The body is a vessel. It receives. It receives all day and all night. It receives oxygen, food, and water. It receives words and images, sounds and ideas. It receives hugs and smiles; and sometimes it receives aggression, resistance, and sadness. Your body receives the news of the day, the series streaming on Netflix, and the soundtrack in your headphones.
Your body receives rest. Well, we hope it receives rest! If we tried to rest standing up, parts of the body may experience a sort of relief because the body is not in motion, but in order to allow the body to fully rest, we are best served by lying down. We create a situation where the body can actually receive the rest it needs. We find a quiet space, fluff a pillow, cover ourselves with a blanket, and close our eyes. In other words, we create an environment that supports the rest we need.
The same is true in meditation. We are best served by creating an environment, both inside and out, that supports receptivity. For instance, we can sit upright and straighten the spine. We can breath through the nose to support the nervous system.
Interestingly, the body has two nostrils; in fact, it has lots of two’s. We have a right and left nostril, right and left hemispheres of the brain, our lungs are divided in two, we have two arms and two legs, two eyes, two ears, two kidneys… and so the body, and its vital parts, are impeccably designed to consider balance and alignment.
In sitting upright, in straightening and aligning the spine, we are immediately balancing our breathing; we are balancing our asana, inside and out. We are, in-fact, balancing ourselves in every way. Our inner posture and our outer posture are one and the same. A sloppy posture usually means a sloppy attitude, limited breath, and a not-so-inspiring meditation. An upright posture usually means a poised mind and a poised attitude, which creates space for a meaningful meditation.
By establishing proper asana, your vessel is ready—ready for this moment as it unfolds into the next. We’ll work with asana this week.
Happy meditating!