Yin yoga & Zen for a meditative mind

Have you ever sat? Really sat? Sat in silence, fully present in your body, with your breath and with clear comprehension of the matters of your mind as you were sitting still?

Sitting down to meditate may seem like a simple matter to accomplish — but then why do so many of us find it so hard, get overwhelmed so easily by what physical stillness stirs in our beautiful minds and give up before we reap the benefits?

One of the most-talked-about hindrances to establishing and continuing a meditation practice is the specious belief that meditation process should be calm, leading to the assumption by many that unless your mind is serene and focused you feel you’re doing it wrong; you feel frustrated and conclude it is not for you. Zen teaches that meditation is not a skill but rather a practice you dedicate yourself to and there is no right or wrong way to do it, although being disciplined is a requirement.

Practices like yoga and meditation cultivate a contemplative mind and, with that, not only affect your meditation and yoga practice but also awaken you, most importantly, to your whole life, teaching self-acceptance, compassion and living in the moment.

Cultivating meditative awareness will encourage introspection, enabling you to examine what is going on in your life and teach you to recognise and experience a multitude of emotions — anger, agitation, frustration, boredom, pleasure — without being affected or overcome