Have you ever noticed that sometimes at the end of shavasana, before you begin to breathe deeper or to move, there is a sense of peace and stillness in the room and in your body? Having experienced many shavasanas both as a participant and as a witness, I continue to be awed by the energetic state of a room in which shavasana has just occurred. It is calm and serene and seems to be absolutely still. Yet I know “stillness” is not exactly the right way to describe the feeling in the room.

I’ve been contemplating the possibility that perhaps what is felt at those moments is not stillness at all but something more like synchronicity. Science tells us that absolute stillness does not exist – everything is composed of billions of particles that are all vibrating at varying rates. Perhaps what we perceive as stillness is really just all of our particular particles vibrating at the same rate – in synch with one another? When we’re in a group setting like a class, the peaceful energy that can be felt might just be each person’s particles vibrating in concert with everyone else’s in the room.

Science backs up my theory with a concept called entrainment. Entrainment is when one vibrating, pulsing entity influences the vibrations or pulsations of another so that their rhythms synchronise. In a fascinating article by harmonics expert Jonathan Goldman, he states:

“Entrainment is found throughout nature. Fireflies blinking on and off entrain with each other. Female college roommates often have menstrual cycles that synchronize together. Muscle cells from the heart, when they move closer together, suddenly shift in their rhythm and start pulsing together, perfectly synchronized. This entrainment also takes place when two people have a good conversation. Their brain waves oscillate synchronously.”

So consider this possibility with me: when we synchronise our own internal rhythms and find that sense of peace or stillness through yoga or meditation, it could be considered a service. Firstly to ourselves and then to our loved ones and perhaps even to the people we pass on the street when we feel this sense of calm. When our own energy is balanced and we’re feeling “in synch”, perhaps our particles offer some clue to the particles of the people around us about what is possible for them? Or perhaps we can offer them a little bit of a reprieve from the frantic energy with which they contend normally? In learning to create this synchronicity in ourselves on a regular basis, are we not contributing to the greater good in some small way just by being?

The next time you’re in shavasana, I invite you to really allow yourself experience it fully. So often we rush through this crucial part of the practice or if we’re in a class, we endure it impatiently, just waiting til we can get back to our to-do lists. See what happens if you allow yourself to drop into synchronicity so that you can fully experience this gift of yoga and so that you can share it with the people you encounter, just simply by having the residue of it in your system. When you’re just about to move out of shavasana, take a moment to savour your body rhythms being fully entrained with one another. If you happen to be in a community of other yogis, consider your energetic connection with all of them. And acknowledge the service you are offering the world by finding repose within yourself and harmony within your community.

~article by Kelly Fisher

Autumn is upon us, and daylight saving has ended. It’s been a very busy summer, and some of us might be left feeling like it was all a bit of a blur.

A change of season can be a good time to reassess the commitments we’ve made to see if we have left enough time to nurture our mind, body and spirit. Have we been able to realise the benefits of all the energy we have spent, either for ourselves or for those we have tried to serve? This is a good time to feel into the residue of the past season to assess if we need to make any changes to the rhythm of our days.

One way to assess your schedule is to see if there is a sense of balance there. How much of each day is allotted to doing, and how much time is set aside for simply being? Even our yoga and meditation practices can sometimes feel like more ‘doing’. It can be so refreshing to spontaneously replace a formal practice with a walk by the ocean, or in the forest, to reconnect with nature’s rhythms. When we do this, it can help us to let go of striving in our formal practice. We can be reminded by the tides, and by nature’s phases of life, death and renewal, that there is a rhythm to our own evolution too. If periods of growth and intensity are followed by periods of rest and reflection, we evolve in a way that is sustainable. By allowing ourselves to rest deeply, we regenerate the energy that will carry us forward.

Of course we have to commit to the discipline of a regular practice if we are to continue to evolve and grow, but letting go of a time-frame for achieving this growth, and tapping into the body’s cues rather than the mind’s agenda, will help us to see what is needed – more action, more rest, or a new perspective? Having tuned into your needs, you can then take a positive step towards re-inspiring your practice.

Finding a new perspective may involve attending a class with a teacher you haven’t worked with before, or signing up for a workshop with a visiting teacher. Shifting your schedule around to attend some different classes can refresh the rhythm of your week. Just a slightly different perspective, and a new set of instructions can help the practice come alive!

A private yoga session can be wonderful for fine-tuning your postures, or creating the confidence you need to develop your home practice. In times of stress, getting to the studio can be difficult, but by practicing at home, you can maintain your wellbeing and develop a sense of independence. If you’ve discovered that more rest is what you need, you can use your private session to learn about restorative yoga postures that can help you unwind at the end of the day. Just a few restorative poses each day can reduce the effects of stress and help you sleep more soundly.

Trust your inner guide. Take time to listen, and when you discover what it is that will give you the energy to spring into Autumn, go for it! Create the conditions you need to make your practice joyful, so that you look forward to it. Whether your practice finds you on your mat or at the beach, make it count towards a better day.

Om namah shivaya.

~ Article by Lynda Miers-Henneveld.