Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Patika


Bir yol. Dağlardan, orman içinden, su kenarlarından geçen dik, bazen düz, bazen taşlı, bazen camurlu yollar. Bu yollar eski köylerden, tarihi yerleşim alanlarından, müthiş manzaralar eşliğinde geçerek esrarengiz ve rahatlatıcı bir hava akımını başlatıyor. Bir yerlerde bu yollar, patikalar birleşiyor, ve sonra yine ayrılıyorlar. İşte bu yolların birleştiği noktalardan biride Faralya köyündeki Patika Merkezi.
Buranın nasıl bir yer olduğunu anlamak için internetten bakmak araştırmak yetmiyor, oraya gidip kendi gözlerinizle görüp, kendi bedeninizle tecrübe etmeniz gerekiyor. Orada kalarak, bahçede büyüyen doğal şifalı bitkilerin sayesinde hazırlanan yemeklerle, içeçeklerle, yogayla, manzarası, doğası, havası, insanları ve kesinlikle bu projenin ana damarı, kalbi olan Erol ile sohpetler ve belki ev yapımı şarapları sayesinde tam oracıkta oraya aşık olmak gerekiyor. Belki bu da yetmiyor, oradan bi ayrılmak gerekiyor, oranın değerini daha iyi anlayabilmek, özleyebilmek ve geri dönüş planları yaparak bu yola, Patika projesine katkıda bulunmak için.
Yağmurlu bir Salı günü varmıştım Patika’ya, Ölüdeniz, ve Kelebekler Vadisi manzaralı ve nefes kesen dar virajları olan dağ yollarından. Nisan ayında bahçe bayram ediyordu. Baharın gelmesiyle tüm ağaçlar yeşerirken, rengarenk çiçekler her yerden bana gülümsüyordu, aralardan fışkıran otlar, papatyalar kaplamıştı Patikanın kendi yollarını. O dönemdeki sevgili gönüllü çalışanlar, Meriz, Una ve Sandra’nın yardımlarıyla güzelim taş evime yerleştikten sonra açık Akdeniz manzarasına daldım. Erol günlük güzellik uykusundaydı:) Sonra uyandığında bahçenin turunu verdikten sonra hep beraber mis gibi yemekler yedik, Patika üzümlerinden ev yapımı şarabı içtik ve gece uykumuza daldık. Ertesi gün pırıl pırıldı. Güneş arada bi yüzünü gösteriyor, havayı ısıtıyordu. Bende çevreyi, bitkileri, dağları, manzaraları keşfetmekle meşgul buldum kendimi. Gönüllü çalışanları, köyden gelen yardımcılar, ustalar, Erol ve o ortamda yaşayan herkes tam bir doğal çevre oluşturarak doğayla uyumlu bir şekilde bahçe, yemek, ev yapımı, ev onarımı, vs. gibi işlerle uğraşıyorlardı. Permakültür. Yani permenant culture, süreklilik sağlayan bir çevre. Doğayla iç içe yaşayarak, ondan almakla kalmayıp, ona geri vererek. Tam anlamıyla geri dönüşüm uygulayarak.
Ben bu doğal oluşuma, Erol’a ve çevreye seyrekalmıştım. Çok yorgundum geldiğimde, İstanbul, şehir yorgunluğu vardı üzerimde. Konuşacak ne halim vardı ne de çok isteğim. Tam istediğim gibi izole, sessiz, sakin bir yere gelmiştim sonunda. Patika’nın akışına bırakıverdim kendimi, geri kalan herşeyi unutarak. Arada salata için otlar topladım, bahçenin çiçekleriyle masaları dekore ettim, mersin ağacının yaprağını keşfettim, ve çay yapımında kullandım, vs. yani bende ordan burdan ufak ufak bu çevrenin bir parçası olmuştum. Bazı günler ve bazı saatlerde çevrede olan işlerden dolayı elektrik kesintileri, ve su sorunları oluyordu, geceleri soğuktu, yani tam bir dağ köyü hayatı gibiydi. Geri kalan dünyadan tamamiyle kopmuştum, ve aslında bu durumdan memnundum. Bu hal bana çok iyi geldi. Zaten oradayken başka şeyleri insan nasıl düşünebilir bilemiyorum. Yapmam gereken Yoga Terapi eğitimi için ödevleri bile zar zor konsantre olarak tamamlayabildim. Tek isteğim sanki doğayı tüm duyularımla içime çekmek, kucaklamaktı; doğa