Journey to Bliss

THE MONTH OF ATTENTION

One of the earliest definitions of attention was presented by William James in 1890. In his book The Principles of Psychology he wrote, "Everyone knows what attention is. It is the taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneous possible objects or trains of thought. Focalisation, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies a withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others." That definition is still widely accepted today.

Attention is defined as a concentration of the mind on a single object of thought. Awareness, consciousness, and mindfulness are spoken interchangeably with attention, especially in yoga classes. In a society that values multi tasking, what is the benefit of being able to maintain attention on a single object and how does one do this. Luckily, research today indicates there is great value in mindfulness. Pantanjali, the sage credited for writing The Yoga Sutras tells us numerous ways we can practice and develop our ability to concentrate.

The ancient yogis tell us that our inherent nature is truth, knowingness, and bliss. It can be hard for many of us to fathom this. Most of us have been in the presence of a newborn baby. It truly is astounding to witness such perfection. As a child grows it becomes more challenging to maintain, or recall this perfection. First we get the harsh reality that not every need will be met. We start to form our identity and while we think it's perfect, others don't. Our parents, teachers, and friends tell us that we should be different. It's only a matter of time before the perfection gets obscured. Slowly but surely be begin to shield certain parts of ourselves.

Our perfect and true nature becomes layered and distorted with physical, mental, and emotional imbalances. We ask ourselves how I could possibly be perfect when I have a body that hurts, a mind that's filled with despair and frustration. The Vedas say that illness and dis-ease begins when day in and day out we identify only with body and mind and forget that underneath both lies spirit.

The Yoga Sutras tell us how we can prevent these obstacles. It's so simple it nearly blows my mind. Concentration on a single object is listed as the best way to prevent these physical, mental, and emotional imbalances. You might be asking how this could possibly be true. Great thing is, science is now proving this statement to be absolutely true. We’ll explore this in greater depth soon.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 1 Journey to Bliss

Attention is about working with your mind. The Buddha is quoted very famously as saying, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”

Stop for just a moment and ponder how you are using your thoughts. On any given day list five recurring thoughts you have about your body. Write them here:

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

On any given day list five recurring thoughts you have about your family or relationship. Write them here:

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

On any given day list five recurring thoughts you have about your job. Write them here:

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 2 Journey to Bliss

Great job. Now take a look at those thoughts. Are they serving you in a positive way? Are they serving your family, friends, and the world in a positive way? Are those thoughts helping you to move closer to your intention for the year? If so, fabulous! Continue to hone your practice. If not, no worries. You are certainly not alone. It just means we get to do some work together.

Some of you may still not be convinced of the super powers you can develop when you commit to a meditation practice. Take just a moment and recall the last yoga class you took which left you feeling like a zen princess (or prince). You know the one when you finish and feel like the pieces of you have been brilliantly put back together. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.

1. How did your body feel? ______

______

______

2. What was the state of your mind like? ______

______

______

3. Did you feel connected to your intuition? ______

______

______

4. Choose three words to describe the experience overall? ______

______

______

I am convinced that after an amazing yoga class we feel so very good because we've taken the time to consciously integrate body, mind, and heart. Your yoga practice can be a moving meditation. By staying present and focused on the body and breath

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 3 Journey to Bliss your mind gets a break. Sure the mind is still working (again, that's a great thing) but in a way that's more neutral. More relaxed. More chill. How might your brain, your thoughts, habits, and/or patterns change if you were taking time every day to meditate?

In a heated and challenging moment we can't rip our yoga mat and bust into a yoga pose. However, we can pause. Within this pause we can connect to the sensations we feel in the body. We can observe what's happening with the breath. We can note what's happening in the mind. Then it is the super power of meditation to assist us in moving forward in a way that's more intentional, more wise.

It is the meditation practice that provides the stability for you to be able to maintain your attention, your focus. Let's look at the two reasons I hear most often why students don't commit to a meditation practice is:

1. Not enough time. 2. I'm not able to meditate. My mind races the whole time. I must me doing it wrong.

Let’s look at reason number one. The truth is we have 24 hours in any given day. No more, no less. We get to choose how we fill those 24 hours. Often times at the end of the day, week, month, and year we wonder, “Where did the time go?!” Are you using your time wisely? Are you using your time in a way that helps you to feel good in body, mind, and spirit? Are you using your time in a way that is supporting your intentions for the year?

There is only one way to really know how you spend your time and that’s to keep track of it. My advice is that you start tracking how you spend your time tomorrow. On the next page you’ll find a chart to track how you spend your time. Doing so will give you a better idea on exactly how you are spending your 24 hours. I recommend doing this every day for a week.

