Spring Equinox 2012 - Chichen Itza

On March 20 of this important year of 2012, I had the opportunity to participate in the Mayan Celebration of the Equinox at Chichen itza, in the state of Yucatan, Mexico.  We did a fair bit of research about the celebration and how it relates to the Mayan calendar which enhanced the experience and helped us plan.  

 Our first stop was the Grutas de Balankanche, about 6 km from Chichen.  These caves were only discovered in 1959, filled with Mayan artifacts, which are still in place.  It's a large cave - about 1/2 mile deep - and a 15 minute hike inside the earth. There are numerous large caves and cenotes (underground pools) and in the largest chamber stands the "Arbol de Ceiba" referred to as the sacred tree inside the earth.  It was formed when a stalactite and stalagmite merged to form an auspicious column and altar.  It's at least 30 feet tall and 8 feet around with a secondary pillar on one side.  This tree of life is surrounded by pottery relics with the image of Tlaloc - the god of rain (and dripping rainwater, I guess).  The space holds the energy of unity - of above and below uniting in one.  Another reminder that separateness is an illusion and unity is truth. 

As we emerged from the cave, we saw a bright bright blue MOT MOT - the official bluebird of happiness, Mexican style.  I think it was definitely a good omen.

 We then continued to on to the ruins, about a 2 hour drive from our hut at Maya Tulum.   It was estimated that 7000 people were at the ruins for the celebration which can be experienced for a four day window around the Spring Equinox.  Needless to say, it was quite the scene.  Lots of vendors, but we made our way through to the ball court and continued on to the cenote sagrada.  The Mayans used this sacred underground pool for human sacrifice and in the early 20 th century it was dredged and many bones as well as loads of gold and precious stones were removed from the site.  We sat for a few moments of meditation, honoring those who have given and taken lives in the search for knowing Dios.  Around 4:00, we headed for the main pyramid to watch the descent of the feathered serpent, Kulkulkan.  The sun struck the first step, casting a shadow along the diagonal rise of the pyramid.  About every 5 minutes, another step joins in the journey until 35 minutes later, the shadow of the body descends the final step and joins the stone serpent head at the base of the pyramid, completing the image.  

 Every type of person was present - Japanese, Aussies, Americans, Mexicans - young and old.  Some people were praying - others were chanting - some were barely paying attention and others were completely immersed in the experience.  For me, I was moved by the multitude of peoples that were drawn together in a shared spiritual experience, each bringing their own expectations, hopes, dreams, and fun to the day.  No alcohol is allowed on the sacred site - so although I expect many were "altered", there were no beerstands or mariachi bands.  One guy - a gringo - found his way to the top and held the crowds cheering for about 10 minutes before the policia climbed up after him and probably charged him a large fine!  The only other two active participants, besides Kulkulkan - were a large iguana that traversed the pyramid sides, and a swooping vulture that gave a fine aerial show for the crowd.  As the serpent's body and head united, the crowd began to disperse.  There was no grand moment, just a simple recognition of time passing and the completion of the seasonal event of balancing dark and light.  

 Such an honor to be in Mayan country during this important year of 2012.  The end of the world?  The Mayans clarify that it is more about a change of consciousness toward the energy of love and compassion.  That all sounds good to me.

Sarah and I doing Kaleswara Mudra at Chichen Itza.  

The ruins hold the energy of the heart chakra.

