Vacation Blues
It can be hard to return to our normal routine after time away on vacation. At least it certainly was for me on this rainy morning. The sun, extra time with family and overall relaxation left me longing for more. When I awoke in my own bed refreshed from a long day’s travel, I knew I wanted to offer my morning yoga class not only a powerful mudra but an affirmation that would help me get into the right mindset to face the week ahead.
I like to offer a mudra at the beginning of each of my gentle yoga classes to bring focus to the practice and help those with arthritic hands. Mudras are hand gestures that allow you to elicit a deep inner wave of power into your practice while simultaneously stretching stiff fingers and bringing increased sensitivity back to the hands. Yet, these same hand gestures are a powerful non-verbal way for any one of us to connect with our practice.
Gyan Mudra: In Sanskrit, gyana means knowledge. Therefore, by utilizing this mudra we help to clear our minds and create a space for concentration and wisdom.
This morning I offered “Gyan Mudra” as I tried to bring myself back to my mat. In Sanskrit, gyana means knowledge. Therefore, by utilizing this mudra we help to clear our minds and create a space for concentration and wisdom. To support this mudra, I also offered the following affirmation: “I am showered with love and the wisdom to recognize it.” Affirmations are words of encouragement that as you say, think, or write them you then find ways to embody their meaning. The idea being that through positive thought we can change the impact of negative situations (such as rain or vacation blues) on our day.
To practice this mudra, press the tip of your thumb and the tip of your index finger together, forming a circle; remaining fingers can extend out or open to the sky. You can begin your practice with this mudra (come to a seated position, with the back of your hands gently resting on your knees, thumb and index fingers touch) and then continue to use it throughout your pose sequence when you require additional focus. Then again, why stop there? Maybe there is a free minute in your busy schedule that you can make only yours and practice bringing concentration, wisdom and affirmation to your day.
I left my class feeling a little lighter and certainly more focused on the comfort I find in the normalcy of my own space…
~The divine in me salutes the divine in you, Namaste~