Instructions: On the left hand side chart the time and for each day fill in the activity you do during the time. Then on a scale from 1 to 5, five being the highest, rate how this activity made you feel. This is to help you to see if you spend the majority of time doing things that feed and fuel you or drain you.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 4 Journey to Bliss

My Typical Week:

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

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The next reason I hear often concerning the challenges of meditation is that the student doesn’t know how to meditate. Or if they are attempting meditation they think they are doing it wrong. In this next portion I will give you several practical ways to explore meditation.

Patanjali lists six ways of focusing our mind in the Yoga Sutras: 1. Breathing exercises. Extending the exhalation is specifically mentioned. 2. Focusing on an inspiring object. 3. Concentrating on the Light within the heart. 4. Contemplating on a wise and great soul. 5. Inquiry into dreams. 6. Meditating on anything that is elevating to you.

When I first learned about these tools for developing attention I was so enamored. First of all I loved how inclusive the methods were. Meaning that there is something here for everyone regardless of age, gender, race, and religion. Secondly I loved how accessible they were. I was free to explore different techniques to find which worked best for me.

Patanjali must have known that there were some of us that require something concrete and real to focus on. A candle or an inspiring photo can give some something to anchor their attention. Some are fully capable of drawing their attention to an internal "object" such as dreams or the soul of a wise person. I think that focusing on the breath is somewhere between the internal and external objects. Let’s practice a few together:

Focusing on the breath – Find a comfortable place to sit. Take just a few moments to relax throughout your body. Soften your face, drop the shoulders away from the ears, let go of any tension you are holding in your belly, relax your hips, and legs. Take your awareness to your breath. Begin to breathe in and out your nose. On your inhalation silently count 1, 2. On your exhalation silently count from 1 to 4, letting the exhalation be twice as long. A technique that is very calming to body and mind. Practice this for 3-5 minutes.

Focusing on an inspiring object - Let your eyes scan around the room in which you are sitting. Stop on any object that inspires or elevates you. Perhaps a book you enjoy, a photo, a piece of artwork, etc. Focus all of your attention on this object for at least ten deep breaths. Rather than getting caught up in the story of the object, simply let your attention sink into the object. Notice the color, the shape, the texture of the object.

Contemplating on a wise and great soul - Close your eyes and begin to relax your body and draw your attention more inward. Bring into your minds eye a person that elevates and inspires you. This could be anyone. Rather than getting caught up in

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 6 Journey to Bliss any stories related to this person, let your attention sink into the emotion of how this person helps you to feel. Do you feel love, compassion, strength, acceptance, support, or courage? Continue to drop any stories and simply bask in the feeling. Take ten steady breaths.

If you were able to do this you may have noticed some interesting things. Perhaps your thoughts became more narrow, more focused in nature. It's possible you became absorbed in the object or feeling you were concentrating on. Maybe you felt calmer or more peaceful during this time of concentration. When you are able to direct your attention in this way you are giving your mind a much needed rest. You are creating a haven for your mind, a time to relax and renew, a temporary retreat.

Meditation is not about stopping your mind and your thoughts. Thoughts are great, we don't want to get rid of them! Meditation is about being present with whatever rises, be it peace, boredom, joy, anger, sadness, or compassion then learning how to move through it without getting or staying stuck.

Patanjali goes on to say that if we do gradually master concentration the world will open up to us in a much different way. Our ability to focus in on one small object or idea eventually extends into understanding more complex ideas. Free from distraction the mind becomes clear and balanced. How would you your life feel different if you were able to be with and move through life’s most challenging moments with grace, ease, and peace?

Patanjali has presented us with practical tools that guide us to meditation. The yoga poses (asanas) are genius tools that we can use to move our body to a state of balance and ease. Meditation is genius for directing our mind to a state of balance and ease. More and more today people are suffering from stress. To be brutally honest, stress is killing millions of people. Stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and more. Stress also affects the immune system, making you more susceptible to dis-ease. Research has shown that it’s not the stressful life event that determines and creates the stress, but how your mind perceives the stressful event. This is empowering for each of us. Science is validating what the yogi’s have known for a long time. You may not be able to control what happens in life, but you can control your reaction to it. Another powerful reason to practice yoga, develop your concentration, and commit to meditation.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 7 Journey to Bliss

Another great tool is mantra meditation, which is silently repeating and concentrating on a charged word, sound or phrase. Concentrating on the word(s) brings focus to the mind and awakens or enlivens the heart. The Rig Veda says, “In the beginning was Brahman, with whom was the Word; and the Word was truly the supreme Brahman.” In the Bible it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Words are powerful.