Yoga en Español

I had an amazing experience at the Latino Community Center this week.  I volunteered to volunteer there - and immediately liked the place, the space, and the energy of CORE - El Centro.  The focus is wellness and they offer Reiki, Massage, Acupuncture, Yoga, Dance, and Counseling to anyone in need of wellness (aren't we all?), but since it is positioned in the deeply Hispanic part of town, it has a strongly Latino following.  The coordinator immediately put me down to translate (interpret) a gentle yoga class on Thursday evenings.  The teacher speaks English and I parrot her en español - which is challenging because its her words, not mine.  I was immediately a little nervous, wondering if the year since my last trip to Spain had rendered me no longer bilingual.  I couldn't really prepare (although I did re-read some old yoga journal articles in Spanish to review some vocab  - being the nerdy perfectionist that I am.....) I showed up a few minutes early and was immediately at ease as the yoga teacher, Stephanie, and I shared a few sincere moments about the ins and outs of this kind of class.  We were on the same page - and both there as volunteers to help these students remember relaxation and wholeness.  The women, mostly Hispanic but also a Native American woman and a couple of Gringas  - were delightful.  I introduced myself - the tall blonde with the Wisconsin accent - as knowing some Spanish and reiterated that I was there to help them understand the practice that Stephanie was teaching.  I goofed up jalar (to pull)  and empujar (to push) which we corrected with some pantomimes and giggles.  I put blankets under their necks and sacrums, and always included a gentle smile of encouragement as they bent and folded into the yoga postures.  At the end, they were all in restorative cobbler - each woman deeply peaceful and still for a few rare moments in her day.  As they rested, Stephanie came over and gave me a hug.  She said it was the first time since she started teaching - without an interpreter - that she really felt connected to these women.  They were very grateful and so were we.  It was an amazing experience - and honestly - my Spanish flowed.  It just bubbled out in metaphor and imagery.  Sometimes I used the uds. command forms I had taught so long ago and sometimes I used the nosotros - and WE were practicing together.  Ingles, omóplatos, barriga, columna, I even remembered the names for all the fingers:  pulgar, índice, mediano, anular and meñique.  They smiled at that!  Every jueves now from 5:30 - 6:30.  and I think that eventually I'll find other ways I can help there - with the support groups or explaining acupuncture to clients or doing intakes.  It feels, in a weird way, like practicing for the next step - a way of combining my two passions - Yoga and Spanish - in a way that makes a difference.  One yoga posture at a time.  Namasté y Gracias. :-)

Bird Mudras

The Wisdom of the Chickadee by Tina Romenesko

As I wander the shores of Blackwater Pond,

         contemplating Oliver’s landscape of inspiration

         I find myself immersed in thought.

Everything here seems clearer

         Is it the untrimmable light of Cape Cod?

         The sharp contrast of pine and beech and sand?

                  with water and lily pad and cranberry bog?

My spirit and I reunited in awareness as we walk and listen together.

A homecoming of body and spirit for which I am filled with deep gratitude.

And in the next breath remind myself to remember her

         to remember my wholeness – again and again and again.

A cacophony of jays

squawking and soaring through a corner of the pond

distract me, gratefully, from the circle of my thoughts.

Bringing me back to this path, this pond, the dune, the light –

         This loud and crazy moment.  And then again, silence.

And just as suddenly, another cacophony – but much gentler

The beep and peep of a flock of hungry chickadees and nuthatches

         announcing their presence

         in hopes of receiving a tasty snack.

I pull out my tiny bag of sunflower seeds – as Polly emphatically instructed –

And extend my cupped palm as a bird feeder.

She immediately perches – stuffing her beak with the prized seeds

So light she barely tickles my palm

Her tiny feet – like gentle tweezers made of wood

Another tickle – a peck – and then gone to make space for one of her sisters     

to explore my gentle offering.

I decide to try a photo –

Fumbling for my iPhone with one clumsy hand

         Enter the passcode – choose camera – and shoot.

One photo – and another – and then it hits me –

My hand is in pushpaputa mudra – the hand gesture of an offering.

At the last moment I decide to form Jnana – the mudra of wisdom.

         Thumb and index finger forming a ring.

She jumps on top of my mudra and beeps again – a wise exclamation,

I’m sure

                  in the morse code of bird language. 

She seems to pose – is that a smile?  And then she’s gone.

Her image embedded in my iPhone – and in my heart.

