I know, that title might mean that I was sitting on the moving treadmill (huh?) in cross-legged position and meditating. Impossible, and I wasn't doing that. I have however finally made sense of how to use my knowledge in yoga, meditation and running for my days on the treadmill. I have been told that runners intuitively know this but I have been running (on the treadmill) for over three years and what I would experience after running was complete exhaustion and listlessness.
So how does meditation, yoga and running come together? Here's how:
What is Meditation?
Chogyam Trungpa in "Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior" gives precise and clear instructions on the sitting practice of meditation. There is no better way to convey that than to just quote him:
"The practice of meditation is very precise. it has to be on the dot, right on the dot. ...if you don't have a good posture your practice will be like a lame horse trying to pull a cart....So first you sit down and assume your posture, then you work with your breath; tshoo, go out (sic) [referring to the out breath], come back to your posture; tshoo. When thoughts arise, you label them "thinking" and come back to your posture, back to your breath" ....You are not working with your mind alone. You are working with your mind and your body, and when the two work together, you never leave reality" (p.25)
Chogyam Trungpa essentially points out that all you do in sitting meditation is focus on the out breath and the in-breath happens all by itself. So, focus on the out-breath, then bring awareness to your posture, then focus on the out-breath, then again, come back to your posture, then focus on your out-breath..and so on. When thoughts arise gently call out in your mind "thinking" and come back to the breath and the posture. Simple but not easy.
So now, what does yoga have to do with running, you ask?
Full disclosure: Posture is something that I constantly work at. I tend to have awful postures while I read, work on the computer and even while doing yoga, so for me this is a lesson I keep coming back to time and again as I am sure most of us must.
So what is the most precise and accurate stance for these three platforms? Below is a video instruction of a wonderful yoga instructor who gives instructions for Tadasana or the mountain pose. When I first learnt the number of muscles one can be aware of in just standing, I was SO amazed. Here is the video, notice the instruction she gives about how the three platforms must be aligned for a precise posture.
The same instruction goes for bringing awareness to your feet, pelvis and shoulders while you are doing almost anything. Running included.
What do I know about running?
I do not call myself a runner, there are experts at that I am sure. But I have been running regularly for three years now and I know that I have a love-hate relationship with it. What began as absolute hate turned into surprise that I could actually run, then determination to run and increase my stamina and then complete and absolute bewilderment at what to do with all the thoughts and boredom that I meet with when I run. For a while there I was also having awful body aches (because of not cooling down gently) and god awful exhaustion. I used to run every evening at one point and would come back home and just drop dead on my bean bag never to get up till it was time to go to bed.
My dad would tell me how mindless this activity of running on the treadmill was and would gently veer me towards walking around the park with him. While I like that way better than the treadmill, I have always ome back to it wondering how to make my half hour on the treadmill more mindful. So here's what I have figured.
Meditation + Yoga + Running : How they all come together
So putting two and two together you get meditation on the treadmill. Today I went on the machine and started off, with awareness of my out-breath, then awareness of my feet, then my out-breath, awareness and gentle correction of my slumping shoulders; out-breath, feet; out-breath, body; out-breath, posture...thought, out-breath, posture; thought, thought, thought, lost in thought, out-breath, correcting posture; out-breath...and so on for thirty minutes. Basically, I allowed myself the freedom to focus on my out-breath and while the in-breath happened all by itself, I focused on my posture in a neat little loop for the thirty minutes that I was on the machine!
I was in the present moment, on the treadmill, with awareness of my being, what more could I ask for? It was a calming, energizing and rejuvenating run! (of course, it is not that this is the result of meditation or running every time you do either, but that's what this run did for me) I have not had that happen many times in these three years running.
This is icing on the cake for me, I found this cool video on HH Dalai Lama meditating on the treadmill! Enjoy!
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So how does meditation, yoga and running come together? Here's how:
What is Meditation?
Chogyam Trungpa in "Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior" gives precise and clear instructions on the sitting practice of meditation. There is no better way to convey that than to just quote him:
"The practice of meditation is very precise. it has to be on the dot, right on the dot. ...if you don't have a good posture your practice will be like a lame horse trying to pull a cart....So first you sit down and assume your posture, then you work with your breath; tshoo, go out (sic) [referring to the out breath], come back to your posture; tshoo. When thoughts arise, you label them "thinking" and come back to your posture, back to your breath" ....You are not working with your mind alone. You are working with your mind and your body, and when the two work together, you never leave reality" (p.25)
Chogyam Trungpa essentially points out that all you do in sitting meditation is focus on the out breath and the in-breath happens all by itself. So, focus on the out-breath, then bring awareness to your posture, then focus on the out-breath, then again, come back to your posture, then focus on your out-breath..and so on. When thoughts arise gently call out in your mind "thinking" and come back to the breath and the posture. Simple but not easy.
So now, what does yoga have to do with running, you ask?
Stiram-sukham asanam
Asana is steadiness and ease
-Yogasutra:Sadhana Pada
The first thing I learnt in my yoga training was that there are three platforms in the body: the feet, the pelvis and the shoulders. When you bring awareness to these three platforms of your body in your yoga practice as well as everyday, your posture improves, you can breathe far more easily and you can be at ease even in difficult situations.Full disclosure: Posture is something that I constantly work at. I tend to have awful postures while I read, work on the computer and even while doing yoga, so for me this is a lesson I keep coming back to time and again as I am sure most of us must.
