Relaxation: The Art of Letting Go of Control

Yin yoga requires muscles to be relaxed to elongate the connective tissue. Thus, knowing how to relax is important, and the best time to practice how to relax is in the Pentacle, the Yin yoga relaxation pose.

Even though relaxation can help us fall asleep, relaxation does not mean falling asleep without awareness. Rather, it’s a mindfulness practice to cultivate the art of letting go of control. We like to see things under our control. Unfortunately, most of the time, things are out of our control. For example, in study, work, relationships, and health conditions, we cannot achieve our desired results by just putting our efforts in. On the other hand, a relaxed mind can help us become aware of the situation and choose the appropriate action for the moment. Yin yoga, especially Pentacle pose, gives us time to practice relaxation and learn to see clearly what we can do. And even if we can’t do anything, we can at least learn to enjoy the present moment with a peaceful mind, as a Zen story tells us.

Once, a man was walking in the forest. Suddenly, a hungry tiger jumped out. He ran as far as he could to escape from the tiger. But then, in front of him was a cliff! Thinking that by jumping off the cliff he might have a chance to survive rather than being gripped by the tiger, the man swiftly jumped down. Luckily, he was caught by a tree that had ripe fruit. Just as he settled down, he heard some noise. Two mice were chewing at the root of the tree! 

Hanging in mid air while a tiger was staring at him on top of the cliff and the mice were chewing the tree, the man knew there was no way to escape. Seeing that it was a dead end anyway, the man released himself from the desperation and noticed he was hungry. He picked a fruit and put it in his mouth. It was the best fruit ever! Just then, eager to fill its stomach, the hungry tiger jumped toward the man with a roar and fell off the cliff. And the two mice ran away in panic, hearing the roar of the tiger. Now that the tiger and mice were gone, the man carefully found his way up and continued his journey. 

Cultivate the art of letting go of control and accept that we cannot control a lot of things. Relax by observing our body, our feelings, and our mind with conscious breathing to dwell in the present moment. Simply observe and accept the result, whether we like it or not. When you make a conscious decision to practice this, you will enjoy relaxation with awareness!

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Sleeping Well with Three Techniques

Have you ever rolled over and over in bed but couldn’t fall asleep? There are three simple yogic techniques you can try to overcome insomnia: legs-up-the-wall, Bumblebee breath, and body scan. These techniques are easy to apply and don’t need special training. Even just doing one of the approaches, you will receive the benefits.   

The first technique is called “legs-up-the-wall.” I learned this from Susi Hately, who has a BSc in Kinesiology and is a yoga therapist trainer. This inverted pose releases the back of my legs, and I receive a power nap from its relaxing effect.

As the name indicates, you need a wall as well as a place that you can lie on. Thus, finding an empty wall that you can put your legs on and a space on the floor is your initial step. You then lie on your back and let your heels rest on the wall, with legs extended and knees soft. Your pelvis doesn’t have to touch the wall; just locate it on the ground in your comfortable position. Now, place your arms by the side of your torso. After you settle down, stay in the position for 5–20 minutes. While you stay with your legs up, you can focus on normal breathing. To come out of the position, bend your knees and slide your legs to one side, and then come to the seated position.   

While legs-up-the-wall is a physical method for getting a good rest, the Bumblebee breath uses sound vibration as a tool to clear your mind. It’s perfect for the days when you feel overwhelmed with information. The Bumblebee breath (Bhamari Pranayama) is making a humming sound (M-M-M) like the murmuring of bees when you exhale. First, lie in bed on your back. Bring awareness to your breathing, making the sound as you breathe out. Repeat until you feel the thoughts in your mind are being cleared. For a greater effect while making the Bumblebee breath, you can combine it with closing up the sense organs in the face (Shanmukhi mudra). With the help of the mudra, what we hear is the humming sound only, which clears thoughts quickly and is very helpful for insomnia.  Here is the way to apply Shanmukhi mudra:

• Block the sounds by closing your ears with your thumbs.   
• Use your index fingers and middle fingers to cover your eyes gently.   
• Put the ring fingers in the grooves of the nose and bring awareness to breathing.   
• Put the little fingers at the corner of your mouth.   

