
of your feet into the ground. Inhale deeply as you extend arms up and
away from you as if reaching to grab something. Exhale "HA" as you pull
your arms in toward your body, elbows bending, making fists as though
drawing something directly into your solar plexus.
7. Auric Field Increase (1
minute)
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, eyes closed and rolled up to the
third eye point. Inhale fully and deeply as you sweep your arms to the
sky. Let palms meet briefly overhead. Exhale powerfully as you sweep
your arms down to your sides.
8. Standing Twists (1 minute)
Stand with feet at least shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed at your
sides. Begin to turn your hips from left to right, allowing your arms to
swing from side to side. Exhale "HA" to each side, allowing your head
and eyes to turn to follow your hands. Lift the heel of the
opposite foot in the direction you are twisting. Relax your spine and
soften your knees.
9. Standing Yoga Mudra (3 deep
breaths)
Take a wide stance. Sweep arms behind the back and interlace the
fingers, knuckles toward the floor (use a tie to hold instead if you
would like). Raise the arms up and back. Hinge forward at the hips with
a straight back and bring the head toward the floor, below the heart.
Bring arms over the head and down, moving toward the floor.
When you have completed this practice, rest. Lie comfortably and breathe
naturally. Notice the movement of your breath in and out of your body.
Notice everything that arises with curiosity and compassion.
