주간 명상 1: 저항에 직면하기

여기서 나가게 해주세요. 요가 교사 연수 첫날 저녁, 아무런 준비 없이 30분 동안 명상을 하라는 지시를 받았을 때 가벼운 공황 상태에 빠졌던 기억이 생생하게 떠오릅니다. 삼십 분. 분. 바로 그렇게. 제 머릿속이 복잡해지기 시작했습니다. 어떻게 30분 동안 움직이지 않고 앉아 있을 수 있을까요? 무슨 생각을 할까? 지루함을 어떻게 견뎌야 할까요? 제 주변에 앉아있던 50명의 다른 학생들이 아니었다면 저는 그곳을 빠져나오기 위해 몸부림쳤을 것입니다. 또래의 압력으로 얼마나 견딜 수 있는지 놀랍습니다.

코스를 시작하기 전, 저를 가장 잘 아는 사람들 중 제 뇌를 '선'이라고 표현하는 사람은 거의 없었습니다. 몸은 요가를 할 준비가 되어 있었지만 마음은 고요할 준비가 되어 있지 않은 상태로 교사 연수에 도착했습니다. 처음에는 하루에 두 번, 각각 30~45분씩 진행되는 일일 세션이 두려웠지만 곧 두려움이 도전으로 바뀌었습니다. 매번 앉아있을 때마다 어떻게 될지 알 수 없었죠. 하지만 중요한 것은 노력한다는 것이었습니다. 매일, 하루에 두 번, 한 달 동안 저는 노력했습니다.

Meditation, as it turns out, is about persistence. A little effort turned into a deeply rewarding practice: I learned that obstacles are part of the experience, that there is no way of doing it wrong, that stillness is the opposite of boredom and most of all, I felt like I finally had a handle on my mental chaos. When it comes to the rewards of meditation however, you don’t have to take my word for it. From the ancient Buddhists to the new-age spiritualists, from pop-psychology to managerial sciences – meditation and mindfulness are heralded as the golden key to well-being. The benefits of meditation are no secret.

There is an abundance of research on the mental, emotional and even physical benefits of regular meditation. The real impact however, is better understood through experience – there is something mysterious and powerful that happens when you take a few moments to become rooted firmly in the present. So why not just meditate? In theory, meditation can seem quite simple. Sit. Breathe. Be. In practice, however it can be anything but. Busy schedules, anxiety and a racing mind can make the idea of sitting still impossible. Despite the infinite techniques and philosophies at our fingertips, I’ve encountered many friends that have felt overwhelmed by it all, and needed a little help to get started. Starting any practice begins with taking a few thoughtful, small steps and this series is designed help take a few towards the habits of a regular meditation practice.  

1주차: 저항 극복하기

Despite being dedicated to yoga for over a decade, there are moments (months even) when my mat is the last place in the world I want to be. Sometimes we find ourselves mentally, physically or emotionally resisting the things that make us feel the best. This is the complicated part of life-long practices. The force of resistance that seems to come from within is daunting and it can be tempting not to face it head on. But in reality, it isn’t a static thing – it is fleeting thing that wanes if view it as something surmountable. We have to think of resistance as a muscle. When we choose not to face it – even in seemingly small or insignificant ways – it gets stronger. The key is to make a small effort – any effort — to keep it in check. When I can’t see myself doing a whole yoga class, I commit to even just 5 minutes of deep stretching. Getting started is often all you need to confront your resistance. This week’s meditation goal is to play with our power to overcome resistance, to flex a mental muscle and to see if you can create a bit of space to seed a new habit.

This week, all you need to to is find five minutes a day to sit in stillness and breathe deeply. The easiest way to do this is at the same time each day. You don’t have to worry about how you’re sitting or where you are. Just set a timer, close your eyes and breath. If five minutes seems impossible, do three. If three seems too daunting, do one. Whatever you choose, commit to it. Let us know how you’re doing, and don’t forget to come back next week for another small step to building a great meditation practice.