ile bütünleşmek. Bir bebeği sever gibi sevdim doğayı, bu doğal çevreyi. Ormandan denize inen yolları keşfettim. Havlamayı pek seven şirin beyaz köpek ve şirin keçilerle, sürekli gülümseyen köylülerle karşılaştım. Diğer yolları, tarihi patikaları tam bulamadığımdan keşfetme şansım olmadı bu sefer. Patika’ya en yakın sahil denilebilinecek yer, hiç öyle düşündüğünüz gibi bir sahil değil. İlk gördüğümde gözlerime inanamadım. Böyle bir yer daha önce görmemiştim. Kalbim durdu sanki, nefesimi de tutmuş olmalıyım ki hafif esrarengiz ve ürkütücü görüntüsüyle bedenim bi yandan alarma geçerken bi yandan doğal oluşumun, renklerin verdiği uyumla beraber güzelliği de beni heyecandırmaya başladı. Tepeden bir kaç dakika bakakaldım kayalıkların içersindeki muhteşem doğanın bize sunduğu esrarengiz sahile. Ve sonra dik bir yamaçtan indim sahile. Ufak ama müthiş kristal kayalıklarla, çakıl taşlarıyla şekil almış, tam anlamıyla turquaz ve kirlenmemiş serin suların yer aldığı, krater görünümlü  bir sahil diyebiliriz. Su soğuktu ve mayom yoktu. Fakat ben bir şekilde o sulara kendimi bırakıverdim:) O kayaların, suyun, ormanın, etrafdaki kokuların, havanın şarhoşu oldum. Amerika’da yaşadığım yıllarda Boston şehirinden de arada bi uzaklaşmak için trenle gittiğim Rockport adındaki şirin ve kayalık bir kasabayı hatırlattı bu sahil bana. Rockport, yani taşlimanı anlamına gelen bu kasaba okyanus kenarında ve kayalıkların tepesinde şekillenmiş bir kasaba. Kayalıklardan müthiş açık okyanus manzarasına seyre kalırdım, taze yengeç ve sonrasında yaz ise ev yapımı dondurmalarından yiyip, kış ise zencefilli havuç corbası içip, ilginç taşlar, kristaller, vs gibi şeyler satan dükkanlarda gezip tazelenmiş olarak Boston’daki evime dönerdim. Fakat, Faralya köyündeki bu sahil çok daha güzeldi, ya da farklı bir güzelliği vardı diyelim. Rockport’u hatırlatsa bile ikisinin de kalbimde çok ayrı yerleri var.
Günler geçtikce ve yorgunluğumun yerini temiz hava, dinginlik, sakinlik aldıkca, ben sadece bulunduğum çevreyi gözlemlemekle kaldığımı fark ettim ve ayrılık vakti yakınlaşmaya başlamıştı. Son günümde o ufacık ama kayaların sayesinde müthiş enerjiye sahip olan sahilde güneşe karşı meditasyona oturdum. Kimsecikler yoktu, güneşin ısısı ve ayağıma kadar gelen dalgaların sesleri ve serinliği eşliğinde bir meditasyon. Yinede sanki hiç oradan ayrılmayacağım gibi hislerle, İstanbul’da beni bekleyen işler, öğrençilerim, müşterilerim, ailem, ve sorumlulukları tamamen unutarak devam ediyordum oradaki yaşamıma. Sanki İstanbul başka bir dünya, çok eskide kalan buğulu bir hayat gibi. Aslında, çok da yanlış değil. İstanbul’a geldiğimde şok içinde kendimi uzaya gitmiş falan gibi hissettim. Patika’da toplam 5 gün kalmıştım halbuki, beni oraya bağlamaya yetmiş demek ki. Daha önce yine Amerika’da yaşarken gittiğim Kripalu yoga merkezinden de 1 hafta sonrasında buna benzer hislerle ayrılmıştım. Ve daha 3 gün oldu İstanbul’a geleli, geldiğimden beri içimde bir hüzün kaplı. Şehir içinde, tanıdık ortamların içersinde çevreme alışıyor gibi oluyorum ama bi yandan da sanki burası benim ait olduğum yer değil. Üstelik Erol ile konuşmak istediğim bir sürü konu vardı, Patika’da öğrenmek istediğim, deneyimlemek istediğim bir sürü neler neler...ne oldu onlara? Sanki aklım durmuştu oradayken, ya da başka bir diyarlardaydım. Belki de Patika’daki yaşam ayaklarımı yerden kesti.