One of my favorite meditation books is by Ecknath Easwaren, titled Passage Meditation: Bringing the Deep Wisdom of Heart into Daily Life. In 1959 Easwaren introduced passage meditation. It's similar to mantra meditation. Easwaren teaches to focus on an inspirational passage that can be chosen from any of the world's spiritual traditions, making it really accessible to people of all different faiths. What’s most important is choosing a passage that embodies your highest hopes and beliefs. You choose a passage; commit it to memory, and use if for your meditation. When repeating the words do so silently, slowly, and with your fullest attention. Here are some inspirational passages from various people and traditions:

The Prayer of Saint Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.

Mahatma Ghandhi – The Path I know the path. It is straight and narrow. It is like the edge of a sword. I rejoice to walk on it. I weep when I slip. God's word is: 'He who strives never perishes.' I have implicit faith in that promise. Though, therefore, from my weakness I fail a thousand times,

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 8 Journey to Bliss

I will not lose faith.

Psalm 23 - THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Let Me Walk In Beauty - Native American Prayer

Oh, Great Spirit Whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me.

I am a man before you, one of your many children - I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people - the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy - myself. Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset my spirit may come to you without shame.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 9 Journey to Bliss

Who are the people, the words, the passages that set your heart afire? Rumi and Hafiz are also great sources of inspiration for me. Throughout this month be open to seeing and reading words that can be used for your passage meditation. Write them below. If you find one that truly resonates with you commit it to memory. Use it upon waking, going to sleep, before eating, before your yoga practice, during meditation, during moments of stress or joy, or anytime you wan to take a conscious pause and connect.

______

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How far can the meditation practice alone take you? I'm not sure, but I am sure it goes a lot further when you combine meditation with other ways being, of living. It's just like I say in my yoga classes, the physical practice (asana) is an amazing practice. But if you come in and demonstrate beauty and goodness on the mat, can you demonstrate beauty and goodness off the mat, in your relationships, day in day out, during the challenging and the joyous times? That’s the challenge, the true test. To me this is the most amazing part of the practice. It prepares us, it changes us, it assists in living life day to day with grace and ease.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 10 Journey to Bliss

Another valuable tool that we yogi’s have to access is that of a drishti. In our yoga practice we use our drishti to stay focused, to stay present in the posture, to develop concentration. There is a popular saying, energy goes where attention flows. Drishti is more than directing our eyes in a yoga practice. Drishti teaches us that where we direct our eyes, attention follows.

We work with drishti in different ways throughout yoga class. If you’ve practiced a balancing posture then you probably know the value of drishti. In class students are instructed to find a still point and focus their gaze there. This can help to feel more stable and balanced in our body.

In Warrior II the traditional drishti is directly forward, gazing just over the fingertips. In triangle we look to the fingertips of the top hand and upward facing dog we gaze at the tip of the nose. We also use drishti to focus more inwardly, sometimes gazing at the third eye energy center (ajna chakra). Other times I instruct students to focus their inward gaze at the area they feel resistance in their body.

I do remind students the importance of taking care of their body when they direct their gaze. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in what we’re supposed to be doing (in this case what the teacher says) that we stress our strain or body, breath, and/or mind. This to me is counter intuitive to yoga.

Let’s spend a few moments exploring how we can use drishti off of the mat, as an aid to help move us in the direction of our intentions, our heartfelt desires for the year. We’ve all heard the saying, “Keep your eye on the ball.” If we want to hit a homerun in the game of life then we need to stay attuned to not only our dreams for life, but how we are focusing our attention.

Now is a good time to go back and review the intentions you wrote in the four realms of physical, mental/emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. When you look back at your list does it feel complete? Do you see anything you’d like to add or take away from your list? Take a few moments and make any updates to your lists.

Now for each area, write down one goal or dream you’d like to spend more time focusing on this month:

Physical: ______

Mental/Emotional: ______

Intellectual: ______

Spiritual: ______

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 11 Journey to Bliss

Awesome! You’ve now identified where you would like to devote some time and energy! For extra credit, write these hopes on post it notes and post them in obvious places around your house. It’s good to be reminded of what we want.

Let’s look at how we can specifically focus our attention to move closer to that goal:

Area Goal Way to focus attention – action step

Physical

Mental/Emotional

Intellectual

Spiritual

*Let me remind you that there are no hard rules here. Maybe you want to select just one goal to work with, maybe two. As always listen to your wise Self and move in that direction.*

An example from my list for “mental/emotional” is writing more often. It’s my goal to someday write a book. A way that I am focusing my attention and taking action is scheduling an hour of writing time five days a week. Each Sunday I take out my planner and schedule this in. It’s concrete and specific.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 12 Journey to Bliss

On the following page you’ll find a chart to write how you want to spend your time, doing those things to help you realize your intentions. Be sure to give time, effort, and attention to those goals you most want to realize.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 13 Journey to Bliss

My Ideal Week (the one that supports your intentions):

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

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Now we’ve explored several tools for developing and honing your concentration, my hope is that you’ve identified one you’d like to commit to practicing. In an already busy world many people have a hard time finding time to do “one more thing”, even when that one thing could prove to be of great value.

