Yoga and Meditation

In the last yoga class I attended, I tried to focus on the meditation part of the practice. This is an area that I find myself most baffled by. I really have a hard time focusing and meditating at the end of practices, which I think is due to my lack of understanding.

For me its hard to just sit still and empty all of my thoughts; I have to be doing something. When I spoke to my instructor, she advised that I practice my breathing and really focus my breath on my energy. Whether it be to increase or decrease my energy, I need to find myself in a state of clarity and balance. I was also told that depending on my energy level, there are certain practices and poses that can help me move from agitation to relaxation; therefore, helping my meditation at the end of my practice.

My instructor also told me to try laying flat on my back, and imagine a glass of water that moves from empty to half full with my breath. She said that by focusing all my attention and energy to this glass of water I will forget my daily thoughts, and eventually be able to control my thought flow. She suggested that after I focus on the glass of water for a while, to bring my awareness to my body and focus on spots of tension. I was told to find the tension spots, and try to focus my breath to those spots in order to release the tension.

In my opinion, this is a lot to think about when you are trying to clear your thoughts. I am use to work outs that require me to just focus on my body and areas that have been injured, so to not push them too far. The mental aspect of a work out is foreign to me. I think I need to focus on one thing at a time, and then move on to the next. I also think that if I am able to understand the meditation process better, that I will be gaining more from my Yoga sessions. It could also help my understanding for the spiritual aspect of Yoga.