Aklım hala Patika’da, dağlarda, ormanlarda, kayalıklar içersindeki sahilde...nasıl geri dönmeli oraya acaba...



Monday, June 6, 2011

Meditation and Handstands

I am in love with meditation as much as I'm in love with practicing handstand these days. Never did I practice these on a daily basis, but it is a fun journey! These 2 practices used to be pretty difficult and a bit scary for me and I usually chose not to do them, but now I realize I was scared because I lacked the self-confidence and courage. Now that I'm actually learning the proper way to meditate and practice handstands I can't stop doing them every morning. Adho Mukha Vrksasana (downward facing tree), the Handstand is so fun:) OK, so every day I get my legs and hips straight up there somewhere, but then I gracefully fall back down. I can't stand upside down on my own and I don't like doing it with a wall because for some reason that scares me too, maybe I prefer the comfort of a person not a wall. So, this yoga pose is said to improve your sense of balance, calm the brain and it helps relieve stress as it provides you with energy. So, great to do it in the mornings, followed by a long and deep meditation, definitely reenergizes me. The common barrier is the fear of falling since humans normally don't stand upside down, but that's what makes it fun actually. Just watch some kids and you can see they love poses that seem absurd to adults because they have no fear and they love to play. Why can't we all do the same?.. For the adult body who is tangled up with stress (from simply living on this planet) you would need to be comfortable and correctly do Downward facing Dog and Plank poses as preparation for practicing Handstand...If you don't know what I'm talking about then don't even try this yet...Then when you're ready, from Downdog, as you inhale, step one foot closer to your hands (lets say the left foot) and allow your shoulders to stack right on top of your wrists, (similar to coming towards plank pose) gazing down somewhere between your hands, neck relaxed. Exhale and as you engage your core (the bandhas) straighten the other leg (the right) and flex the foot as you kick up. You may want to just kick up with that straight leg for a few times. Then, rest in Child's pose for a few breaths...and start again. This time as you kick up, bring the other leg along to stack your hips on top of your shoulders, and if you can stay like that great, if you fall or are afraid try it facing a wall or with someone holding you at the hips. Once upside down need to remember to keep the legs close and straight and the feet flexed...and keep doing this until you're tired, then rest in Child's pose before continuing your practice. By the way, flexing the foot is stretching your toes towards your head. Check out yoga journal for detailed info.
Funny that I actually was going to write about Meditation and how my life has improved with Meditation...I find myself writing about Handstands as well:)
So, I'm just in love. I can practice yoga and meditation all day and I'm just limiting it to my morning for about 3 hours of practice which is easier to do here in Bodrum. I had given myself homework about 2 months ago while I was in Istanbul to practice meditation every day and see what happens when I do it in the middle of chaotic Istanbul life. Well well well...it worked so beautifully:) I couldn't manage a routine every day, but I did manage to practice meditation somewhere in the day whether it was 5 minutes or 15 minutes (tried harder to do it in the mornings as it sets my mood for the day). Even just a few minutes if I was in a rush would help me internalize and remember that everything that is important, everything that I need is inside, not outside. No need to get angry or hurry or judge, life will happen as it is supposed to. All the love and peace is already within me ever since I was conceived, it just takes a few minutes of closing your eyes and sitting silently without moving to remember this...Even if there is a traffic jam, mean guys yelling for no reason, kids screaming, impatience, unrespectful people, pain or confusion or a nice atmosphere around you...it only takes a few minutes every day, just close your eyes and watch!
Well, after a month had passed I was so happy and thought yes I figured out this Meditation. Haha! Then my knee started to hurt again and became a limitation to my yoga and meditation practice. It became more painful to sit in meditation. I didn't want to go to yoga classes, I wanted to practice on my own. Then (just when I needed the motivation) we were advised to start our own practice during our yoga teacher training...oh how I missed that..to practice for hours every morning on my own. So I tried harder to practice myself at home..and was going to Bodrum where I can easily practice on my own anyway. Before I left, one of our yoga teachers was giving a meditation course. So I went. He said it's common for people who don't know meditation to think that people who meditate have no pain, but they actually do and they are able to tolerate the pain. I was translating the teacher who spoke in English to a crowd of Turkish yogis and when I heard him say this I couldn't help myself and say "Really?" and in my mind I'm thinking, 'I had no idea. How did I think I knew meditation' and 'That must be why I didn't like meditation before because I didn't want to tolerate pain? Huh? But what about my knee pain, I thought pain in the knee meant the start of an injury?'. So, when you don't know and sit in meditation and feel pain you may quit or think you aren't able to do it. But my knee pain? He said if you feel like it's an injury then you may change your sitting position, otherwise you need to sit without moving for 30 minutes, eyes open gazing on the floor in front of you. Hmmm
Later, I continue to practice meditation every day. I start to think: Could there be some psychological pain? Maybe. I feel the pain. I accept it. I don't ignore it and I'm not pushing it away. But I want to understand it. I think I am ready for Family Constellation (Aile Dizimi) a meditative therapy method to help unravel difficult family entanglements. I realize there is some unfinished business in my family's life. I may have solved some of it while living abroad away from family, but it's not complete yet. I want to continue, I want to bring it out to the open!
And we'll see what happens next. I've come so far to accept life as it is with the help of Meditation. I also now feel I can actually live in Istanbul. I can see a community there too, and some work. Maybe Bodrum isn't my only option. Wow! Change never stops right...transformations never stops! That is the beauty of life. And even more beautiful is watching these changes with your eyes closed happy in your core:)
Thank you for reading, it was long but beautiful I hope:)
I finish with the words of one of my fave songs by Donna De Lory, Bathe in These Waters:
Lost. Criticized. Hard to reach, hard to find. You will rise, I'll watch you fly. You will shine..in time. Bathe in these waters..bathe in these waters..and wash it away...wash it away...
Far..far from grace..wearing the past..on your face. You will change. Nothing stays the same. You will find..your way. Just Bathe in these waters..bathe in these water...and wash it away...
Hara Hara MahaDeva Shambo..Sharanam...

