A couple of weeks ago, I was about to start a load of laundry before heading out the door. I had a moment of intuition that caused me to think better of it. When I returned home, I started the washer and sure enough a flood began pouring out of the bottom of the machine. I quickly turned the washer off, but the flood kept coming. Oh my gosh, I thought, I really don't need this now, but I'll remain calm and call a repair man. I won't make this a big deal. It's the weekend and I use my washer a lot for my household and work, but I can wait until Monday to call.
Late in the afternoon on the following Monday, the repairman came. The news was not good. He'd have to go back to the office to find out how much the repair would be w/ parts and labor. The next day he called. It would cost less to purchase a new washer. So, off to the laundry mat I went. It's okay, I thought. It's an unexpected expense, and I'll be too busy w/ work to shop for a washer the next several days. This still isn't a big deal. I can make it through a week until I can purchase a new washer.
After work, on a Sunday, I went to a large appliance store to purchase a washer that was on sale. I paid cash. I told the sales person that I would be off all day Monday and Tuesday and I could be home any time, but asked could they please not deliver on Tuesday evening? This was very important to me, I told him.
On Monday I received a call from the service department. The washer was being delivered on Tuesday evening. No amount of talking to the person on the phone - or that person's supervisor - could change the time of the appointment...unless I agreed to wait until the following week for the washer to be delivered. I could feel my personality becoming disturbed. The ego was not getting what it wanted. I had to make a decision: break plans and possibly disappoint other people and have the washer (which I really need) delivered or wait another week and make another less than optimal trip to the laundry mat? I felt really terrible, but I reluctantly agreed to have the washer delivered that Tuesday evening.
On Tuesday @ 6:00p., the deliveryman arrived. He opened the door to the laundry closet, took one look and said, "It's not going to fit." I was in denial. Of course it would fit! He tried and naturally he was right. A spigot on the hot water heater was in the way making the space about half an inch too short for the washer to fit. What to do? I called several numbers, was on hold, stuck in voicemail and passed from person to person before finally reaching someone who could advise how to handle the return. This customer service person told me that the washer could go back w/ the delivery person, but that I would have to wait until the next day to go to the store to receive a refund. The deliveryman was a saint. He took the washer back. I could feel myself becoming emotional. Egos don't like not getting what they want, but, I told myself, just one more day and things would be taken care of.
The next day after work traffic was heavy, so I called the store to make certain that my refund had been processed before heading over. As luck would have it, I was speaking to the exact same customer service person that I had spoken with the night before. She informed me that, regretfully, since I had paid cash, they could not give me my refund in person. I would have to wait 10 business days to receive a refund check by mail.
I'd like to say that all my years of meditation allowed me to observe my thinking and feeling states, center myself and let it go. But that is not what happened. I became very emotional. I spoke to several people. I wasn't having it. I wasn't accepting it. I WANTED and, I felt, NEEDED a washer...or a refund, so that I could purchase another washer somewhere else. I behaved badly. I let my mind become disturbed. It didn't help. I have no washer. I am waiting on my refund.
Part Two - Pranayama
"Yoga differs from western medical philosophy. This is not to say that doctors are wrong and yogis are right but that they have different theories. The medical field has been very conservative in acknowledging many concepts that yoga has adhered to since the beginning of time. When it was first discovered that blood circulates, medical science denied this. When a number of other scientific physiological concepts were first developed, medical science denied them. The point is, the scientific community has constantly had to give ground, somewhat begrudgingly, to new concepts. The conservatism is not negative, for it has kept much superstition out of the medical field and is utilized as a safeguard, but it has also caused many medical discoveries to develop @ a very slow pace. Allow me to elaborate on two very basic concepts in which yoga and the medical field differ.
One of the fundamental distinctions between yoga philosophy and western medical science lies in the concept of prana, Life-energy. Yoganandaji called these energies life-trons. They are also called vital airs. ... Many teachers have tried to superficially equate prana with oxygen, but they are distinctly different. When you inhale oxygen, it chiefly enters capillaries in the lungs, and is transformed into the bloodstream. Although prana also enters the bloodstream it is primarily absorbed by the mucous membranes and moves toward the nerves, energizing and vitalizing them. This contributes to increasing the physiological functions of the organs, plexuses, and brain centers."
~ Goswami Kriyananda
So, now that we have a basic understanding of prana, what then is pranayama? Prana means Life-energy. Yama means control. Therefore, pranayama are exercises whereby we practice controlling the Life-energy. Breathing is a manifestation of prana. This force/energy causes you/us to move, think and create. By regular practice of pranayama you/we gain the ability to directly control the life-force within.
Pranayama is a powerful tool that is best practiced under the guidance of a competent teacher. In addition to the many physical benefits of this practice, higher states of consciousness become more attainable.
Part Three - Contentment
Today was lovely. We met on the lawn near the Rothko Chapel. The weather was more than cooperative as it was sunny, but not as hot as it could have been. We practiced 4 basic pranayama techniques:
The Resurrection Breath
a ritual typically performed before hong-sau Kriya and other meditation techniques
The Sipping Breath
this will reduce phlegm - also used before meditation techniques
The Cold Maker (Sitkari)
sometimes called the wheezing breath, this is a practice used to cool the body, but it also clears the eyes and ears, activates the liver, improves digestion and helps prevent high blood pressure
The Drawing Breath (Ujjaya)
also known as the hissing breath, is used in yoga affirmations to promote spiritual success and has many benefits including being helpful in curing consumption and asthma
We began our meeting with meditation on the breath and we also practiced hong-sau Kriya as our ending meditation.
A friendly squirrel observed us discussing pranayama. Tiny creatures crawled in the grass around us. A couple of fire ants informed me that I was sitting on top of an area that they considered home. A large carpenter ant crawled across my arm, I removed her gently, she came back and I removed her again.
After our final meditation, a little chat and good-byes, I laid back on my yoga mat and rested, dozing off and on as I listen to near-by mourning doves cooing. I could not have been more content.
Afterword
After reading all of this you may be asking yourself, 'What about the disturbance? What changed? You still don't have a washing machine or the money you paid for it.' The answer is simple: I changed my attitude. And in life, attitude is all.
Namaste,
Sandy