Calm, gentle and blissful

You know you are in India when you see cows on the beach. These blissfully calm, gentle creatures are revered in Hindu culture as sacred. To me, they are the symbol of the last three limbs of Pantanjali's path toward bliss. Wherever they are, they seem to practice dharana - focused attention - so much, that they seem to be meditating, dhyana. And most of the time, cows in India seem to live in a state of bliss, samadhi.

If I spend even just 10 minutes in the morning to meditate before heading out to teach, I feel more connected, centered, and content. In order to meditate, you don't have to deny worldly pleasures and live in a remote mountain cave. Just like these cows, just sit down, gaze softly on something beautiful (a candle, a statue, a picture, a crystal) or close your eyes. Suddenly, you'll notice how your mind is charging ahead afraid to be harnessed. You can simply count your inhale and your exhale, to give your mind an anchor.

I like to begin with some breathing exercises (pranayama). The easiest is the Dirga Breath (three-pointed breath). Take one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. On the inhale feel the filling of your torso from the belly to the rib cage, to the clavicles. On the exhale, feel the emptying from the clavicles, to the ribs, to the belly. Repeat.

Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. Soon, you will want to do it longer. If you need help, download the free app Mindspace. It's awesome.