Monday, May 2, 2011

I Am From Venus!

Yep! Lately, I feel like I am from another planet, such as Venus, living in Istanbul on Earth. If I was coming from the planet Venus to inspect Earth, I would probably say this world sucks (pardon me), the living creatures here have no humanity although they call themselves human. Although, would it be easier to inspect this world and the creatures living on it as an outsider (as in someone from another planet) or insider (living within the community)? I consider myself as an outsider, foreigner living in a new community. I can't tel you where I'm from really, at least not one place, and I don't think I can call any place home anymore. This makes me so insecure about where I'm living now...dah!
But, guess what happened...I finally got myself to sit in silent meditation! (ok! it's been only 2 days in a row now, but it's been awhile since I did it). I had tried this before, maybe several times a year during a yoga class, in the beginning I hated it, was so painfully boring, and then after 6 years of yoga practice, my yoga teacher training required me to do that everyday for a month and somehow I loved it then and promised (huh?) myself I would keep doing it everyday, but of course I didn't do it once we got other assignments. But it has been always on my mind, "I have to meditate today or I have to do my own yoga practice at home today" ...it's not like I hadn't done it before, but my mind is so good at finding excuses and getting angry ever since I'm living in Istanbul.
I'm reading a book in Turkish called Mavi Orman (Blue Forest), by Defne Suman, a Shadow yoga teacher living in US and Turkey. And I'm thinking I'm so good at picking the book that exactly matches my mood and my needs at that time...this has been going on for about a year (cross my fingers!). I decided I love this book from the first page I read. Actually I love the title too! It's making me think a lot, reflect on myself and the changes in my life. I feel my yoga practice is supposed to be doing this to me, not this book, but maybe I needed the extra kick of inspiration from this book.
Actually just when I've been thinking..."I think I've learned everything I need about yoga" I am being bombarded with all these new concepts, techniques, ideas about yoga that I had no idea existed or for some reason I had been ignoring them for so long. Now I know the more I practice and the more I experience life, searching and learning never ends!
So, going back to my life in Istanbul being an alien from Venus.
I don't like what I have become while living in Istanbul with my parents. I don't feel like myself, it feels like all my self-work, from doing yoga and growing in US are gone to waste which feels like a nightmare coming true!!!
So, this is why I feel alien to a culture, house, people that supposedly I could say I'm part of, but I don't think I am really. Also, what's the point in forcing it so hard? Yes I know life is hard anywhere whatever you're doing, but I don't have the same desire to go on as I did when life was hard in US. Maybe it's the lack of a community, a safe place for me to feel welcomed and at home. I haven't found this in Istanbul, not with old friends or with my family and can't say much about new friends since it's too soon....but I have hope for Bodrum, I had the feeling of a community where I belong there, so Seriously! I just have to get settled there as soon as I can.
