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Just Sit

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A regular yoga practice has been the most personally healing practice I’ve done in my life. Nothing so consistently gives me mental clarity, an able body and the ability to learn to just sit.

Consumer culture teaches us to chase the newest best thing and eternal youth. Neither has anything to do with reality. Yoga as a practice teaches you to focus your body to harness your mind and learn to let go. The breath is no longer held and you surrender. Learning to let go and not cling or grasp has been one of the greatest benefits of my practice.

In a tough situation, when I’m floundering on what to do I can just breathe and admit that I’ve no clue. Life can sort itself out. I go back to basics and remind myself that I’m not in control of anything other than my own actions. Sitting, breathing and observing first, I make better choices when I go into action.

Just sit. Be.

What is Thai massage? pt.3

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Thai massage is bodywork designed for those who meditate or have the desire to do so. The bodywork has immense capability to help the human body heal but one of its additional long term the long term benefits is that it allows the receiver to drop in and tune into their own biorhythms.

Everyone develops muscle tension, small misalignments and imbalances which Thai massage helps unwind. Having your brain stop telling muscles to contract, you can then relax, ground and move more deeply into a meditative space. I’ve seen it time and again with clients who report surprisingly that they weren’t tired at all after a session and even had some trouble sleeping. Usually they report they felt so good they wanted to keep going and doing things. That same energy, can be channeled into meditation.

Instead of feeling lethargic after Thai massage most report feeling light, unencumbered and having increased feelings of mental well being. Insight would be a strong word but clearing muscle tension in the body allows one to see more clearly the issues at hand to focus and deal with them. As I write this I realize the depth and scope of the bodywork I’ve chosen to focus my career on. It’s got great depth.

2 hours?

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In a Thai massage class I taught recently a student commented that they could never work on someone for 2 hours. I was struck by the statement and opinions and ideas are always interesting as a spring board for reflection. The response was due to my discussing how I work with clients and what I charge for my sessions.

I have no time limit. I currently charge $100/session and a typical session last 1.5-2 hours. A regular client who’s had deep structural issues and the right situation financially, time wise with physical issues has been getting 3 hour sessions from me for some time. Why? To be frank she’s a healer, she’s working on herself and we see in each other our capacity to help others heal. She pays, I have the time and we both don’t know anyone else who can do the work.

It’s about healing, not about money. Money is just stuff to move around and pay bills with. Beyond a certain point attachment to it leads to suffering. I could charge by the hour but why? What’s the benefit? Clients will look at their watch, I’ll be more concerned about booking to the minute. All seems completely anathema to what I’m trying to build. Over the years I’ve struggled to be the best. I want to give clients bodywork they can’t get elsewhere. Who has no time limit? Who does Thai massage this well? Being completely different in its own way is good marketing.

On September 1st, I’m raising my rates to $130/session. I thought about this long and hard. Does it mean I have less clients? Will people leave? I’m unsure. I presume if they do they have their reasons. If I do work on you for 2 hours then that’s less than $70/hour. Still seems reasonable. That income allows me to possibly see fewer clients, reserve my energy for those that are willing to compensate me for my time.

Focusing on another person for 2 hours in a session Is my meditation. Only within the past six months has my back pain receded enough to allow a deeper seated meditation practice. What have I done all these years? Moving meditation. Moving meditation in the form of yoga, moving meditation in the form of bodywork and Thai massage. I’ve spend 10 years working on me, working on you and somewhere in the middle figuring out how to narrow my focus and concentrate on what I Can control. I help you with pain, I don’t hurt. I help me with pain, I don’t hurt. When the hurt subsides enough I sit and meditate and continue a path that’s told to lead to the cessation of suffering. All makes sense to me.

I’m a healer. Healing starts with me. No illusions, no pretending to be something you’re not. If you see me at the office wearing scrubs I’m still a healer, I just disguise myself as a massage therapist. When my student asked about the 2 hours I reminded myself that Thai massage was said to have been created by the Buddha’s doctor. It’s been preserved by Buddhist monks in monasteries. It’s fundamental practice is that of metta or lovingkindness. At it’s core it’s healing work to help those who suffer. When I help you suffer less, I get lost. I embrace the boundary and ego dissolving quality of healing work. You are me. We are no different. If I can ease your suffering, I’ve eased mine. There is no separation.

