My Yoga Journal

I consider myself very fortunate and blessed to have been born and brought up in a place and family where Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation and Ayurveda are a way of life. I have seen and experienced the benefits it has in people around me and myself. It nourishes one’s body, mind and soul. During this extraordinary time this practice is a great tool to stay happy, healthy and calm.

My day starts with a big smile on my face and gratitude for at least three positives in my life. (examples- Thank God …I’m alive, I’m healthy, I have a roof over my head, I’ve got food to eat, I have someone to talk to………)

After I freshen up, I drink 300-500 ml of lukewarm water with honey and lemon. It’s the best cleanser and immunity booster. I take my dog for a walk followed by my daily Kriya (Yoga + Pranayama + Meditation).

Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation go hand in hand. I’d like to explain briefly what they consist of and their benefits;

Yoga: Various poses in Yoga are called Asanas. Yoga improves your flexibility, balance, relieves pains and aches, builds muscle strength, protects the spine, boosts immunity and regulates blood pressure, sugar and heart rate. On YouTube, you can look up for yoga for beginners, Sun Salutation and Padmasadhana – Art of living. These are series of simple Asanas and are good for the beginners. (If you have any specific health issues please consult your doctor)

Pranayama: Pranayama in Sanskrit means, "Extension of the life force". Doing a couple of pranayama breathing exercises before a meditation is a wonderful way to help refresh and settle down both the body and the mind as a preparation for meditation. I do deep breathing, Bhastrika, Kapalbhati and Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing). Pranayama helps building up immunity, increasing lung capacity and staying calm.

Meditation: I sit down for 10-20 minutes with my eyes closed, focus on my breath, and do a guided meditation or chant. After meditation, allow yourself a few minutes of quiet time before getting up to start the day's activities. Smile throughout your day knowing that you have taken a step toward building a stronger sense of inner peace and happiness. A regular practice of meditation calms the mind, enhances productivity and boosts confidence.

Aparna Khanna

Bushwalking

If there is one way to maintain social distance, it’s bushwalking. Miles of trees, hills, ferns, grass and nobody in sight.

The deep greens create a sense of calm and the wide blue skies remind me that I am but a speck in the vast expanses of the universe. The rhythmic walking further reinforces the existential nature of life as time tracks like the pace of my feet.

One of my favourite spots is depicted in these pictures. Just outside of Healesville town, Ifrequently go there to meditate on whatever may need processing. I first moved to Healesville in 1978 but I never visited this spot until some time after 2010. I often go there alone but I’ve taken many friends with me over the years. It’s a large reserve set aside by the state government and you’ve probably seen it from a distance but few people ever go there. I’d tell you where it is but I would rather you worked it out for yourself.

The hills are super steep so it adds an aerobic aspect that helps with fitness and strength. A river winds its way along the eastern border, its rippling waters calming at the end of a long day. The air is always fresh, delivering real health benefits. I’ve seen kangaroos, wallabies, rabbits, deer, eagles and a host of other birds. Often these creatures scurry away but I’ve had chances to have a staring contest with a wombat and watched an echidna sniffing the breeze.

Throughout the area, a host of human wreckage has become at one with the landscape. Abandoned cars take on a rusty brown that is not dissimilar to the surrounding gum trees. Occasionally, a dilapidated structure reminds me that human life is filled with change.

In fact, change has come to a lot of my favourite walking trails. I often wondered why more people didn’t take advantage of beautiful spots as I wandered among towering gums or marvelled at the sounds of a lyrebird in full song. But now, people are there. Where I would once walk on the O’Shannassy or up Mount Riddell without seeing a soul, I now pass at least one person every time.

As the gyms have closed, the football seasons have halted and the basketball courts have fallen silent, people have rediscovered the joys of walking. I’m also missing my regular fast-paced game of squash in Lilydale so I fully understand this transformation. In city parks, walking tracks have become a virtual traffic jam as every golfing enthusiast, boxer and netballer finds a new way to free their mind and body.

I’m sure that everybody gets something different out of it. Some may contemplate their place in the galaxy, others may think about work, some may enjoy a chance to chat with a friend, others may love the scenery and some may just want to move their body.

Whatever we get out of it, we can be assured that these natural places and wide open spaces will continue to be valuable to people when Coronavirus is just a word in a history book. If you haven’t used this time to get back out there, consider doing so. We are very lucky to have so many spaces to walk and think. Take a stroll to Donnelly’s, wander around Maroondah Dam, revisit Badger Weir or maybe discover my favourite spot.

If you think you know where it is, send me an email. I’m offering a free pass to first ten correct entries.