Yoga

Yoga means to join or to unite, Bringing the body and the mind together. For me, yoga is not just asana (physical movements). Yoga is a lifestyle, a way of dealing with everyday scenarios, emotions, and illness. I study the yoga sutras often. I read one or two most times I do my asana practice in the morning. The yoga sutras, written by Patanjali, are guidelines for living in the way of yoga. Today I learned that once one takes a vow, one keeps the vow, whether the vow is a fast, or a daily asana practice. I have a vow of a daily asana practice that I began two summers ago. This morning, I woke up very early to travel back with my family to North Carolina from spending Thanksgiving in Alabama. Since I did not get up in time to do asana, I did asana and yoga nidra (yoga sleep meditation) this afternoon when I returned home. I now feel refreshed after keeping my vow. What I like about my vow is that I can modify it. I don't have to do my asana in the morning, if I am sick or low on energy it does not have to be vigorous, I can attend a yoga class instead of practicing on my own... I modify according to what I need.

How do I use yoga in my internship? Driving is a time I always try to use yoga techniques. Since my work involves driving, I focus on relaxing and not getting overly anxious on my way to a from work. I know using yoga while driving will be extra beneficial to me when I start driving to see patients in several months. Pranayama (breathing) techniques are very useful when I have just had an intense experience with a patient or with a supervisor. Pranayama helps move emotions through the body in a healthy way (just like music often does). I use yoga when I play music. If there is a particularly difficult song I am playing, I check in with my body and relax what doesn't necessarily need to be tight. Generally, this frees my mind and body into a more easeful state in which I am more likely to succeed in playing the song. Also, since I use my voice very much when I work, I must always be in tune with my fifth chakra (located in the throat). Since my voice has shown signs of weakening lately, I am now gently investigating my fifth chakra.

You may not believe all about chakras and energetics, but I am beginning to more and more. Through working with dying patients who cannot always communicate, I have to use my intuition many times to know what they need. Often I feel that silence and holding their hand is best. Often a specific song, or an improvisation. Sometimes, the patient's body will tell me if my intuition was correct. These sessions involve my knowledge of energetics as well as my knowledge about music therapy.

As a yoga student and music therapy intern, I'm learning what it means to be united mind and body. To heal and unite myself is the first step in helping others to heal and unite themselves.