2 hours may seem like a long time but this is how I meditate. I’ve never done what I’ve done for money. It’s why the money begins to come. A client described a pain down his leg into his foot and I nodded. I told him we would take a look and we did over the 2 hour session he had with me recently. I had time to work with his legs and address other postural issues during our time. When he stood up after the session he looked at me, almost quizzically and said, “there’s no pain down my leg.” I nodded and honestly barely even noticed his comment. He was surprised that I’d somehow helped.

The reason I can help is because I’ve devoted myself to my path as a healer for sessions that often last 2 hours. Healing takes time, tissue change can’t be forced. That built up catalog of observation over the last ten years in meditation is what allows me to help. Thank you to my clients and students who provide space for me to continue that path.

Meditation

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When I went to the Moving into Stillness retreat with Erich Schiffmann and friends I watched Erich like a hawk. This is common to anyone who teaches me. Over time I’ve learned that your teachers are everyone. What I like, what I dislike and what I aspire to be are contained in those around me and if you look closely your teachers are never further than a glance away.

My reason for watching Erich is I won’t have a huge time around him. What I’m looking for isn’t truth, least not from Erich so much as listening to a friend on the path who’s exploring to share insight. It’s not just teacher to student or peer to peer as much as he’s been doing this awhile, he’s charted the path more during his years…watch him.

While engaging our group in a talk he discussed meditation. All of yoga for Erich goes back to this. Hatha yoga is designed to get one ready to meditate. I’ve only just started practicing sitting meditation after working on my posture for years. As Erich discussed meditation he said, “there’s just something about it.”

The hawk like precision I had made me say, “Aha!” internally. Even he, after all these years recognizes it’s ineffable. Krishnamurti, Iyengar and now Erich all putting their hand on their forehead and going how can you describe the indescribable? Everyone attempts to, what other language is there? We use symbols to communicate and share but in the end it’s your path and no one else’s. Teaching is good but it will never communicate experience itself.

“There’s just something about it.” That small glimmer of light within his talk put me at ease. It feels good to have community that is as perplexed, confused, happy and in awe of what we’re working with. We’re alive. We’re focused and trying to gain more insight in how to lead healthier, better and more integrated lives. Yoga and meditation are good medicine, not just for your body but for your soul.

Neighbor as Self

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I watched and listened to this latest video and I’m glad I’ve chosen to shoot, edit and distribute content on my own. This freedom means I can discuss whatever I care to and whatever is on my mind at that present moment.

In this video I discuss yoga, some of its energetic underpinnings and also touch on how I came to the practice. Energy flow and a release of physical tension lead to a clearer sense of self and a calm nervous system allows us to listen to others easily. With this new found calm you can begin the process not only of sitting meditation but making life itself meditation.

When discussing yoga in a western culture there are many stumbling blocks. If someone tells me they are a Christian and therefore cannot do yoga my hackles raise. If God who created you wishes you to be in back pain, have poor health and the inability to use the temple he’s given you, then he’s simply not much of a heavenly father. Sounds more absentee to me.

That may be a harsh statement but consider that for ten years I look around and see suffering. Jesus came to remove suffering. Much like my teacher I’m here to help do the same. That’s why I teach yoga and practice Thai massage.

Where does yoga lead us?

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This is the first of what I consider a video dharma talk. Dharma is used in a specific context within buddhism and I use the term loosely. In all things take what makes sense to you and leave the rest behind. My purpose in posting the video is to bring more clarity to the spiritual component of hatha yoga and how a regular practice within this realm can change your life.

Hatha yoga practice leads to meditation. This is the entire purpose of a hatha yoga practice and what it’s designed to do. The vibrant health that comes from a practice hopefully allows someone to live a long full life where they can continue their meditation practice and spiritual pursuits. A balanced body leads to a balanced mind and then you tap of the door to the spirit. The integration of these parts of your being continues. Yoga means union.

I’d like to thank Erich Schiffmann for the added encouragement to post this video. The ease with which he complimented my videos as being heart felt made this a much easier process.