Well Rooted in Self: Planting New Seeds
When I’m not teaching at Swan River, I sometimes teach yoga to toddlers. Two and three year olds practicing yoga is a pretty beautiful thing to watch—they instinctively move their bodies with the rhythm of their breath and are free of many of the inhibitions and constraints that adults have built up over time.
The kiddos’ favorite pose to do is tree pose. When they practice tree pose, they start the same way a real tree does, as a seed. I always ask them to choose where they’d like to plant their seed, and they survey the ground deciding where they want to root into the earth. They are very intentional about this selection—some choosing their spot based on their proximity to other people, some planting in the same spot they chose during the previous class, some choosing their spot for seemingly no reason at all (although they always have a reason, it just might not be expressed out loud). They crouch low to the ground, curled up into a little ball to take the form of a seed, and root into place.
After each of the seeds has become well rooted into the ground, they begin to grow their trees. Each child moves at their own pace and in their own way. Some are really fast growing trees, sprouting quickly from the earth! Some trees grow reallllly slowly, taking their time to fully emerge. And some have really unique growth patterns—branches growing out, then up, then out again.
It’s pretty magical watching the kids, because it feels so different from how we as adults typically move and operate in the world. Their intention throughout the process is to become a tree—that’s it! And then they become it! All of the trees look different, some taller, some shorter, some with long extended branches, some staying more compact to the ground. They each have their own individual and intentional expressions, and they don’t care that everyone else’s expressions look different than theirs.
Intentionality is a theme that comes up quite a bit in our yoga practice. Often, we set an intention at the beginning of class, choosing something we want to focus on or cultivate in our practice. Setting an intention allows us to 1) express our authentic truth, and 2) channel our energy in a clear and directed way. When the toddlers intentionally select where to plant their seed, they are doing both of these things, saying “Hey! I choose to be this little seed in this particular spot, and from this little spot I intend to grow!”
Intentionality comes up again when we talk about the concepts of samskaras and vasanas. Samskaras are impressions of our past actions. When we perform actions with intentionality, those actions form impressions in our minds. The more we act in a certain way, the stronger these impressions become. Samskaras are often described as deep grooves, which are usually undetectable (we often just think we are a certain way and don’t question it, because we have no recollection of the actions that have created these imprints).
The effect of a samskara is a vasana, also described as a tendency or habit. This is what happens when our intellect, i.e. our discriminating mind, is colored and we spontaneously think and act in accordance with those colored perceptions (samskaras). Unlike samskaras, vasanas are readily identifiable. Vasanas are less imprinted than samskaras and are more easily passing, but still significant (because as we all know, habits are often hard to break!).
Samskaras and vasanas can greatly affect our behavior and thoughts about situations. Let’s for a moment think about what we would do if our yoga instructor asked us to start as a seed and then grow our tree. Perhaps we would start looking around the room to see what everyone else was doing before acting ourselves. Maybe we would get self-conscious and feel a bit paralyzed, not knowing how to act at all. These are just a few ways samskaras and vasanas come into play; our reaction to the prompt “start as a seed and grow your tree” would be influenced by the mental impressions (samskaras) and habits (vasanas) that have built up in our minds, thus prohibiting us from feeling like we could really live and express as our authentic selves.
So how do we move away from this? First, we need to set the intention to live as our authentic selves, acknowledging that this will feel really hard and scary at times, but reminding ourselves that it’s worth it to live as who we truly are. My favorite mantra is “Om Mani Padme Hum,” or “Behold! The jewel is in the lotus!” Did you know that a lotus flower not only survives, but thrives, in the muddiest and murkiest conditions? From murky waters, the lotus flower emerges pure, clean, and beautiful. The Atma (our inner Self/Soul) resides in the lotus heart.
Om Mani Padme Hum Chant
Chandogya Upanishad 8:1:1 states that “within the city of Brahman, which is the body, there is the heart, and within the heart there is a little house. This house has the shape of a lotus, and within it dwells that which is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized.” Many times, I think our hesitation to live as our authentic self is due to the fact that we forget the beauty and magnitude that is our own being. We so often look to others for approval or guidance about how to live, mostly because of samskaras and vasanas that have built up throughout our lifetimes. The journey towards living as our authentic selves will likely feel like trudging through the mud at times, but through our practices, whatever form they take (meditation, asana, bhakti, dharma, etc.), we can get past the obstacles in our way and remember that the jewel is already there inside of our heart. And then we keep practicing, remembering that our practice and path is our own, and that it will look different than everyone else’s.
The yoga practice is a process, one that progresses much like the growth of a tree. Through our yoga practice, we are working towards reconnecting with our authentic self, and thus feeling well rooted in our Self. In December’s Focus of the Month, Michelle referenced Yoga Sutra 1.2, the definition and purpose of yoga: Yogash citta vrtti nirodha (“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind”). It’s only when these fluctuations of mind, most of them caused by samskaras and vasanas, begin to cease that we’re able to be well rooted in our true nature. Yoga Sutra 1.3 follows, stating: Tada Drashtuh Svarupevasthanam, which translates to “then the seer becomes established in its true nature.” Or, broken down:
Tada: “then,” “in this moment”
Drashtuh: From the root word “drsh,” meaning “to see”
Sva: “self”
Rūpa: “form,” “state”
Avasthānam: “resting place”
When our thoughts are no longer clouded by happenings of the past or worries about the future, our perception of reality becomes clear and we’re able to just be, just as the sweet babies are when they’re practicing tree pose!
