Bounties of Life

Little offerings from Mudra practices in day to day

We learned Mudra practices with breathing in the class... I recall everyone was more excited that day. We had just begun diving into the practices after initial theoretical backdrop. Sir taught , we learned and it felt great after the practice in the class... After the great feeling , sir asked us " Now will you do this practice at home everyday since It felt so great ?" And I immediately raised my hand in negation. And then he discussed "How/Why we don't continue to do something that's evidently valuable to our own life in day to day!?" That in general supplied a lot of clarity. There was a little reflection that why I was hesitant to do this practice in particular. In the past I had learned breathing practices from other source which involved 20-30minutes of controlled and rhythmic breathing patterns. I never enjoyed it then and always felt exhausted after each time I did it and questioned why am I doing it !!? But still continued to do it bypassing immediate feeling, thinking this is great for something in future probably after mandala of 40days is over. And that memory of strong dislike remained in my system.

So here I thought , it's just 3 to 5 breath cycles with our Mudra practices. No harm, let's give it a try.

I continued doing almost every day after the class...! This time, just because I enjoyed it doing.....

After Mahshivratri night in Tiruvannamalai , I was in Madurai for few days and staying in a hotel. The room was very small without ventilation. There was also a foul smell coming from Air Conditioning filters which had filled the room. Nonetheless , I was tired and slept the first night. I woke up next morning and felt I couldn't move from the bed. I Was drained. Limbs devoid of energy to move. With lot of effort I go downstairs in the open area outside. Walk a little in open air and spend time touching big tree trunks hoping to feel better... I go back to the room feeling not much different. I try our mudra tool like everyday. But today a thought came, "why do 5 cycles? Let's do 3 and see how it feels!". Testing "More is Better" principle... Reminded me of Sir constantly telling us during many practices in the class , "That if you do even once with full involvement, that's enough." At the end of 3 cycles, I immediately feel the rush of vitality in the system. And I am wide awake and vibrant now. I stand up from the bed and do little jig dance feeling the sense of joy and gratitude. Again I move downstairs and touch those same trees with the same sense of joy and gratitude. Look at cows, dogs and spider and ants and all the people on the street/in the hotel moving there with their morning routine with the same sense.. Nothing great done with that vitality that was received but remained with that sense almost the whole day in every action that happened. That sufficed!

Yesterday I finally got back home from the trip. There was a night on the train I had to spend from Madurai to Bangalore before catching flight to Ahmedabad/Home. Train started from Madurai in the evening and was supposed to reach Bangalore early morning. So I wished to have a great sleep on the train. To my bad, My compartment was full of University students and they were naturally carrying and expressing their youthful energy through laughters and talks and jokes etc. They were also playfully teasing vendors and people passing by the compartment. I was in certain physical pains and was desperately wanted to sleep. It was almost 10.30 PM now and every other compartment had their lights off and people off to sleep. My compartment had lights on and felt like it was a broad day in the university campus. It felt like I was in Boy's Hostel of University. At one point , I wanted to request and tell them , can we turn the lights off but somehow felt that they are having a great time in each other's company.... And why stop that and force them to retire to bed when there is no need for them! In fact I would have participated playing cards with them or discussion If I was not sleepy. I looked at them. All of them almost looked bright and shining young boys with different temperaments and individuality and yet sharing the youthful energy in common. Two of them were having discussion on some cosmic principle for their exam. They were communicating in Tamil but I could feel they were having a great time. So I kept tossing and turning on my sit trying to rest but couldn't. Around 1 in the night boys decided to say Yes to rest. I was overwhelmed at their decision within myself and laughing. My night passed in my pains without much rest. Morning around 5,we reached Bangalore. Boys were getting off the train just a station before the final destination... As 7 of them were leaving, I was looking at their faces and feeling , How wonderful these young boys! The sleep had just provided them to continue from their yesterevening state. Many of them smiled at me as they left and Two of them came to me and told , "You have a great patience , Thank you !" I could see that they were not saying that in a teasing way but more from their heart in appreciation with a gentle smile. The way they said it looking right into my eyes was remarkable. It reflected their youthful and adventurous spirit along with the needed stability and sensitivity. There was a smile and tears on my face as they left. Smile because I could totally relate to them in how they were all the time and tears because of their sensitivity. Within me, I wished them bright future. Fast forward, a journey though a bus and flight and I reach back home in the evening. I'm tired. No practices done that day. Eyes were really burning and felt like going to sleep. But just before dinner, i do 3 cycles of Mudra practices and simhasana.

After that the burning of eye was immediately gone. Body was still tired, so I have dinner, Arithuyil and sleep.

Just couple of moments where practice provided immediate relief from tiredness. Simple and yet potential nature of the practice became evident in those moments.

One thing that came to notice was , during the class when I did the practice, it was so effortless in terms of breathing. At home I have been feeling not so effortless in terms of breathing. Feels some constriction in exhalation or inhalation. Also every exhalation and inhalation varies in length. Don't know whether it is because of inefficiency in my breathing apparatus or polluted air I am surrounded by or both or something else. But it is little different.....

Sharings from day to day.... !