Anyway, I forgot to mention what happened after the meditations...I felt so comfortable, safe and at home while sitting in meditation, I felt it within me, I was IT, the safe home. And once it was over I was able to carry that feeling throughout the house and into majority of my day. Wow! This is amazing! Could I possibly do this everyday? Since, I have definitely decided to live in Bodrum and my time in Istanbul is temporary and we know the ecstasy mood after yoga and meditation is real easy to continue when you're not in a chaotic living space, Can I do this in a chaotic living space? or in other words, Could I meditate everyday in my chaotic life in Istanbul and hold on to the safe home ecstasy feeling right in the middle of chaos? I know I can do it in a full hot Baptiste style yoga class where the person literally next to me is dripping their sweat on me (and mine on them), so why not in a super crazy, smelly and crowded city like Istanbul when even living with my parents seems so crowded to me? This is going to be my homework to myself while I live in Istanbul! If I can do this then maybe I won't have to be so irritated and angry in Istanbul, I might learn something very important. Or maybe I am really from Venus and they're going to come back for me and save me from this planet:))
We'll see...I'll write to you from Venus:)
I love these words from a teacher, "Take a deep breath, and let the moment go." It makes it easier to end things when you don't want to end it but know that you have to.
Love to you all:)

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Confusion or Confucius!

Again, it has been a long time since I wrote. My life trying to adjust to living in Turkey and blogs being banned kind of made me stay away from my blog. (I will try to transfer this blog to wordpress so look for me there too). But later I realized how much I missed writing, which is so therapeutic to me. And then I realized how confused I am with my life at the moment, which somehow made me think of Confucius and led me to search him and go deeper into my thoughts. Just remember I'm no expert in philosophy, just searching myself.
Confucius, Master Kong (551-479 BCE), according to Chinese tradition, was a thinker, social philosopher, political figure, and educator. His teachings, form the foundation of the Chinese education and comportment of the ideal man, how such an individual should live his live and interact with others, and the forms of society and government in which he should participate. All these things, (education, how to be an ideal person or what is an ideal person and how should they interact with others, in a society with a government) are exactly what is nauseating my mind right now, so no wonder why my mind went to seek Confucius. He believed that people live their lives within parameters firmly established by Heaven—which, often, for him means both a purposeful Supreme Being as well as ‘nature’ and its fixed cycles and patterns—he argues that men are responsible for their actions and especially for their treatment of others. We can do little or nothing to alter our fated span of existence but we determine what we accomplish and what we are remembered for. Huh!?
His philosophy largely revolves around the concept of ren, “compassion” or “loving others” which involved deprecating oneself. This meant being sure to avoid artful speech or an ingratiating manner that would create a false impression and lead to self-aggrandizement. So, those who have cultivated ren are “simple in manner and slow of speech.” This is demonstrated through the practice of the Golden Rule: “What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others;” “Since you yourself desire standing then help others achieve it, since you yourself desire success then help others attain it.” Also, it's added that practicing rituals are important to express respect. Subjecting oneself to ritual does not, however, mean suppressing one's desires but instead learning how to reconcile one's own desires with the needs of one's family and community. So, it is by experiencing desires that we learn the value of social strictures that make an ordered society possible. Mmmm! Interesting! Could it be related to the yoga philosophy or am I just confusing my mind even more...