In our asana practice on our mats, we can focus on moving just like the toddlers do. First, we can focus on rooting down; intentionally grounding ourselves so we feel solid and steady, one with the earth. The first word in YS 1.3 is “Tada,” which translates to “then” or “in this moment.” We can think of this when practicing Tadasana (Mountain pose). Sometimes, mountain pose may just feel like standing there, with little intentionality or engagement. But what happens when we remember the root word of the pose—“then,” “in this moment?” There is now intentionality behind it—we are now bringing ourselves into this very moment, standing strong and rooted within our own being. We can bring this intentionality into all of our poses. Sometimes, I find that my mind begins to wander in my asana practice, causing me to feel ungrounded. When that happens, I intentionally bring my awareness back to those things that ground me—connecting with my breath, feeling the connection of my feet with the earth, or closing my eyes to bring my awareness back inside. Second, we can explore what it feels like just to move organically and freely with and within our own being. It often feels scary to fully live as our authentic selves, but our yoga mats are a great place to practice doing so. Next time you’re on your mat just move, explore your body, remember the absolute miracle it is that we have freedom in our body to move in the way we do!
We can cultivate groundedness, intentionality, and authenticity as much off the mat as we do on it. When I feel ungrounded (sometimes so much so that I feel like I may float away on a cloud!), my favorite thing to do is find a patch of grass and stand in Tadasana (mountain pose). I take off my shoes and ground my feet firmly, feeling the connection to each blade of grass and the earth beneath it. John Muir said that “when one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” What a reminder! We are not only rooted in ourselves but are also rooted to each other.
What about intentionality and authenticity? We can practice and cultivate both through each interaction we have. One of my favorite books is The Four Agreements. The first agreement is “Be impeccable with your word,” meaning to speak truthfully (with integrity) and say only what you mean. How many times do we just speak and not really think about what we’re saying (without intentionality)? Or, how about when we just say what we think someone else wants to hear (not speaking authentically)? Practicing the first agreement is a wonderful way to practice intentionality and authenticity, as we are reconnecting with our own truth and expressing it/sharing it with the world.
I don’t set new year’s resolutions anymore, as I’ve never been able to apply resolutions in a way that led to long-lived change (I used to set resolutions to break bad habits, and those pesky habits always seemed to come back!). Instead, I now use the beginning of each year as an opportunity to reflect. I like to check in and ask “Have I been living as my true authentic self?” and if not, I then think about how I can be intentional in planting, nurturing, and growing seeds of authenticity in the new year. Instead of focusing on a short term goal or habit I want to break, this is a way I feel like I can focus on and cultivate authentic change, really living as my true Self. As you’re entering this new year, maybe you’re thinking about this too. In case you are, here are a few quotes I like about living authentically and planting seeds:
“Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde
“This above all: To thine own self be true.” Hamlet, Shakespeare
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” C.G. Jung
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul.” James Allen
“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow.” Aeschylus
“Surely joy is the condition of life.” Henry David Thoreau
I also love the interpretation of “Tada!” in the English language, which is defined as “a jovial declaration in making an announcement, taking a bow, etc.” When the babies emerge as their full grown trees I often think that if they could they would triumphantly exclaim “Tada!” Let’s live our lives like that— figuratively (or literally if you want to!) shouting from the rooftops “Tada! This is me! Strong, rooted, and expansive as a tree.”
Teacher Tools
– Attend Beginners or alignment-focused class where much of the focus is on grounding and establishing a firm foundation within your own being and with the earth.
– Practice and teach poses like Tadasana (Mountain), Vrksasana (Tree), Balasana (Childs), Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Cobblers). All of these poses are wonderful ways to feel and cultivate greater groundedness and connection to the earth.
– When teaching Tadasana, reference the meaning of “tada” (“then”, “in this moment”). Come back to Tadasana often throughout practice. Share that tadasana is the reference to all poses in asana alignment—Every pose is a variation of tadasana, and in every pose the heart (where the jewel resides) stays in the same alignment (stacked above the rooted pelvis).
– Find more ways to ground down in your asana practice, using props like blocks (the cork blocks are solid and sturdy like the earth) and the wall (Half moon is a great pose to practice on the wall, as you’re able to feel super grounded and able to then expand into your own full expression of the pose).
– Vrksasana seems to pop up in most of our classes, so get your students to grow their own trees! You can also teach different variations of vrksasana— Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Downward facing tree, i.e. handstand), tree variation in side plank
Other Practices
– Often, one of the best ways to reconnect with ourselves is to just pause. Practice meditation and mindfulness whenever you can. Because I have a 2 year old (gasp!) son, I have child locks on every drawer, cabinet, toilet, etc. in my house. These child locks used to drive me crazy because I’m often in a hurry and would have to fumble with the locks to get anything done. I shifted my thinking though—Instead of seeing these locks as an annoyance, I now see them as an opportunity to take a “mindful moment”—to pause, check in, take a deep breath. This is also a good thing to do at a red light! It’s a small thing that has made a very significant difference in my life.
– Chant “Om Mani Padme Hum” (“Behold! The jewel is in the lotus.”). This chant reminds us that everything we need and everything we are supposed to be is contained within our own being. We are well rooted in self because we believe in ourselves and know that we’re enough.
Playlists on Spotify
Grounding
Personal Path
Doing your best
Strong Foundation
Additional Resource
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Quotes
“Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde
“This above all: To thine own self be true.” Hamlet, Shakespeare
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” C.G. Jung
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul.” James Allen
“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow.” Aeschylus
“Surely joy is the condition of life.” Henry David Thoreau
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” John Muir
Written by Lynn Austin Lalka
January, 2019