Who's Watching Your Thoughts And Emotions? The Observer Is Our Super Power!
While I was studying the Yoga Sutras, which are the foundational teachings of yoga, I had a hard time grasping them as they are like little wisps of wisdom that are tricky to wrap the mind around.
A pond that I often walk to became the live illustration of these Sutras. The Yoga Sutras are the basis of mindfulness teachings. They dissect the mind and how it works so we can observe the nature of our thoughts and emotions from an objective standpoint. Thus, I named this pond NOM: The Nature of Our Mind.
Let me explain.
The clear, still surface of the pond is the mind, known in Sanskrit as the “Citta.” The little birds and bugs flitting about creating tiny ripples of concentric circles are the “Vrtti,” which are the constant thoughts bombarding the mind.
The fish that suddenly jumps up from the murky depths of the water is the subconscious mind, rearing up unexpectedly and causing large ripples that have a bigger effect than the small vrttis coming and going. The subconscious in Sanskrit is also called citta (which is differentiated with a lowercase “c”).
The blue heron that glides across the pond and lands with a perfect score of ten represents a “profound thought.”
The flock of ducks that fly in and glide on the water to land is a “new idea.”
The old man with his little grandson fishing represents “nostalgia,” or “smrti” in Sanskrit, which means “memory.”
The rollerblader who zooms around the pond with a smooth rhythm is a “pleasant feeling” (in Sanskrit, referred to as “shuka”).
The turtle that sits still on a rock basking in the sun is “insight,” or “prajna” in Sanskrit.
The family that all comes fishing together signifies “belonging.”
The litter and trash on the ground in front of my bench is “sorrow”, or “duhkha” in Sanskrit.
The clouds reflected in the still surface of the pond are the “imagination”, or “vikalpa” in Sanskrit.
The hawk that sits in the tree and watches from above is “correct perception,” or “pramana” in Sanskrit.
And I, sitting on the bench and watching it all, am “the impartial witness” – “the Hun” in the Taoist terminology or the “Buddhi” in Sanskrit – as the observing mind.
Our common view of reality is what we can see with our physical eyes. As yogis, we see that there is also a second level, which is the energy body, the Qi body. There is also a third level: the Shen, which is the conscious psychic body. The more we practice meditation, tapping into both the energetic body and the Shen spirit-conscious body, it becomes more than just an idea but a personal experience.
The Hun – the observer – connects to our sense of awareness. Awareness is our intelligence and deep knowing that’s beyond the intellect.
When we observe what foods give us energy and which deplete us, we can upgrade our diets to serve our minds and energy.
Observing the company that we keep, we can ask if they are uplifting us and relating to us or robbing our energy and bringing us down.
Observing our schedules, we can reflect if we are giving ourselves a spacious rhythm throughout the day or cramming in so much that we’re exhausted and disgruntled.
The Hun is our superpower to create balance in our lives and know where we need to make shifts to bring us into a balanced state where we are most efficient.
As the position of the earth to the sun shifts each season, the energy we receive changes. We know this as we feel very different in the early spring than in the late autumn. We see it in nature clearly, the flowers blooming is a very different energy than the leaves falling. We feel energetically and emotionally different with these seasonal shifts.
According to Chinese medicine, each season's energy relates to an element and to our physical being, known as Jing, our emotional and energetic body, known as Qi, and the spirit or consciousness, known as Shen.
The spring's element is WOOD, as it relates to all animated beings that grow, including plants, animals, and humans.
The "Shen" spirit of the wood element is referred to as the Hun, the observer. In order to observe the right direction to bring our sprouting ideas to fruition, we need to have a calm, clear mind.
Jing, Qi, and Shen, (aka body, mind, and spirit)
are the trinity we focus on each season to create homeostasis, where healing resides.
The "Jing" physical organs that are energetically running the strongest in spring wood season are the liver and gallbladder. The eyes are the sense door to the liver. The connective tissue, ligaments, and tendons are the bodily tissue to work with during the spring, as we want to be springy and move with ease.
The "Qi" of the Wood element is the energy that runs through the meridians as well as the emotions prevalent. Emotions are energy and shift when we are in or out of energetic balance. The liver Qi provides inspiration, kindness, and generosity. When out of balance it'll show up as anger and frustration.
Each seasonal energy feeds the next season's energy. This is where we see the benefit of winter stillness; it clears the turbulent mind with deep breathwork. To reveal our true nature and purpose, we use the breath to slow down the mind so we can see our reflection in the clear still lake of the sage mind.
This will help us to move forward and manifest our inspirations with a kind, gentle nature rather than aggression, which comes from excessive liver energy.
Activating the liver and gall bladder meridians in our yoga and qigong sets will help the energy to run smoothly so we can benefit from a wise observer and manifest our dharma!
Pasvakonasana: extended side angle
INHALE up the liver meridian
EXHALE down the gall bladder meridian
Vrksasana: tree pose
INHALE up the liver meridian
EXHALE down the gall bladder meridian
If you'd like to learn to meditate and utilize the observer, come join us in the Meridian Flow classes (or the new virtual ‘20-minute practice’ membership) to shift your resistance, into a kind and generous patient nature.
Meditations, breathwork, specific yoga poses, and qigong sets are a part of this unique practice that releases resistance and brings you into a harmonious energetic state where you feel RELIEF!
Our energy is the subtlest layer, yet has the strongest effect on our emotions and physical well-being.
You’ll feel so much better…and everyone else around you will benefit!
We are ultimately responsible for our own healing.
The Meridian Flow practice transcends chronic pain, anxiety, and autoimmune issues naturally.
You can read more about the seasonal practices, meditations, and breathwork in my recent book The Empowered Yogi, Transcending the Chronic Pain and Anxiety Associated with Autoimmune Conditions.
If you feel called towards these seasonal teachings, meditations, and meridian flow practices, which help us heal naturally from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and autoimmune issues, come join our Meridian Flow program to find relief and freedom.
If you're a seasoned yogi or yoga teacher and would like to learn and implement these practices join the Master's Path or 300-hour Teacher Training course.
~ The Meridian Flow program is for those who may be newer to yoga and suffer from chronic pain, chronic anxiety, and autoimmune issues. This type of program has been recommended by rheumatologists for their patients who want a natural approach to healing their issues. We are ultimately responsible for our own healing, and this program puts you in the driver's seat to take control, so you’re no longer a victim but an example of how to heal yourself. You’ll be practicing with others in similar situations that want to take an empowered approach to relieve chronic ailments and feel free in your body and mind. Book a call with Maggie here to see if this program is right for you.
~ The Master's Path program is for seasoned yogis and yoga teachers who want to uplevel their practice and offerings. Learning this seasonal practice of the Meridian Flow, seasonal qigong sets, and Kundalini kriyas is the best way to keep our own practice and teachings fresh and seasonally appropriate. You’ll continue your learning with a support group of other yogis who meet seasonally and inspire each other. Learning new things is one of the best ways to keep the mind bright and youthful.
~ The 300-hour teacher training is the same program as the Master's Path but added teaching support with our Teachers Inner Circle to learn how to deliver this practice with grace and confidence and fulfill the requirements from the Yoga Alliance to obtain the 500-hour certification.
The Meridian Flow classes are unique and for all levels. If you're just coming back to yoga or new to it, check out the Monday 5:30 class, and the Tuesday and Thursday classes.
Meridian Flow 30 min Basics Monday 5:30
The Meridian Flow class Monday at 6:15
Meridian Yin and Qigong Tuesdays at noon
Meridian Basics Thursdays 11:15.
From my heart light to yours~
Namaste,
Maggie