2-Minute Bedtime Practices: Wake Up Happy

How You Drift Off to Sleep Influences How You Feel When You Wake Up

By Jennifer Rose | July 31, 2014

When my friend was young, he would wake up in the morning confused, not realizing that time had passed and that things had happened, and that he had been asleep. 

So his mom ritualistically explained to him each morning that the sun had gone down, and the lights had been turned off, and Mommy and Daddy had gone to bed. She filled in the narrative of the night. 

Eventually, he learned to do this himself; he internalized the narrative, and he did not worry in the morning about the things that had changed in the night. 

Choose an Inspiring Last Thought of the Day

By the time I heard about my friend and his morning confusion, I had already been advised many... many, many times by my yoga teacher, Nishit Patel  that I should fall asleep thinking an inspiring thought. He had told me, more than once, that it was quite important to go to sleep calm and happy, because that would set the tone for the next morning. 

TV, Computer, Turn Them Off

Mr. Patel advises that falling asleep in front of the boob tube is not the way. What do you like? He asks. Read something happy and uplifting at night, and you will wake up happy and uplifted in the morning. If zebras make you smile, read about zebras.

Maybe we are not at all different from my friend with the morning confusion. Part of our mind picks right up where we left off the night before.

The National Sleep Foundation agrees that it is important to make healthy choices about falling asleep. In their Healthy Sleep Tips they suggest an hour of "calming activity, such as reading." They further emphasize:

For some people, using an electronic device such as a laptop can make it hard to fall asleep, because the particular type of light emanating from the screens of these devices is activating to the brain. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid electronics before bed or in the middle of the night.

Practice a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual

According to the National Sleep Foundation:

A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.

2-Minute Bedtime Practice

Here is a relaxing exercise to practice just before you fall asleep. Nishit Patel taught it to me, and it served me well. 

Six Points Exercise

When you are in bed and ready for sleep, lie on your back with your eyes gently closed and let your gentle awareness lightly touch on six points:

1. Your heart center

2. Your left shoulder

3. Your left, mid-thigh

4. Your pelvic center, just above your pubic bone

5. Your right, mid-thigh
6. Your right shoulder

Repeat bringing your gentle awareness to this sequence of points a few times, and at the end, rest your awareness at your heart center. 

2-Minute Practice Cards

This practice and six others will soon be available from Better Existence as a 7-card set. Practices to soothe your stress, and beautiful images will send you off to a peaceful rest. 

I just heard from the printer that the cards are on their way. I am excited to share these principles and practices with you. Sometimes all we need is a little support to start a new, positive practice. 

What My New York Friends Asked Me About the 2-Minute Revolution

Every Person on Earth Can Do Something Positive for Two Minutes Each Day

By Jennifer Rose | July 24, 2014

I am back in rainy Portland after visiting New York City. Rain makes me smile. Go figure. 

In New York, everywhere I went, while I was teaching yoga classes, and while I was getting my hair cut, I talked about the 2-Minute Revolution. 

Here are questions people asked about the 2-Minute Revolution, and the answers I gave:

Question: What Should I Do For 2 Minutes?

Answer: Something Positive That Feels Right to You

Three categories of positive things fit into my line of work: 1. working toward a meaningful goal (coaching). 2. Contemplating useful thoughts (introspection) 3. Meditative Practices (Yoga and Meditation)

Here are some of the ideas for 2-Minute Practices I heard from my friends and students:

Listen to the sound of the Hudson River. 

Organize my space. 

Think happy thoughts. 

Here are some ideas from Better Existence:

Sit still in an aligned posture. Read about it here: Harvard Study quoted by Better Existence

Breathe diaphragmatically. Read about it here: Barbara Fredrickson, vagus nerve, love

Simply BE silent. My yoga and meditation teacher Nishit Patel suggests practicing silence for 10 minutes. Well, I do not suppose it could hurt to begin with 2. 

