Contraction and Expansion: How to Go Inwards Without Hiding There
Moving towards Self Realization in a New World.
I would like to offer you a Pranayama practice with a guided meditation for contraction and expansion. In difficult and trying times, there is much contraction created through fear, doubt, sadness and loneliness.
When there is disharmony in our emotional body, this affects all the rest. It eventually leads to dis- ease within our physical body.
When we talk about the 5 Koshas, the 5 Body Sheaths, we are talking about the Physical Body/ Anamaya Kosha ( which is created by the food we eat), the Energetic Body/ Pranamaya Kosha (the body of the subtle energies, our life force, the Chakras and Nadis, the nerve channels, the meridians…) the Mental Body/ Manomaya Koshas (our perceiving body, our conceptual body, which understands, our thinking mind) the Intellectual Wisdom Body, Vijnananda Kosha, our deep subconscious , our karmic body or our deeper subconscious emotional body, then deep within is our Blissful Body/ Anandamaya Kosha, this is the closest to our true nature, the closest to our consciousness. We are multi dimensional human beings. Each body works at a different vibrational energy, but they are all connected and that which is affected affects all others.
So you can see if we are affected at our mental level through fear, grief, anger and negative thought patterns by the situation we are living or even how we are thinking about it, this will also affect our physical body creating anxiety, stress and then physical illness such as gastritis and other diseases within the physical body.
Fortunately we have Yoga tools to helps us through this disharmony within our 5 bodies!
We can practice pranayama, asanas and meditation to help us through, to find more balance and harmony within and without.
First I’d like to talk about my life these days and how it is affecting me in my personal practice.
Another day goes by, another week, time seems to have come to a standstill, slowing down to the natural rhythms of life and the breath of the planet.
You can almost feel this prana/ life force energy growing and gaining momentum, as the earth’s air cleanses and detoxifies.
We know the planet is doing better, the plants, the insects, the animals, but how is humanity doing? How are you doing? How am I doing?
Many people around the world have begun to look more closely at themselves and what life means, many searching through religious beliefs, others through spirituality and others singing, dancing, reading and getting to know their children, their family a little better.
Our fast stressed filled world has taken humans so far away from real connection with each other and the planet. We have lost contact with the real knowing of listening and hearing others and all life that surrounds us. We forget that we are not alone. Now through lock down, we are forced too, forced to live closely together and find things to do, forced to have a closer look at who we are and what our responsibility is in these new times. Our responsibility towards ourselves and to each other.
So here we are, all slowing down and smelling if not the flowers, the beautiful unpolluted air and blue skies.
For me, as a yogi, I thought I had already learn to slow down, and be present. My meditation and asana practice, my time with my horses, have definitely made me more aware and present in my life and healed me in so many ways. Yet, I am still just a regular human being, who can get caught up in the stress of finances, the to-do lists and organization of running a business and a farm.
Now all that is gone! Poof! Well money is still big problem, but compared to being healthy and alive, it seems not so threatening anymore.
My discovery of myself and the meaning of life, is changing and deepening because of this enforced lock down. With so much time to meditate, I feel I am beginning to go to a next level. Without realizing it before, I realize it now, I had been stuck for a year or so. Maybe because I was very busy building the farm and leading the Yoga Teacher Trainings and retreats, life was busy, and there was less personal time for me and my own personal spiritual growth.
Now, I see this and now I am beginning to feel the difference. A new energy within me is beginning to bubble and come up, as I settle and go inward in stillness, I feel at the same time I am expanding and growing outwards.
That’s what a practice of yoga is about, contraction- going inwards and expansion- moving outwards and ascending to enlightenment or to a state of bliss. Being in a state of bliss, doesn’t mean you wander around in a beautiful bubble and life is always perfect. Life does what life does and you have your experiences through it and you grow and evolve through these experiences. But when you meditate and begin to achieve moments of complete stillness, oneness and moments of bliss, you become more grounded and more flexible, the problems of life don’t affect you the same way, you can look at them with equanimity and react to them from a place of expansion and yes even joy. You learn to respond to what happens to you instead of just re acting to it.
In our practice of asanas, we go through the process of contraction followed by expansion. In the practice of pranayama, breath work, it is also about contraction then expansion. As we meditate we go inwards/ contraction towards expansion/ enlightenment.
Life, has an expanding and contracting pulsation and rhythm. It is in everything around us and in us.
So maybe the virus has inspired you to discover your spiritual path and be spiritual. That is great, but remember that spirituality is not a philosophy, it is not an ideology, it is not an attitude that you take, its not some belief system you follow. Spirituality guides you to disentangle yourself from all the things you made up. Your social life, your family, your body , your mind, all the things you made up. All the things you thought about yourself and others, all the judgments. If you disentangle or at least create a little space between all that you have made up, the spiritual process becomes a natural process and you will find there is no other way to live. Life begins to move with more fluidity instead of resistance, expansion, instead on contraction. Fear and anxiety create contraction, joy, hope, goodness and love create expansion.
I am discovering, with this slowing down of living and through my yoga practice, that the things I thought were so important, are not and the things that didn’t seem as important, were the most important. Of course the well being of my daughters was, is and always will be the most important thing, but even that has become more humble in nature, as one sees and feels the whole world living this experience so intensely, altogether.
Allowing each day and what happens in that day, to just happen, is so wonderfully freeing and peaceful.
As you might understand, being a single Mum, running before a hotel business, then Horse Trek business and now a Yoga School and Equine center, keeps one very active and a bit of a control freak. Now I have lost all control and through this loss of control I have released attachment and the need for things to be a certain way. Non- attachment, another very important teaching in the Yoga Sutras.
