body & mind」タグアーカイブ

瞑想は誰のためのもの?

Seed Trainingでは今年の1月からSeedサンガという形で月例瞑想会を開催しています。

瞑想、メディテーションそのものに、ヨガの根本に親しみ、自分自身を見つめるきっかけとして頂くことを瞑想会の目的としていますが、やはりまだ敷居の高いものと思われがちなところがあるようです。

そこで、瞑想・メディテーションは誰のためのものか、をご説明申し上げたいと思います。

瞑想・メディテーションは、決して、もともと瞑想に向く性格を持つ人のためのものではありません。

また、最近は瞑想ブームのようなものがあるようですが、流行の波に敏感な人のためのものでもないと、私は思います。

瞑想とは、平穏や救いを求める人のためのもの

私はそのように思っています。

人生に何らかの苦悩、疑問、葛藤を抱える人が、

  • 坐ることで自分自身に立ち返り
  • 自分自身の中に平穏や救いの種を見出し
  • 自分自身の力で救いを得る

それが瞑想なのです。

この点、禅の用語をお借りすると、他宗派の「他力」という考えに対し「自力」という考えをするようですが、ヨガの瞑想でも同じことが言えるでしょう。

迷っている人ほど、悩んでいる人ほど、空回ることの多い人ほど向いているのが、瞑想・メディテーション。そんな人のための瞑想・メディテーションだと言えます。

  • ただ坐る
  • 姿勢と呼吸を整える
  • 自分自身の心と体を見つめる

そんな人ほど、たったこれだけでヨガの根本に通じるような大きな気づきを得られたりするものです。

ですので、是非気軽に瞑想会にもお越し頂ければと思います。

お茶や簡単なお菓子もご用意して、皆様のご参加をお待ちしております。

sv10s

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自宅出張/個人レッスンのご質問/お問合せはこちらから、お気軽にどうぞ。

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ブログランキング参加しています。清き1クリックいただけると嬉しいです。
 にほんブログ村 健康ブログ ヨガへ
にほんブログ村

Seed Training,シードトレーニング,Amagasaki,尼崎,兵庫,Osaka,大阪,Yoga,ヨガ,Zen,禅,Mindfulness,マインドフルネス

Koya-san Kechien-Kanjyo report

Koya-san is 1200 year-old Shingon Buddhism capital founded by Kukai. I went there, and took part in a ritual called “結縁灌頂(Kechien-Kanjyo)“, which was very interesting and impressive for yogis.

I’d like to report what that ritual was like, and what I felt from it.

Origin and overview of the ritual

Originally, Kechien-Kanjyo is the Tantric Buddhism ritual to bear the connection between practitioners and Buddha.

In the ritual, we first entered the small hall while chanting “南無大師遍照金剛(Nam Daishi Henjyo Kongo)”, which is Kukai’s mantra.  In the hall, the higher ranked priest  asked us to follow Buddhism commandments, and also lectured the mantra and mudra that we need to practice in the next hall.

After that, we were guided to the large hall where we do “投華得仏(To-ke Toku-butsu)” and “灌頂(Kanjyo)”. The hall was dark, lit by only candle lights. The ritual was taken generally in the following manner.

  1. With a group of five people, participants are guided to Mandala by monks.
  2. While participants are guided, they are put blindfold. Until we get to Mandala, the group walks in line while keeping mudra and keep chanting Samanta bhadra’s mantra “Om samayas tvam”
  3. At Mandala, with putting the blindfold on, drop the holly leave in the hand. The participant bears the connection with the Buddha where his/her dropped leave is.
  4. After that, participants are poured “wisdom water” by higher ranked priest above their head(This is called “Kanjyo”)

Kechien-Kanjyo is the miniature of our life

From here is the personal impression of yoga and Zen practitioner against this ritual.

Wondering in the darkness with blindfold, is just as same as our daily lives itself. We get in trouble, we get lost so often in our life.

Monks were the guide in that darkness. They drew our hands, and chanted mantra to lead us to Mandala. Their roll as the guide in the ritual are totally same as the daily life.

However, participants kept together even in the darkness with mudra and mantra, and get to Mandala in the end.

“Om samayas tvam” is the mantra of Samanta bhadra, the symbol of seeking the truth and enlightenment in Tantric Buddhism.

Making Samanta bhadra’s mudra and chanting his mantra with the group to get to Mandala seemed symbolizing the function of Sangha, the Buddhism community where seekers of enlightenment get together.

For me, as a whole, this ritual seemed just like a miniature of the life of the people who seek their inner peace and freedom, and also the wisdom and will power to contribute to all beings’ happiness and freedom even in the darkness.

Come to think of it, I’d like to appreciate Koya-san to accept zen practitioner and yogi like me to take part in such a valuable ritual.

Also, the roll of monks in this ritual (guiding the lost and suffering people) are similar to us yoga / pilates instructor, and massage therapist.

So, I’d like to return this learning to my yoga / pilates lessons.

