Guided Meditation

   During the meditation on this week, I was trying to remember what I forgot;  where I put the notes that I wrote down right after the meditation, or my three goals that I wanted to achieve. With Ms. Gina's guide, I slowly reminded of what I have done so far in this class during this semester; all the crazy poses, standing with my palms, preparing presentation assignment with Ga-hyun and Adoma, missing a class because of my swollen ankle.. And lastly, I felt really thankful to Ga-hyun who recommended this Yoga class!
    And Ms. Gina gave us a word 'Spanda'. I don't know the word exactly, although she explains that it consistently showing the true nature and vibration within cycle of breath. I think it is more about consciousness from my thoughts and intention, and we have to organize into authentic actions.  

COMPASSION..only for others?

  Dictionary defines this word as

a feeling of pity, sympathy, and understanding

for someone who is suffering.

When Gina asked what kind of words we can think of

related to the word 'compassion,'

we brought up 'Love,' 'Empathy,' and 'understanding.'

But I thought it as too much complicated feelings.

Maybe that's why I couldn't write down my personal experiences when I gave or received that feeling and put into action.

  In my vocabulary, feeling of compassion is is more about sharing thoughts and emotions.

 Having feeling for others who is in inferior condition, for me, seems to rank social class, which I'd not like to do.

It does not matter whether he or she is poor, handicaped or not. I could be the subject and everyone can be the subject who give the impression to be given compaassion.

   As being told from Gina,

'compassion' is not just about the concept itself.

 It fully means when we pass from thought to action.

So, I thought we all have to do some personal assignments in our heart on daily life

1.respect others and myself

 2. be in others' position and

3.willing to do something for them.

Actually, however, during the class practicing postures and breating, I kept forgeting to think about this word. It's so hard to reminds virtues during practicing... :P..

Meditation at outside!!

 Although the class hour was shorter than usual, but today's class was quite special.

Because of distractions from construction site, we fled to a grasspot between the city's forest of buildings. Spreading five or six yoga mats, we sat arround closely together, do interesting things about figuring out bones and correct posture with partners..

(the image above is from http://blog.naver.com/lmk1234563?Redirect=Log&logNo=100138127885)

The content of the class was awsome, of course,

 but also the new class environment made me feel more wow.

During the 5-minute meditation, I felt that even the noises by cars passing by sounds like sound of the sea.

And all those scent of grass, birds' singing, and some sound of approaching squirrels became more helpful for me

to concentrate on emptying my mind.

It could have been better there were no mosquitos or other bugs arround, but surely this was very special experience of Yoga activity.

Practice and Practice and Practice~

1. A month ago, the Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) pose

was the hardest one to pose,

 but now, Extended Side-Angle( Utthita Parsvakonasana), Triangle (Utthita Trikonasana),

and especially, the WARRIOR pose (Virabhadrasana)

makes my body so shaking 

cuz I can't balance myself on my one foot yet..

guess I have a long way to go :-*

2. Changed the class room to 224 at the same stadium,

but we were much more distracted than before..

I think piano playing is much better than drilling sounds..

AAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUM

This aum (or om) sound is called 'secret vibration.'

Feeling the even smallest atom vibrates,

we did combined the A,U,M three sounds,

and practice the inside structure and clear away the stuffs in all in our life.

It is sort of finding the mindfulness..

While controling the breath,

it makes me manage the thoughts..

thoughts move into intentions,

 intention creates mental plans,

plans make understand "how" I should do..

Through meditation,

through this mindful meditation,

 I felt nothing, just like being up in the air,

 focusing on sensation and breating.

Trying to empty all the stuffs in my mind and concentrating the present of myself,

I felt I was literally 'calmed.'

This was- the intention of heart quality for today's meditation.

Calmness.

Just before the class, I was warried about the dorm room keys I forgot to bring,

I thought about my exam tomorrow, which I'm not prepared enough..

the assignments that I should finish..

but at the end of meditation, they all seems not that special.. and

it was like.. It makes me think I can figure it out some-how..

Sometimes, I think I need to stop doing everything,

 stop thinking about what's gonna happen,

and think about the Present Time.

Gina said that it is we who creat times and time structure is to be disappeared..

this is absolutely right, I guess.

ATTITUDE in YOGA and our life

(image from google)

I can't remember the author but his or her book is full of helpful and polishing phrases .

In general message of the passage, it says about the Power of the Heart .

