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avocado
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - May 15 2020 : 1:03:07 PM
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Hi Friends,
Yesterday during DM, I received an important phone call from work, so I answered it. I had practiced 5 minutes of SPB and 5 min of DM when I answered the call. I instantly discovered that was a mistake. I couldn't even really talk, and told my boss I needed to call him back. I then lied down for a couple of minutes and tried to eat something, but ended up getting back to work. I had a headache for the rest of the day. Today, I still feel a bit "off," though my headache has mostly improved.
A bit of history: I am new to AYP, but not new to yoga practices. I have been practicing 15 minutes of DM in the afternoons (for 2 weeks). In the mornings, I have my own eclectic yoga practice that I wasn't ready to switch out for AYP. I added SBP in the afternoons 2 days ago, just 5 minutes before DM. I'm realizing, especially given my sensitivity, that it was probably too soon to begin SBP. My new plan is to drop my own morning practices (40 minutes of asana, pranayama, and shambhavi mahamudra) and try AYP exclusively. 15 minutes of DM, twice daily. I may add some asana in the AM, but I'm going to stay away from SBP for awhile given my sensitivity.
Would love to hear insights and advice from the community. Should I lay off on DM for awhile too? Or just drop SBP for now. Is there something else I can do to help my head?
I don’t want to give up my other morning practices as they have been a consistent resource in my life, but my concern is that they may interact with AYP and I don’t really have a proper understanding of the mechanics mix and match them. Any ideas on how to best transition from my previous practice into AYP exclusively?
Thank you for your time and help. Grateful to have found this community!
-Avocado
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2020 : 4:17:03 PM
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Hello Avocado, welcome to the forum!
Just in case you have not yet read Lesson 60, you find advice for dealing with unexpected interruptions in your sitting practice.
Looking at your morning routine, meditation seems to be missing. You have probably already found out from the lesson that meditation is the fundamental practice. If you enjoy your old routine and it has worked for you in the past, I would suggest incorporating meditation twice a day, see where that takes you.
You already practice a form of pranayama. Adding SBP might be doubling up. What form of pranayama have you been doing?
Whatever new practices you incorporate into your routine, don't forget the self-pacing advice. Allow time for any new practice to bed in. Make sure you are stable before taking on a new one.
Practice wisely and enjoy, as Yogani would say. Let us know how you get on. |
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avocado
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2020 : 5:11:32 PM
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Hi BlueRaincoat, thank you for the reply.
The link to dealing with interruptions is helpful. I’m also going to make it a priority to turn off distractions whoever possible.
Yes, meditation is light in my morning practice. It typically looks like this: 10-20 minutes of sun salutations and asanas, 10 minutes of Pranayama which is usually the Wim Hof Method (rapid deep breathing followed by breath retention on exhale), some Kaya Kalpa Yoga (mulabhanda exercises), and sometimes a few rounds of 10:40:20 ratio slow breathing. I then end with Shambhavi Mahamudra which is a 20 minute practice taught by Sadhguru’s Isha yoga foundation, which includes alternate nostril breathing, chanting, bhandas, and a little bit of simple meditation at the end). I put them all together because I felt like I needed more from each, but now that I’m exploring AYP, I think it might make sense to follow it exclusively because it seems to include everything and more. As much as I enjoy these morning practices, I’m thinking that I should probably scrap it all and just stick with AYP until I have something stable.
I am still having some light pressure in my head, ever since my second SBP and DM practice 2 days ago in the afternoon. I probably did not self pace as much as I should have, and the interruption definitely effected me. I’m not sure how to proceed. This lesson here (https://www.aypsite.org/69.html) recommends having a foundation of SBP and DM, even if short, to help with kundalini symptoms.
Question 1: Should I practice 5 minutes of SBP before DM, given that I have only been practicing DM for 2 weeks? Or should I just stick with DM only for awhile, and hope that will be enough. I see it is recommended to practice DM for a couple months before adding SBP, but since I’m having some head pressure, SBP might help?
Question 2: Are there other recommendations for practices that will increase my practice time, but not contribute to overload symptoms (e.g., follow the breath meditation, basic asanas, walking meditation, etc.)? I enjoy practicing for about an hour each morning, and have already worked up to that. What else can I do beyond DM that will not overload myself but will help me keep my morning practice momentum?
Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions from the community.
With Gratitude,
Avo
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2020 : 04:06:55 AM
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Hello Avocado
A1: It is never advised to mix practices from different systems. If you feel you want to stick with AYP, and since you have head pressure, just practice DM and keep observing whether you are at ease in daily life and keep grounding. SBP can be added later.
A2: if you are doing DM , no need for breath meditation nor walking meditation, these will not ground you.Basic asanas are grounding for some people and not for some other people, see in which category you fall. The idea that the more you practice the better is an incorrect one, too much of a good thing will do harm. Self pacing and wisdom are essential if you to sustain your path, iti s a marathon not a sprint nor a competition |
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avocado
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2020 : 12:52:05 PM
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Thank you Maheswari and BlueRaincoat for the guidance.
I have taken your advice to heart. I have discontinued my mix of morning practices and will focus exclusively on AYP, starting with DM and building slowly. I'll hold off on SBP right now.
quote:
"The idea that the more you practice the better is an incorrect one,"
^This is helpful for me to hear. I have a tendency to overdo things, but my priority is to practice wiser not harder.
With Gratitude,
Avo |
Edited by - avocado on May 18 2020 1:09:45 PM |
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headache, and transitioning from old practices