Gassho

sv10s

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

(I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Seed Training,シードトレーニング,ヨガ,禅,メディテーション,瞑想,ライフスタイル,尼崎,大阪,出張レッスン,個人レッスン,yoga,zen,meditation,amagasaki,osaka,

Washing away “Self” with yoga practice

When I went Zen meditation meeting the other day, I heard an interesting story on “Self” from the master.

According to him, he makes time to wash his “Self” away, at least once a day.

In this text, “Self” means the self as the oldest son, the self who had certain experiences in his/her youth, or the self who is called certain nickname, etc…

By washing such “Self” away, the master tries to take a proper distance from the past self, and the self seen or thought by others.

Not only in Zen, yoga philosophy also has the idea similar to this”Self”. This is called Ahamkara.

My master washes off his “Self” by Zazen, reading sutras, and taking bath. These are quite similar to yogic practice.

By concentrating on Asana and meditation, or practicing Niyamas such as Shaucha (purity) and Īśvarapraṇidhāna (Contemplation to the holy beings), yogis can wash away negative aspects of Ahamkara, the self.

It often happens that “my decision” is actually decided by just a habitual power, or something or someone other than me, such as our past history or experience, and common sense.

Besides, overdriven “Self” turns out to be “Ego”, and suffers you from negative emotions such as anger and despair.

To be free and happy from those habitual power and future sufferings, washing off “Self” seems very important.

If your troubles are caused by “Self” as I introduced here, why don’t you try to wash that “Self” off by concentrating on asana and meditation, or think about practicing yoga philosophy in your daily lives?

sv10s

Not only improving your physical condition, Seed Training will also do the best to support improving your mental condition through yoga, pilates. and Thai traditional massage.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

(I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Mind & Body are instruments, Breath is the player

Breathing in yoga & pilates practices maybe similar to playing the music instruments.

Through my own yoga & pilates practice, I get to believe like that.

From my experience, for example, let say, Wadaiko.

If you beat strong, it sounds strong, and if you beat weak, it sounds weak.

Winds and strings instruments maybe the same. The sound will vary depending on how players breath or control their body & mind.

Through the precise control of players’ body & mind, the sound varies very different.

That’s what I think the same as the breathing.

What our mind thinks, how our body moves, how our consciousness works… those things can be different depending on how we control the breath. 

When our breaths are shallow and unstable, we’ll be easily get angry.

When our breaths are stable and quiet, our concentration gets sharp.

When our breaths are rhythmic, our body moves rhythmic.

It maybe possible to say,

Mind & Body are instruments, Breath is the player

By deepening your understanding on breath through yoga & pilates practice, you can be Maestro of your own mind & body.

Including breathing techniques, Seed Training in Amagasaki teaches yoga & pilates from the very basic.

If you are interested in learning yogic or pilates breathing for making better relationships with your mind & body,

please feel free to contact us.

sv10s

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

(I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Seed Training,シードトレーニング,pilates,hip joint,股関節,lower back,腰,背中,姿勢,ママ,イクメン,骨盤

Pilates : Hip mobility exercise for back care (movies)

As well as the previous article Pilates : Activating inner core for safety back (with movie)” , let me introduce a couple more pilates-based exercises for back care.

In the previous article, I emphasized keep pulling the belly in to activate inner core muscles (a.k.a TA muscles) for releasing back tension.

Today, I’d like to introduce using hip joints more consciously while keeping the torso in stable, neutral position.

First of all, please check the movie.

Knee Lift

【Procedure】

  1. Legs are opened hip distance width, pelvis and spine neutral. Place hands on lower back (check the reason in the previous article).
  2. While keeping the stable upper body posture, exhale and lift one leg up (flex both hip and knee joints to 90°).
  3. Inhale, slowly drop lifted leg onto the mat while keeping the stable upper body.
  4. Lift the opposite side and continue 2. & 3. alternatively.

As explained in the movie, keep activating TA to prevent lower back from rounding and swaying.

Leg Swing(Front & Back)

【Procedure】

  1.  Place one foot on yoga block*, hip distance width, pelvis and spine neutral. Place hands on lower back.
  2. While keeping upper body in the stable position (keep the back as soft as possible), inhale twice shortly to swing floating leg forward twice.
  3. Exhale to swing the same leg backward.
  4. Continue 2. & 3. for 8-10 reps, then switch the side.

*Not only yoga blocks, anything which has some height and stability is fine (such as the small step, telephone book).

As well as knee lift, keep pulling the belly in to prevent lower back from wavering. Also, it’s not so much necessary to move big. Rather, trying to move hips while keeping the soft back is more important.

【Effect】

If you attempted these exercises, you may recognized that it’s possible to make a beautiful posture and motion while keeping your back soft. That’s the effect of activating TA (pulling the belly in).

If you’re already practicing pilates, you can try by yourself. If you have never done before, I strongly recommend to learn from pro- pilates instructors in your neighbors.

If Seed Training were your neighbor (lessons at your place also available in these areas), please feel free to contact.

Strongly hope the healthy and happy life of young moms & dads, also grandmas & grandpas caring their grandchildren.

Thank you.

sv10s

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

Seed Training,reservation,yoga,pilates,thai traditional massage,amagasaki,hyogo,osaka

090-6756-5136

(I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)