As we cruise into the last month of summer (don’t blame me for this, I just work here), I’m finding myself settling into the feel-good lane: not super ambitious, but instead on the lookout for activities that bring satisfaction and a feeling of having treated my mind and body to something good (and good for me.)
Two such recent activities come to mind. The first, while I was at Chautauqua in western NY with aunt Cathy, was a gong meditation we attended. We gathered in a church sanctuary, sitting upright on pews, casually attired (no fancy church hats were spotted). The meditation leader guided us through some gentle standing stretches and breathing exercises, then suggested we lie down on the pews or the church floor for the gong meditation.
I plopped down on the center aisle floor (the first time I’ve ever experienced a church from a supine position), while aunt Cathy stretched out on a pew. The other attendees did variations on sitting and reclining.
Then the gong began. I have found that I love gongs. Not that I want one for my house, although they can look really cool in the appropriate spot.
The gong created low, shimmery sounds and also vibrations we could feel in our bodies (hence the advantage to lying down). It also relaxed several people into falling asleep immediately, which just isn’t a bad thing. The gong part of the meditation lasted maybe 15 minutes, and then we shifted into guided meditation, and finally more gentle movement. As I glided out of the church, I felt yummy. And slightly hungry, so we went back to our condo and made lunch.
Friday night, my local yoga studio (Artemis) started a late-summer series of gentle flow-and-restore sessions. My friend Norah and I went and were treated to 75 minutes of gentle stretches and twists, alternating with more passive postures matching the stretches and twists.
Our teacher (Victoria) used a variation on restorative child’s pose where the front of the bolster was lifted by two blocks. That was so much more comfortable for me. One other tip for larger-breasted folks (which a yoga teacher blog reader gave me) is to fold a blanket longways and put it on the bolster at chest-level, giving you a little more space between you and the bolster. I did this, too, and enjoyed this pose more than I ever have.
I’m looking forward to more Friday night gentle flow and restore classes in August. Yes, I’m also swimming and biking and walking and such, but these slow-down movements and meditations feel like a perfect addition to what’s been a rather lovely summer.
Readers, what about you: are you ramping up activity for August, getting in the last extended hikes, bike trips, etc.? Are you slowing down, puttering in the garden and splashing in nearby water? I’d love to hear from you.