Question: How Much Does It Cost?

Answer: It Is Free!

And if you sign up for the email list (look to the right) you get free encouragement such as reminders to check out the new blog posts, research on daily practices, and product announcements and discounts. 

I have been sharing prototypes of the upcoming 2-Minute practice cards, and people have been heard to say, "I want these!" They will be available very soon. 

So SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST. I don't have any other way to keep in touch with you. 

If you are already practicing 2 minutes per day you are already part of the revolution. Sign up, and I will support you. Then, get your friends to sign up, too. You have already seen the value of a daily practice. Let everyone benefit from your experience, and ask them to sign up for the mailing list to get support for starting their practice. 

Question: How Long Should I Do It?

Answer: As Long As It Feels Right (PS: Every Day for the rest of your life)

This revolution is about turning inward and learning to trust your own inner wisdom. Learn a 2-Minute practice and master it, or try something different every day. And remember, every person on Earth can do something positive for 2 Minutes Every Day. 

Better Existence says, Daily-ness is important. Read about it here: Daily-ness supports change.

Please comment below with your ideas about what to do for 2 Minutes each day. What will you do for 2? 

You can get a free treat by signing up for the email list here: FIVE SECRETS THE BEST TEACHERS WISH YOU KNEW

The 2-Minute Revolution: Establish a Daily Practice

The 2-Minute Revolution:  Commit to a Short, Regular, Positive Practice

By Jennifer Rose | July 9, 2014

What Is The 2-Minute Revolution?

The 2-Minute Revolution is my mission to encourage you to commit to 2 minutes of positive practice each day. I am asking YOU to join a revolution. I am asking you to commit two minutes of your day to your own positive practice, whatever that practice may be.

Why Two Minutes?

Here is what Swami Rama says in Meditation and Its Practice about how long to practice each day:

You may sit for as long as is comfortable or for whatever time you have available on that occasion.

In the same book, Swami Rama stresses the importance of daily meditation at the same time each day. He says it "helps to eliminate the mental resistance caused by laziness and the tendency to procrastinate." (This topic is discussed in an earlier Better Existence blog post "Daily-ness Supports Change.")

Swami Rama is not being a pushover when he says "as long as is comfortable." He is not letting us off the hook when he says "whatever time you have available." He means it.

My meditation teacher Nishit Patel, a student of Swami Rama, has frequently repeated that I may meditate for two minutes when I am busy, but that I should practice on time every day. He too emphasizes the importance of regular, timely practice over feats of endurance.

Research Supports What Meditation Teachers Are Saying

Because I had already heard it from my meditation teacher, I was fascinated by Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy's research on "power posing." It correlates with my meditation instruction on at least two points: 1. assuming an "open, expansive posture," and 2. the length of time equal to two minutes.

Her research had the goal of determining whether posture impacted feeling states and behavior. After participants maintained an "open, expansive pose" for two minutes, the researchers measured decreases in cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases in testosterone, the power hormone, in both female and male study participants. They also measured a marked increase in willingness to take a risk.

The research shows that "a simple 2-min power-pose manipulation was enough to significantly alter the physiological, mental, and feeling states of our participants." Cuddy et al remark, "The implications of these results for everyday life are substantial." Meditation teachers couldn't agree more!

Swami Rama has stated that if one would only imitate the posture of a meditator, even without meditating, they would reap enormous benefits. He has called the need to meditate a "dire necessity." 

Last week's blog post explained that 2 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing could create feelings of love. Cuddy's evidence shows that 2 minutes in a meditation posture "is enough to significantly alter the physiological, mental, and feeling states of participants."  

Get These Benefits Into Your Life Today

You can see that I am leading up to something. Are you ready to commit to 2 minutes a day to reap these rewards for yourself? Please add your comments below. 

If you are ready to join the 2-minute revolution simply start your daily practice. If you need support for your practice, call me 646-831-2675 or email BetterExistenceEmail@gmail.com.