Ok! As I continue my yoga practice and yoga teacher training with an injured knee and confused mind, I feel upsetness dawning on me and my inability to find a word for my latest attitude is annoying. I'm getting frustrated with my life and this realization by itself is frustrating because I'm not sure I can just be an observer of my life and surroundings. Woaaah! I have no idea what this means, but this is how I feel. But then I found Confucius said: 'When anger rises, think of the consequences.' and 'When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.' This helps me to relax. Turning inwards and examining ourselves is not so different than the yoga philosophy. And I'm forgetting that Hey! Life, our body, our mind changes constantly, it is impossible to control it. This is a scary statement for me and I can't believe I just said this but think about it; what have you been able to control? For how long? So, if we can't control anything what should we do, just observe life passing by? or observe it and participate in it? The Answer: I have no idea, lets just turn inwards and examine ourselves and this meditation will give us the answer. Again I have no idea, not yet. I'm trying to meditate and it's a wonderful feeling but I'm still confused!!! I guess this is the way it is:)

'Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.' said Confucius, and I usually like to think that following the heart is the way to go, which again seems to relate to the yoga philosophy and the energy of the heart chakra (center) where universal love and transformation may be found.
Funny, I didn't expect to be doing or thinking most of the things that I am doing and thinking right now which is also why I'm confused. I'm realizing ok yes I'm still in some transition or transformation trying to adjust to a new culture which seems close-minded and chaotic, and in this environment I'm trying to stay relaxed and focus on my own personal development, my future, my own feelings, my own yoga practice and my own ideas of the work I want to do so I can have a flexible schedule, which unexpectedly is taking up all my time and now I'm thinking...maybe a full-time job with a set schedule and steady income wasn't so bad. Another self-realization: I'm trying to adjust to a new culture (which I'm still not sure if it's a good idea, this Turkish culture), AND I'm trying to adjust to the life-style that I wanted; flexible hours with different work opportunities.
'Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star' says Master Kong. Oh, I can't imagine life without the moon or stars. The moon and the stars are part of my favorites in life, which by the way, tend to be ignored because we don't look up to the sky every night to feel the energy from up there. So, maybe it's about seeking, learning, looking inside ourselves and Love!

Alright! That's it! At the moment I'm so thankful to the internet, for my life and my ability to write and think...because I feel so relaxed and less confused now. Thank you for reading:)
'I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.' Master Kong

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Year of the TIGER

The Chinese year of the Tiger, otherwise known as 2010 for some who follow the Western calender, is close to ending. Soon it will be New Year 2011 for some people as the Chinese year of the Tiger continues until February. I've always wondered about the meaning of the Chinese calender. As a child I remember eating in Chinese restaurants where they had the table covered with Chinese calenders for customers to read and learn, and I loved reading about the different animals that corresponds to our birth years. Anything different has been intriguing to me always I guess. But I never was able to keep up with the Chinese calender until I realized this year is the year of the Tiger. Tigers are one of the animals I am quite fond of, to me they represent beauty, power, grace, elegance and freedom all in one. So beautiful. I always wished I was born in the year of the Tiger, but nope I was born in the year of Sheep:) It's said that being born in the year of the Sheep makes me charming, elegant, artistic, a worrier who likes comfort, but with a tendency to complain about things and surprisingly it's true! I asked a friend who knows about the Chinese calender and he said the year of the Tiger represents wealth, power, and because of this most people who follow this calender hope their kids are born in the year of Tiger. Tigers are also said to be adventurous, charming, initiative, risk takers who make good bosses. So, check it out, and if you're born in the year of Tiger, you're quite lucky according to the Chinese calender. The Chinese New Year starts when it's the second New Moon after the winter solstice. In February 3, 2011 we enter the year of Rabbit. There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are repeated every 12 years. Traditionally, each new year, people will decorate their homes with many New Year Graphics; the best of which are from the small town called Yangliuqing. Yanliuqing paintings were first produced between 1573 and 1620.


As we enter new years and changes, new events or anything that gives us the feeling of transition, hope, positivity or even fear, it's helpful to take the time to reflect on what we've accomplished, learned, failed in, so that we can plan for some changes that help us come closer to our goals, whether it's personal or work related. The following tips can help you to stay calm and allow transitions, changes or stress of any kind to progress more smoothly while keeping you centered. Feel free to mix and match these exercises to adapt to anything that you encounter.