Gina said it's like 'picking up the glasses (or lens) of coming clean',

and we were trying to find the heart quality movement in us.  As the characters of qualities,

my group members suggested

passionate

openess to get in

peace

patience

vulnerability

selfless

strength

self-respecct

courage/brave

virtue

carefulness

awareness

Love / tenderness

Generousity

clean

simplicity

and there were lots of great words for quality such as

appreciation

independent

balace

empathy

humbleness

kindness

Giving

Oneness

Unbiased

Still, it is not easy to get the whole idea of this 'Attitude in yoga' at once. At least, however, I wish I can get closer to this and realize what's driving me to do this and feel the sense of 'aspiration to real awakening for true nature.'

Simply for the sequence of today's class

Mountain Pose - Tall mountain - Stand in forward - Half way up - Stand in forward -

- plank - Cobra - plank - Down facing dog -

- Stand in forward - Half way up - Stand in forward - Tall mountain - Mountain Pose


There were another sequence but can't remember what it was..

Sitting down and Watching Class

A day before the yoga class, I got huge bug bite on my left ankle and it swallowed whenever I walked and did stretching! :( So I don’t have the choice but to watch the class sitting near my classmates on Sep.1. For the basics in class, there were Child pose, Table pose, Mountain (& tall mountain) pose, down facing dog, cobra, Tadassana, and Savagana pose.

Actually, every name of the position still seems for me to very hard to memorize, although those positions are quite lower level than other positions which this class will cover. And while I follow what professors tell me to do, sometimes I can’t catch up at the verbs that expressing the positions or names of our body parts in English..

Studying English for several years, but I’m still awkward with them..

But I tried to more focus on the sequences of positions and the flow of the movements.

And after the observation, I realized that watching what the professor’s doing first will be much helpful for me when I practice alone. As doing so, I think I can be more aware of how I can move the right muscles and how to breathe as doing poses.

I also realized I need to know the exact name of the positions so that I can find those in books or online videos later and practice on my own without my professor. I might not perfectly remember all the positions or not perfectly follow what she says, yet, I think I will feel more interesting parts of the yoga class day by day.

 Most interesting part was the meditation for 5-10 min at the start and end of the class. While we was lying on the floor, closing the eyes with open arms facing palms upward, and letting go of all the judgements to concentrate and soften inside the body. Unless there are noises near the classroom, I think this is my favorite part in the class.

Who Am I?

(The image above is nothing to do with this essay)

 I am is Joo-hyun Lee from South Korea, but instead of real name my roommates and professors in here call me E-Joo or LJ because 99% of foreigners cannot pronounce my name well. Since interested in languages, I majored in ‘English Interpretation and Translation’ and minored in Chinese at ‘Hankuk University of Foreign Studies’ in Korea. Although still struggling with speaking in faultless English and I cannot catch certain verbs time to time during the class in English, one of my dream job in the future is to become a English teacher in Korea or a Korean language teacher for foreigners. Thanks to my favorite English teacher in my high school, I could find various programs that I would carry out well and now I have only one year until I’d complete a course in teacher education in South Korea. As a matter of fact, I planned to study for the master’s degree in TESOL in Temple University one or two years later. For some reasons, however, I decided to experience various cultures and people in the US during my college student days. And I feel very lucky to be an international exchange student at Temple University.

  I’m especially studying more about linguistics and Second language education, also taking the most interesting class called ‘Hatha yoga’ at Temple University. And I’m expecting three main effects through this class: burning calories, mental health, and balanced posture.

Among them, most important thing is to correct my postures and spines in a calm and orderly way. I’m not exactly aware of the situation in the states, but almost all Korean students have one of their toughest years in life for three years prior to start University. During these years, and I also had very stressful but worthwhile days, heading my nose in a book and hunching over the desk always. That is the main reason why my back bones, pelvis, and neck bones are abnormally curved a bit. I tried expensive therapies in some clinics or learning yoga through internet blogs, but those were lost on me. Thus, I’d like to learn yoga in a right way this time, and I strongly believe every bone in my body will be as it should be.

Another main purpose for doing yoga class is to develop my muscles and control my weight as using all parts of my body. I’ve heard of Hot Yoga or just Yoga class but the word ‘Hatha.’ One of my friends who have taken a similar course before told me that union of Yin and Yang would be the closest in basic meaning for Hatha, and I will be able to lose more weight than I expect if I do as what my professor says. So, even after I finish this semester, I would keep practice positions for my nice body line.

 Lastly, I want to learn how to find the inner peace through yoga and meditation. In everyday life, it is really hard to have a quiet moment to let go of everything in my head and mind for at least 10 minutes. If I take some time for recharge myself even during the yoga class, that improves my concentration and I think I can start a day with clear mental health.

Overall, I am only a beginner, and not even used to names of yoga positions or body parts in English. However, I believe that regular practice of yoga would make a lot of positive effects for me and people around me.