 If you already sleep late and don’t want to bother others with the Bumblebee breath noise, you can try the third technique, the body scan. The body scan is a powerful relaxation yoga method. You can scan either from the head down to the feet, or reverse from the feet up to the head, whatever feels right for you. Since it’s for better sleep, you start the body scan lying in bed and cover yourself well. Next, bring attention to one part of your body and say to yourself, “Relax.” For example, think about your feet, and ask your feet to relax. Go through the whole body with this process and repeat when needed.    

Legs-up-the-wall, an inverted posture; Bumblebee breath, a sound vibration; and body scan, a relaxation. All three of these techniques are very helpful for sound sleep. You can use one of them or apply them all. Note that you not only apply these methods when you need to, but also implement them regularly. With consistent practice, you will continue to get a good sleep!   

Notes:

1. Susi Hately Aldous,  Advancing Your Yoga Practice: The Art of Slowing Down (Functional Synergy Press, 2008), 34.
2. B.K.S. Iyengar,  Light on Yoga (London: Thorsons, 2001), 102, 378.
3. Swami Vishnu-devananda, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga (New York: Three Rivers Press, 1988), 199.

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Dwelling in the Moment, Experience the Stillness of Time

In the 15 poses that are described in the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, śavāsana is the pose that is applied the most in a yoga class. Lying on the floor with arms by the sides and feet apart, each yoga class finishes with śavāsana, the Corpse pose, to relax and give time for the body to restore. Obviously, only the physical form of the Corpse pose alone cannot lead us to relax. Otherwise, those who try to settle the mind while trying to fall asleep or those who suffer from insomnia will definitely like to do śavāsana every night. In a yoga session, śavāsana is usually practiced with a guided relaxation, such as a body scan by the instructor, so our mind has an anchor and can lead us to relax. 

To relax and rest in peace when there is no instructor to guide us, we need to learn to help ourselves. The Corpse pose is not an active physical exercise. Rather, it requests that we work on our minds. And the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV-29 says, “Mind is the master of the senses, and the breath is the master of the mind.” Mindfulness breathing can be a way to bring calmness to our minds. Mindfulness breathing is simply observing our own breathing. When we are breathing in, we know that we are breathing in; when we are breathing out, we know that we are breathing out. Focusing on breathing lets us actually dwell in the moment and starts the connection with ourselves within—the inside that only we can see.

A corpse won’t take anything in. In the Corpse pose, our body is not moving, and our mind can imitate a corpse not taking anything in by focusing on breathing. We simply observe the breathing, not trying to change it or taking in judgements, worries, or wishes. We observe our breath in, our breath out, and the pause between breath in and breath out. We don’t have to try to look for peace and calm, as any expectation will actually prevent us from relaxing. When the mind dwells on the breath, peace and tranquility naturally can come to us.

Yoga is not necessarily for pretzeling the body; it can be as simple as lying on the ground like a corpse. Physical strength goes away with age, disease, or stress. Don’t let inner strength go when the physical body doesn’t function well! Consider śavāsana as a mental exercise when the body is not moving, like a corpse. Let the Corpse pose be a time to understand how to lead our minds in the direction we would like them to go, either relaxing or being calm instead of wandering like an uncontrolled wild horse. Practice the basic breathing awareness exercise in the stillness of śavāsana and experience the stillness of time!

There are times when we cannot rely on anyone but ourselves; there are times when we have to take refuge in ourselves. May śavāsana, the most prarcticed pose in a yoga session, be a pose to transform our yoga practice from focusing on the physical body to focus on the mind. Be with our breathing and dwelling in the moment, the moment that brings peace and calm!

References:

1. Sacred Texts, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā
2. Thich Nhat Hanh, Awakening of the Heart : Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries (Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 2012).

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