- Walking meditation: while wondering at the shopping mall, grocery store or streets going to work/school or back home or using a staircase, consider trying to focus on your steps and concentrate on the repetition (counting 1, 2, 1, 2 or left, right, left, right may also help). As you do this let your mind just be, and focus on being mindful of your steps. Try this even if you're walking only for 5 minutes.
- Breathing meditation: Meditation on the go. While waiting in a line, driving or sitting instead of wondering what a waste of time, consider the valuable opportunity to go within. Concentrate on your breath as you inhale and then exhale. Maybe try thinking, out goes negative energy as you exhale, and in comes positive energy as you inhale (this is my fave practice). Try to breathe out more than you inhale to empty the air fully. Each exhalation should aim to be about twice as long as the inhalation. This helps lower blood pressure and works quite instantly. Focus only on your breath and if you can, close your eyes for a bit. This is also a great practice to do at work, especially on a stressful day.
- Simple Meditation: For quick bursts of calmness and relaxation suitable for any situation. Close your eyes, or softly gaze down if you’re not comfortable closing your eyes where you are. Watch your thoughts go by without getting attached to any thought in particular. Let the sounds of the world fade away as you go within. Stay with this practice for a few moments; even just a moment is enough to centre you.
- Mindfulness: Bring your awareness to your actions. Remember we can't change other people and can't change most situations, but we can change our (re)actions to allow a mutual environment to develop. This is probably the most difficult practice to continue awareness in every moment, at least for me, but you can start with small steps. To start, try it while eating, bring your awareness to the food in front of you, notice the aroma, with each bite, notice the flavour and texture of the food. Consciously chew each piece of food on your plate. This easy exercise allows you to slow down as you savour the simple pleasures in life. Making your meals a ritual of awareness allows you stay grounded in preparation for whatever comes next in your day. Eating mindfully, without disturbances such as the TV, can help you lose weight as well.
- Guided Meditation: You have a chance to allow the energy of the universe to guide you to relax. This is best to practice to aid in falling asleep and relax fully. Similar toYogic Sleep (Yoga Nidra), a state of conscious deep sleep. When you’re ready to go to sleep, lay on your back. Find a comfortable position with your arms to your sides and your legs slightly apart as in Shavasana (corpse) pose. You may also try a butterfly pose with your knees bent, let your legs drop out like butterfly wings, keep the base of your feet touching, one hand on your belly, one on your heart. Close your eyes and slowly start to scan your body. Bring your awareness to the top of your head and breathe into that area relaxing that part of your body. Then bring your awareness to your eyes, breathe into that area as your eyes start to totally relax. Repeat this process with every part of your head such as nose, cheeks, mouth, chin, and ears. Continue moving down your body until you reach your toes. By then you’ll probably already be asleep and in bliss. If it's difficult to focus like this you may consider trying to listen to a Guided meditation CD where usually a person softly talks you through meditation and falling asleep. Or try listening to a meditation/chanting CD (my fave now Sanctuary) or only background nature sounds.
Note: In Meditation, you remain in the Waking state of consciousness, and gently focus the mind, while allowing thought patterns, emotions, sensations, and images to arise and go on. However, in Yoga Nidra, you leave the Waking state, go past the Dreaming state, and go to Deep Sleep, yet remain awake.

So, whether you follow the Western calender, or the Chinese or some other calender I hope as we enter a New Year, we all can think positively, see transitions, or transformations as an opportunity to see things differently, maybe change, flow in new directions, try new things or simply continue breathing and hoping to find the peace and happiness within ourselves.
I will be trying a totally new-to-me practice when entering 2011 in Istanbul. I'll be meditating and then chanting with the yoga community to enter 2011 relaxed, happy and in positive moods and will be spreading this energy around the whole world. I hope you'll be able to feel my energy and send me some positivity as well. Let me know if you've had such an experience before and how it was for you or if you're also trying something different to celebrate the new year. I hope as the new year of 2011 and the year of Rabbit enters our lives, some of you will have the courage to share more with me on my blog or in person.
Oh and isn't it so cool that I wrote all of this article while on a super luxurious (and cheap) bus from Ankara to Istanbul with the view of snowy mountains, cute peaceful villages passing by...:)

May the power of peace, beauty, and happiness be with you always...
Happy New Year:)