We can help you be comfortable in a meditation posture. We can help you learn to breathe diaphragmatically. We can help you identify the right time for your practice, one that will support your effort. 

Even if your positive practice is not meditation, we are here to support you with our program for turning your habit of failure into The New Habit of Success. 

These benefits are your birthright. Claim them. 

Get     5 Secrets the Best Teachers Wish You Knew

BE Better Existence | 646-831-2675 | BetterExistenceEmail@gmail.com

2 Minutes of Diaphragmatic Breathing to Feel Love? You bet.

by Jennifer Rose | Thursday, July 3, 2014

Diaphragmatic Breathing Is the Foundation, Love the Culmination

I was inspired by this small item from Dr. Renu Kapoor's Facebook Page Personality Blog: 

The simple practice of deep breathing with diaphragmatic movement is the foundation for the science of breath. H.H.Swami Rama - Lectures On Yoga.

The most basic meditation skills: posture and diaphragmatic breathing, bestow endless blessings on the developing practice of meditation. 

Crocodile Pose Develops Awareness of Diaphragmatic Breathing

From the beginning of my training I have found the Crocodile Pose indispensable in the development of diaphragmatic breathing. 

I was slow to catch on to the feeling of breathing diaphragmatically. In the crocodile pose, diaphragmatic breathing is automatic! By studying the sensations and effects of diaphragmatic breathing in crocodile pose I taught myself what to look for in my seated meditation posture. 

To breathe in crocodile pose:

Notice how you feel before you lie down, so you can compare it to how you feel afterward. Notice how you feel physically and emotionally, and notice whether your thoughts are rushing or calm and the quality of your thoughts.

1. Lie on your belly with your legs separated comfortably and your feet and legs relaxed at whatever angle and rotation is the most comfortable.  

2. Support yourself on your elbows, so your chest is lifted, and fold your forearms in front of you. 

3. Adjust the distance of your folded arms away from your chest so that:
a. you can rest your forehead on your forearms
b. the rim formed by the bottom of your ribcage rests on the floor

4. Place your forehead on your forearms and relax with your eyes closed. 

Pay Attention While You Breathe In the Pose

Ask yourself:

What do I feel in my back?
What do I feel in my sides?
What do I feel in my ribs?
What do I feel in my belly?

Take a few deeper breaths, pressing the air out as you exhale, then relaxing and inhaling naturally. Return to breathing normally before you release the pose. 

Notice how you feel after the pose, physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you are like me, you might not want to get up. 

Why Does That Feel So Good?

When we breathe deeply and diaphragmatically we are getting more oxygen. We squeeze stale air out of the underutilized base of the lungs, and we naturally inhale more deeply. It is easy to feel how much our bodies love oxygen. 

When we breathe diaphragmatically, we create sensations that are the opposite of "fight or flight." Our sensations tell us that we are safe and calm. After a couple of minutes, the mind begins to believe what the body is saying.

And the vagus nerve is massaged by the movement of the diaphragm. 

Positive psychology researcher Barbara Fredrickson has tied vagus nerve activity to experiences of love.

"Your vagus nerve is a biological asset that supports and coordinates your bodily experiences of connection — of love." Barbara Fredrickson in Aeon Magazine

If the crowning achievement of a meditation practice is to "Love all and exclude none," as Swami Rama concludes in his lecture Treading the Path of Superconscious Meditation, then breathing in a way that massages the vagus nerve seems a very logical foundation.

Call me if the pose is uncomfortable for you.
There are variations that achieve the same results.
One size does not fit all.
Give yourself a personalized practice.
Better Existence 646-831-2675
BetterExistenceEmail@gmail.com

If you find you can't get enough on the topic of diaphragmatic breathing you will love this exhaustive exploration on SwamiJ.com, complete with pictures of cadavers!