So what is the most precise and accurate stance for these three platforms? Below is a video instruction of a wonderful yoga instructor who gives instructions for Tadasana or the mountain pose. When I first learnt the number of muscles one can be aware of in just standing, I was SO amazed. Here is the video, notice the instruction she gives about how the three platforms must be aligned for a precise posture.
The same instruction goes for bringing awareness to your feet, pelvis and shoulders while you are doing almost anything. Running included.
What do I know about running?
I do not call myself a runner, there are experts at that I am sure. But I have been running regularly for three years now and I know that I have a love-hate relationship with it. What began as absolute hate turned into surprise that I could actually run, then determination to run and increase my stamina and then complete and absolute bewilderment at what to do with all the thoughts and boredom that I meet with when I run. For a while there I was also having awful body aches (because of not cooling down gently) and god awful exhaustion. I used to run every evening at one point and would come back home and just drop dead on my bean bag never to get up till it was time to go to bed.
My dad would tell me how mindless this activity of running on the treadmill was and would gently veer me towards walking around the park with him. While I like that way better than the treadmill, I have always ome back to it wondering how to make my half hour on the treadmill more mindful. So here's what I have figured.
Meditation + Yoga + Running : How they all come together
So putting two and two together you get meditation on the treadmill. Today I went on the machine and started off, with awareness of my out-breath, then awareness of my feet, then my out-breath, awareness and gentle correction of my slumping shoulders; out-breath, feet; out-breath, body; out-breath, posture...thought, out-breath, posture; thought, thought, thought, lost in thought, out-breath, correcting posture; out-breath...and so on for thirty minutes. Basically, I allowed myself the freedom to focus on my out-breath and while the in-breath happened all by itself, I focused on my posture in a neat little loop for the thirty minutes that I was on the machine!
I was in the present moment, on the treadmill, with awareness of my being, what more could I ask for? It was a calming, energizing and rejuvenating run! (of course, it is not that this is the result of meditation or running every time you do either, but that's what this run did for me) I have not had that happen many times in these three years running.
This is icing on the cake for me, I found this cool video on HH Dalai Lama meditating on the treadmill! Enjoy!
I love meditating on the treadmill. What about you? do you incorporate a certain method to enhance your running, yoga or meditation? I would love to hear!
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Hey this is cool!!! I need it--that would make treadmill all the more interesting and peaceful. I tend to distract myself with music--but this is good. Let me give it a shot... and cool video man, u r lucky to have found it!
ReplyDeleteHey Bhavana! Thanks so much for the comment. Yes! I distract myself with the tv on the treadmill at my gym, for some reason music doesn't work for me. But yes, I am finding that this practice of meditating on the run is peaceful and interesting. I would love to hear about your experience once you try it. Thanks for visiting, I hope to see you more often :-) Loving your blog!
DeleteNice post! Methodical and systematic...I practice all this in my own way but your write-up is still useful for improvement...thanks Aarathi:)
ReplyDeleteHi Amit, Thanks so much for your valuable comment. I am glad that you found this piece methodical and helpful! :-) Thanks for visiting!
DeleteWOW re darling you are too cool i say :-) I have been doing something similar while speed walking - breathe in two steps and breathe out two steps and we did it once remember? It is called So-Ham walking - SO is in breath and HAM is out breath. And I used to tell you that I can walk almost endlessly and tirelessly by doing this. But I never tried it on the thread mill.Maybe this is the missing link for me to start my marathon practice !!! I will surely try this once soon. And Dalai is so like Aniku na ;-)) I would rate this post as one of your best baby. Proud of u!
ReplyDeleteHi Dad, Thanks yaars! Yes, i remember so-ham walks. This one really helped me go a little bit further in my awareness of posture and breath that's why I was SO moved to write it :-) Yaa dalai is SO cute in it I was so thrilled by that video.
DeleteI LOVE this post! thanks so much. I also am running and meditating and doing yoga at the moment. I say 'at the moment' as I so often start and then fall off the wagon.
ReplyDeletebut at the moment I am enjoying all three. and I am trying to calm my mind when running on the treadmill - listening to tapes as well as music - but I hadn't thought of actually just forgetting the ipod and meditating. great! Wil be trying it next week.
I am not a good runner - still can only do about 20 minutes. But like you I never thought I could do it at all so it is a great discovery to find it is possible even for me.
but what I like best is the video of the Dalai Lama.Now I will never forget him on the treadmill. And showering after. and laughing so much. Great!!!!!!
love Kate x
Such a wonderful comment Kate! I often feel like I am journeying alongside with you. I totally agree that the video of Dala Lama is so great!! I hope you will tell me what you experienced once you tried meditating on the treadmill. lots of love oxox
Deleteso informative and interesting..thank you!! I am doing yoga this afternoon (but not on a treadmill)...I will try and use these practical tips..thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThe ultimate goal of mindfulness and yoga is to achieve a sense of unity with the universe in all that one does. This post captures how one can do that in something as physical as a treadmill. Thanks, Aarathi, for sharing this thought. This same idea can now be transferred to all activities of daily life.
ReplyDelete