The virus is making a point to all of us, life is a very brief happening, so how long do you want to take to make up your mind? Make up your mind to truly live your life in the best way for you and for those around you, for the whole planet. Thats all, once you make up your mind “Yes I want to know the nature of this life, yes I want to respond to life in a way that brings joy and harmony into my life and those around me.”.” You will be beginning your spiritual path and discovery of your True Authentic Self.
Has the virus brought you some realization in your life? If so that is fantastic. If it has, it should.
It doesn’t take 2 weeks, 1 month to realize, it just takes a moment to realize, to realize there is more to life than all those things you thought so important, the beautiful house, the new car, the cool clothes, that perfect vacation. Always striving and looking for something more, never content. Yet, when we become still and listen, listening to our own inner voice, our wisdom, we begin to see, that everything we need, we already have within us. We have this enormous power of energy, of love, of healing and manifestation, if only we can slow down and begin to look inwards.
As we journey inwards, we connect with our soul and its life’s desire, we move towards expansion of heart, love and connection.
So lets make this traumatic and difficult time into something positive, into something that moves towards expansion and not into contraction of fear and depression. We all have the ability to do this, we just need to be willing. Willing to be a better person, a better human, willing to be part of the change for a better brighter world full of light and expansion.
It doesn’t matter how big and important or how small and insignificant your action might appear to you, know that every little drop has an effect on the whole, and by planting seeds of love, compassion and caring towards others and yourself, you will make a huge difference. This is the power of manifestation that we all possess, if we are willing to be responsible human Beings.
Change is not just in our leaders, change begins with each individual. So take this time of confinement, to look within and get to know yourself, and listen to your breath, your heart, your soul and share that with the world.
Here is a Pranayama practice & guided meditation to help you on your journey inwards so that you may expand outwards and live life fully with all your heart.
Guided meditation Contraction & Expansion
If you like you can listed to my guided meditation that I posted on YouTube:
Find a quiet place, and sit comfortably, maybe on the edge of a pillow, blanket or a block.
TRANSCRIPTION
Close your eyes and begin to just be aware of your breath. Try to not change it in any way. Just be aware of its feeling, with each inhale and exhale. Do this for a minute or so.
Now lets begin with some contraction, exhaling completely, contracting your abdominal muscles and pull your belly button inwards to your spine, expelling all the air completely.
Making space for new fresh air, prana/ life force energy, to enter you.
Inhale deeply and completely into your belly, filling your belly, expanding through your rib cage, lifting up through your collar bones. Creating space and expansion in your lungs to filled with this pure energy force prana.
Continue exhaling completely and inhaling fully for the next 3 minutes or so. Long even exhales and inhales.
Creating contraction and expansion through your breath.
Now return to your natural breath and be aware of the changes you feel. Is there more openness and expansion in your lungs and at your heart center? Does your mind feel more calm and centered?
Now begin once again the complete exhale and full inhales.
This time as you begin to inhale, you will engage the Mulabandha, an energy lock found between your legs by gently contracting the muscles here, like you would do if you urgently needed to go to the bathroom. As you exhale contract your abs bringing your belly button towards your spine and at the same visualize lifting the belly button up and under your ribs, this is the Uddhiyana Bandha (keep the Mula Bandha still engaged too). As you continue with this exhale draw your chin slightly towards your chest creating a little tension in your throat area. Here you are engaging the Jalandhara Bandha.
Now inhale fully and release all the energy locks the Mulabandha, Uddhiyana and Jalandhara Bandhas.
Begin again for a few repetitions. Beginning with the inhale and contraction of the Mulabandha.
You can do this for several rounds, but stop if at any time you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.
Doing this Pranayama technique and engaging the Bandhas at the same time, creates contraction and contains the energy force within, driving the energy up through your body and allowing your energy then to expand and open. You will be interacting at a physical, energetic, mental, emotional and spiritual level, integrating the 5 Koshas.
Return to your natural breath, eyes closed and become totally aware of all feeling and energy moving within you and through you, as you breathe.
Keeping your eyes closed, let yourself be guided by your recorded voice.
Bring your awareness to your Heart Center. This is your Heart Chakra. The center of unconditional love and healing.
With each inhale breathe into your heart.
With each exhale, release all tension in your jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and down to your hands.
Inhale into your heart center, begin to feel it grow and expand.
Visualize a beautiful soft pink or green light growing at the center and with each inhale growing bigger and bigger.
Exhale, allow what you no longer need, to go, release and relax.
As you inhale feel this beautiful ray of light, feel its power of love, feel compassion and let it expand outwards and around you. Let it enter your energetic field that lies around your physical body and let it be filled with this beautiful soft and glowing light.
Now as you exhale, feel there is no contraction in your exhale, but that your exhale is also expanding outwards, allowing this energy of love and healing to move throughout your physical body and outwards into your aura.
With each inhale and exhale the light grows stronger and bigger around you, expanding more and more. Filling the room you are in, enveloping the whole neighborhood where you are, in this beautiful soft glowing light of expansion and unconditional love.
Let this power grow stronger and outward to the whole area, the town, the countryside, the country, the continent, Planet Earth.
Inhaling and exhaling, expanding outwards to all the Universe.
Now slowly bring your awareness back to the planet, back to your country, to your home, to your room, to your heart center.
See the light glowing, feel the soft warm feeling of love and gentle healing within your heart.
Returning within your physical body, going inwards in contraction, yet feeling this sense of expansion and love within and without.
Tell yourself “My body, mind and soul are united and connected.”
Slowly, very slowly, take your time. Begin to move your hands, your toes and feet and gently, softly open your eyes.
Keep this feeling of love and expansion with you throughout your day.
Bring your hands to heart center, palm against palm.
Bow to your inner teacher within.
Namaste.