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In Search of the Quiet Place
It seems like I’m breathing a lot more doing yoga than I ever did in ballet class – or at least more conscious of it. Towards the end of every class, the teacher guides us through a short breathing meditation and except for a few precious seconds, my brain feels like the image on the left.
Illustration by Alessandra Olanow
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Wendy, I’ve been meditating fairly consistently for over 4 years now and my mind is STILL largely like the picture on the left. That is normal. It’s those space–your precious few seconds–that is the benefit, the reward of meditation. Overall, a combination of meditation and daily morning pages (over 1000 days in a row!) have really reduced my reactivity. But that monkey mind still takes over. Just notice and move on (to your breath, to your sensations, to the sounds of birds, whatever your teacher asks you to do).
So, how do you like yoga? I’ve tried it several times and have never enjoyed it, nor have I felt a desire to continue with the practice. Yet so many of my friends swear by it (to the point of spending good money on yoga retreats abroad) and I wonder if I’m missing something or it’s just not for me.
I’m relieved to know I have good company with a noisy mind, even with someone as experienced as you in quieting it. I’ve never been drawn to yoga, but my schedule is so busy right now that it’s been hard to make it to my favorite ballet studio, which can take an hour of drive time. I can walk to the yoga class from my house!!! and I know the teacher who is a former film colleague. I’m totally loving it. The class is very hard, very focused. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m hooked.