Imagery Poem Challenge

Mediation Walk and Imagery Poem

Cracks in the pavement like laugh lines on an aged face mark wrinkles in time

My feet carefully avoid reflective rain puddle, natures mirrors

Small rivers line the curb, the wind whispers a sweet melody to match the mockingbirds bellowing cry from the gully below 

My boots pass over frozen packed sand, leaving no mark of my presence there

Daisy, my canine companion, gazes back at me with a wag of her tail, beckoning to wander further down the vacant street 

Wind tosses my hair in my face, like a models photo shoot gone awry 

Your warm hand cradles mine, shielding me from the cold world while two sets of footsteps lead into the airport but only one walks back out again. 

This challenge was to take a five minute walk each day, a meditation walk, taking our time to notice something that catches our eye, and focus on that image, use our senses. I enjoyed this challenge, it came quite easy to me, on my walks, possible lines for my poem came easily. This exercise played on my creativity, which is a big part of my life. It was nice to take a few minutes to myself and become enveloped in the nature surrounding me. These lines were from multiple places that I went that week; on my way back from class, walking my dog, and even saying goodbye to my boyfriend at the airport. This challenge was my favorite so far, it came very natural to me.

Who Needs Meditation?

Most of the meditation we have learned about it in the Yoga Sutras, and a little in Taoism. It is hard to settle down and concentrate something as omnipresent as breathing. Breathing is a good aspect in the yoga sutras because it can help both relax and energize the body. It is hard for a person to be calm enough to bet breathing control their bodies and become as humble and peaceful as a person can get. It is hardest for a person to become attached and distracted by surrounding noises and happenings.

I also believe that meditation truly relaxes both the physical and mental person. I was surprised how beneficial I thought the meditation challenge week was for me. I also liked how the vibration of the word "OM" is released throughout the body and represents the thoughts of God traveling through the body. It's awful that I can count Professor Salazar taking one breath and "OM" in the same breath while I need to take at least two! This takes practice, determination, effort, and most of all, concentration. In my own opinion, I think that wisdom is the perfect reflection word because it is more about the way a person individually meditates and how they get the most from it in thinking about new things and viewing other perspectives. 

If I was to take anything from the meditation section, I would take the fact that it's different for each person. Some people may catch on to meditation within a few months, love every pose, and want to learn more about meditation. Others may not catch on quite as quick, may become frustrated, and maybe won't think it's for them as much as the people that catch on within a few months. There are also people who don't take the time, or put in the effort to learn and concentrate on their meditation, therefore do not appreciate or benefit from practicing. It is about the thoughts, detachments, awareness, and wisdom that is from practice. All people need some kind of meditation, to free from reality and relax their minds and bodies.

Alissa Doiron

Class Challenges & Personal Realizations

This blog post is about our class challenges that we had every week and how I made some of my own personal realizations in the process.
Week 1 - Yoga

Challenge/Practice: 2 Rounds of Sun Salutation Daily with Journaling Each Day and at the End of the Week.

I really enjoyed this challenge I found it interesting and fun. I liked the way I felt afterwards with the exception of the pain in my wrists. I felt more flexible more relaxed it was just a nice way to end the day and then wake up feeling refreshed and not so groggy. I would like to continue this challenge in the future as well as to add new yoga poses to make it a little more challenging. 

Week 2 - Vegetarianism 

Challenge/Practice: Be a Yogic Vegetarian for a week (No meat, no eggs). Journaling Each Day and at the End of the Week. This challenge was only difficult because I didn't have the option of having chicken or turkey, but for the most part I live like this every day. I don’t eat eggs, beef, pork, or any type of seafood (I am allergic to seafood and shellfish) but I do eat a lot of chicken and turkey products. A few years ago I went full vegetarian for about a year and a half and that was extremely difficult and I was always tired and hungry even though I was taking iron and protein supplements. Towards the end of the challenge I started getting pretty sick and I have a feeling it was because my immune system was weaker due to the fact I was always tired and didn't have the proper balance of proteins in my system.

Week 3 - Meditation 

Challenge/Practice: Daily Meditation, Relaxation, Breathing, Sensory Awareness, Om and a Personal Mantra 3 times each. Usual Journaling. This and the yoga challenge were by far my favorites because I like the way they make me feel afterwards. Through meditation I felt more at peace with myself and strengthened my mantra which has significant meaning and importance in my life. I haven’t slept this well in a long time the only bad thing I think I have been sleeping more than I should and not really getting my work done.

Week 4 - Attachments

Challenge/Practice: Meditate on the attachments that are holding you back or stressing you. Give up one attachment that seems to be holding you back this week. It may be a possession, a habit, or an attitude. Usual Journaling. This challenge was by far the hardest it takes a lot of patience to reflect and realize your flaws, but it’s even harder to try to correct them. I had this same sort of reflection process last year when I went through a hard time and I took a long look at myself and my life and decided I needed to change some things. So since then I have been working on my flaws trying to improve my character and it has been a slow process but I have definitely seen progress.

Week 5 - Observation of Nature

Challenge: Three times this week, observe a natural living thing for at least five full minutes. Take a picture or draw it if you feel inclined. Write your observances of this natural living thing. Note: you may not use humans 

or "dead things" such as cut flowers. Write about how at least one of your natural living things you observed 

exemplifies the Tao. I loved this challenge because I love nature and especially cats they make me happy. Both Coco and Simba brighten up my day and I have grown extremely attached to them like they were my own cats. This was a great idea for a challenge and I will continue to observe their adorable, funny moments.

The Calming Power of Sun Salutations

           One of our yoga challenges included completing two sun salutations every day for one week.  On the first day that I started this challenge I noticed that the yoga exercises calmed me and made me feel less stressed.  On day two, I completed the sun salutations in the evening before I went to sleep.  I found it to be a calming way to end the day. Some of my muscles were also sore.  On day three, I chose to complete the sun salutations in the morning.  I found it relaxed me, put me in a good mood and gave me some energy for the rest of the day.  On day four I chose to do the sun salutations at night.  I found this gave me time to reflect on my day.  I missed the challenge on day 5 and did not complete the challenge exercises.  I did however realize that yoga helped me sleep better when I did the sun salutations in the evening.  On the last day of my challenge (day 6), I did the exercises in the evening.  It gave me a chance to unwind and focus on my breathing and thoughts after a long stressful day.

           Overall, I enjoyed practicing yoga in class as well as in my week long challenge.  I found the breathing exercises to be beneficial in relaxing me.  I feel that I will continue to use the breathing techniques that we were taught in my every day life to help calm me. I also, really enjoyed the sun salutations and twists that I practiced.  I found that the twists relieved tension in my back and reduced stress.  I want to continue to practice yoga in the future.  I will try to use yoga as my stretches before I work out.  This way,  I can incorporate sun salutations and twists into my every day routine.