A very simple way to bring attention to your life is to choose one daily activity you do each day. In her book Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life Charlotte Bell says, “You might begin the practice of mindful living by choosing one activity, something you do each day, where you will be completely present. Washing the dishes, cooking, enjoying a cup of tea, brushing your teeth, driving to work, showering, practicing an instrument, taking a walk – the activity you choose does not matter as much as the care and respect you bring to it. Being mindful of something you are already doing does not require that you make space in your schedule for something new. You’re already washing the dishes. Why not pay attention?”

Think of one activity you do every single day that you can bring mindfulness to. Write it here and commit to being present with it each day.

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www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 15 Journey to Bliss

Materials to support Attention

Guided Meditation – Have someone read to you, or create a recording on your own.

Find a comfortable place of rest on your back. Become aware of your natural breath. Feel the breath coming in and going out in an effortless manner. Feel the breath coming in, belly rises. Feel the breath going out, belly falls. Repeat five more time on your own. After I say each body part, repeat it mentally and focus your attention there.

Right hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, lower arm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, thigh, knee, calf muscle, ankle, heel, top of the foot, sole of the foot, right big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, fifth toe.

Now shift your attention to the left side. Become aware of the left thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, lower arm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, thigh, knee, calf muscle, ankle, heel, top of the foot, sole of the foot, right big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, fifth toe.

Take your attention to the back of your body. Back of the head, back of the neck, right shoulder blade, left shoulder blade, right buttock, left buttock, right leg, left leg, right heel, left heel.

Shift your attention to the front of the body. Top of the head, forehead, right eyebrow, left eyebrow, middle of the eyebrows, right ear, left ear, right eye, left eye, right nostril, left nostril, whole nose, right cheek, left cheek, upper lip, lower lip, both lips together, chin, neck, right collarbone, left collarbone, right side of the chest, left side of the chest, middle of the chest, navel, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, right leg, left leg, right arm, left arm, the whole body.

Relax your entire body. Focus on your natural breath. Maintain this awareness and begin counting your breath backwards from 10 to 1. (Pause)

Become aware of your body. Take a nice deep breath. Awaken your body by wiggling your fingers and toes, move your head slowly side to side. Take a big stretch. Roll to rest on your right side. Press yourself up to seated and close your practice before continuing with the rest of your day.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 16 Journey to Bliss

Mantras/Affirmations

So Hum – Meaning “I am that”. Practice this as part of a meditation, silently saying “so” on the inhale and “hum” on the exhale. Set a timer for 5-30 minutes for your mantra meditation.

Mudra for Attention – Hakini Mudra

Hakini Mudra is practiced to develop focus and concentration.

Image from indianetzone.com

Readings:

A new moon teaches gradualness and deliberation, and how one gives birth to oneself slowly. Patience with small details makes perfect a large work, like the universe. What nine months of attention does for an embryo forty early mornings alone will do for your gradually growing wholeness. Rumi

A PLACE TO SIT

Don't go outside your house to see flowers. My friend, don't bother with that excursion. Inside your body there are flowers. One flower has a thousand petals.

www.BarefootWorks.com • Sharon Tessandori • 859.433.7787 17 Journey to Bliss

That will do for a place to sit. Sitting there you will have a glimpse of beauty inside the body and out of it, before gardens and after gardens. ~Kabir

You see, I want a lot. Perhaps I want everything: the darkness that comes with every infinite fall and the shivering blaze of every step up.

So many live on and want nothing and are raised to the rank of prince by the slippery ease of their light judgments.

But what you love to see are faces that so work and feel thirst....

You have not grown old, and it is not too late to dive into your increasing depths where life calmly gives out its own secret. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

In any gathering in any chance meeting on the street, there is a shine, an elegance rising up. Today, I recognized that the jewel like beauty is the presence. Rumi

ATTENTION WORKSHOP Saturday February 19 - 12:00 - 4:00

Join Sharon for a satisfying day that includes asana, meditation, discussion and practical ways of using your attention to help fulfill intentions for this year. Today's practice will help you to sharpen your focus and concentration. We'll begin our day with a juicy yoga class that combines practices of vinyasa, yin, and yoga nidra. We'll conclude our practice exploring several different techniques for meditation. You’ll walk away from today’s gathering with a tool for meditation you can use at home. You'll identify those intentions most important to you this year. Through discussion, sharing, and creative exploration you'll leave with a plan that will have you well on your way to realizing your intentions!

$50 if you pay before February 12, $60 afterwards. Fee includes all teachings, materials, tea, and tasty treats for the day.

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