She will soon star on my website –

an inspiration to those who are willing to explore the energy

of crossing and bending fingers

inviting in tiny spirits

and listening to the moment

Perhaps feeling something more than either of us ever expected. 

MUDRA SCHMOODRA – HOW HAND GESTURES CAN INCREASE AWARENESS, BREATH, AND ALIGNMENT IN YOGA AND MEDITATION By Tina L. Romenesko

I will always remember the first time I was introduced to the science of mudra (pronounced moo-dra).  I was two days into a yoga therapy teacher training in California.  My teacher, Joseph LePage of Integrative Yoga Therapy, had just enthusiastically announced that our morning practice would be focused on the use of hand gestures.  He assured us we would be able to sense and feel the difference between touching the tips of the index fingers to the thumbs versus the ring fingers to the thumbs.   “Mudra Schmoodra”, was my mind chatter as I listened carefully to his instructions, trying to remember if pointer was the index finger or the ring finger and where in the world was the second knuckle of my thumb?  By the end of the hour long session, I was completely enamored with mudras.  The effect of the hand gestures on my yoga practice was noticeable and very positive.  My meditation was deeper, my breathing more open, and the alignment in my yoga postures was almost effortless.  Since then, I have continued to study the mudras in depth, through a variety of sources, and continue to be amazed by the results.  So what exactly are mudras and how do they influence body, mind, and spirit?

The word “mudra” is derived from two Sanskrit roots:  “mud” which means pleasure or delight and “dru” which means to bring forth.  So the word mudra means “to bring forth pleasure or delight”.  Isn’t that amazing?  The mudras are all about positive energy.  In this climate of fear and economic depression, it is empowering to realize that we can bring more positive energy into the world with our fingers!

Think about it.  In everyday life, we often use our hands to communicate feelings, wishes, and intent.  We cross our fingers for good luck.  Turn the thumbs up - approval.  Thumbs down – disapproval.  Actually, all of these gestures are mudras that portray a strong, and wordless message to those around us and also elicit an intentional feeling within us.

The effects of mudras can be divided into five categories, based on their intention and effect:  Breath, Alignment, Relaxation, Intuition and Insight, and Therapeutics.

BREATH:  The position of the hands can change the speed, focus, and quality of the breath.  For example, Vajrapradama mudra awakens the breath in the back of the lungs, and Kali mudra opens the upper lungs.  This affect is subtle, but noticeable and can help practitioners develop deeper awareness and volume of breath.  There’s even a mudra for asthma.

ALIGNMENT:  Used in active physical practice, mudras redirect energy in the pose, aiding the yogi in finding correct alignment.  Prana mudra (fingers forming a peace sign) balances the energy in a pose like Triangle, expanding awareness into all parts of the body, from the groundedness of the feet to the extension of the arms.

RELAXATION:  Some mudras directly affect the nervous system by stimulating the para-sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that “slows things down”.  Many people spend their entire day in fight or flight mode.  Mudras, like Apana mudra, aid in initiating the relaxation response and can effectively lower blood pressure.

INTUITION AND INSIGHT:  When used during meditation, certain mudras can deepen awareness, allowing students to drop into a meditative state more easily, encouraging a connection with each individual’s definition of spirit, God, or all that is.

THERAPEUTIC:  The therapeutic use of mudras is broad and fascinating, as each mudra affects a different system of the body.  For example, Masahirs mudra can effectively reduce migraines with daily practice.  I have used mudras with clients suffering with cancer, colitis, depression, and eating disorders. To be effective therapeutically, a mudra must be practiced for 5 – 15 minutes daily, along with meditation and breath.  The results are subtle, but noticeable with time and patience.

Best of all, we all have hands, so the mudra practice is available to everyone, anywhere, any time of day. Mudra Schmoodra?  Give it a try!  Invite more positive energy into your body, mind, and spirit with this month’s mudra: SURYA mudra.