Secrets of the Best Teachers

Simple Practice, Profound Insight

Simple practices at the beginning of yoga instruction open the doors to a catalog of practices that reveal all the dimensions of being and consciousness. 

And then we return to the simple practices. Profoundly.

One such simple practice is breathing up and down the spine.

Simple Instructions for Spinal Breathing

Lie comfortably on your back with your spine aligned, or sit nice and tall.

Close your eyes.

Notice your breath.

Imagine that you can inhale from the tip of your tailbone to the top of your head, and exhale from the top of your head to your tailbone. 

Let your awareness trace the length of your spine, inhaling up, and exhaling down, sweeping the attention and the breath.

As you continue to practice, your breath will become smooth and deep. The pauses between your breaths will become imperceptible, and your breath will become quieter and quieter, until it becomes silent. 

Continue breathing up and down your spine until you find yourself becoming distracted. 

Over time, "imagining" the breath in the spine becomes "perceiving" energy flowing in the spine. 

And What Might Be Gained from Such a Simple Practice? Why Might a Person Commit to Doing Such a Thing on a Daily Basis?

No one says it better than Swami Rama. This quote comes from the book Inspired Thoughts of Swami Rama. Better Existence lifted it from the wonderful website www.swamij.com. 


The universe is a dance of energies that vibrate at many frequencies. They ebb and flow, merge and part, form ripples, tides, currents, eddies, and whirlpools. They become units of all sizes, from atoms to stars, from individual souls to cosmic beings, and again they dissolve into each other. As rays, streaks, streams, rivers, oceans of light, they flow into each other and separate again, changing frequencies--and in changing frequencies, they become suns, galaxies, spaces, airs, winds, fires, liquids, solids. They become the bodies of human beings into which the energy called consciousness comes and is embodied.

Of all the flowing energies in the universe, consciousness is the most dominant, the one from which all the others proceed and into which they all merge. The ancient texts are fond of the phrase, "from consciousness down to the solid earth," for all this is a single matrix, a tantra of energy, and within it are myriads of matrices, woven and interwoven. The human being is one such matrix of energies--ebbing, flowing, dancing at frequencies ranging from those of solid bones all the way to the subtlest waves of consciousness. Those who can understand this personality matrix will understand the whole universe.

Yup. Pretty much it is that simple.

Pretty much it is that profound. 

Call Better Existence.

Develop a personal practice that takes you to the next level.

One size does not fit all.

We are ready and waiting.

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Personal Reflections on the Breath

Right now. Just one. Come on. Take a deep breath.

Exhale and gently squeeze a little of that stale air out of your lungs. Make extra room for fresh air deep in your lungs, then fill your lungs all the way up. Inhale into your lower belly, and all the way up to your shoulders. Notice how your body feels. Notice your emotional state. Notice your state of mind. One deep breath can change how you feel.

Personal Reflections on Nadi Shodhanam, Alternate Nostril Breathing

Our breath has many dimensions. From my first yoga class in 1995 I practiced nadi shodhanam, or breathing through alternate nostrils. My first yoga teacher, Yolanthe Smit, who taught in the Hoboken Farm Boy, was the first to teach me to close my right nostril with my right thumb and breathe through my left nostril, then to close my left nostril with the ring finger of my right hand and breathe through my right nostril. I did not see the point. It was part of the class, so I participated, of course.

Later, and still going to yoga classes, Nishit Patel gave the nostril business personal meaning. He explained that there is a cycle to our breathing. For about ninety minutes we breathe predominantly through one nostril, then that dominance shifts to the other side for about ninety minutes, and back and forth. When breath flows through the left nostril, he taught, energy is calm and receptive. It is a good time to read, for example. And when breath flows through the right nostril, that is a good time to exercise. He taught us to change our nostril dominance in Vishnu asana, lying on the side. Then, he delivered the goods: knowledge of nostril dominance can impact insomnia.

Sure enough. When I paid attention to which was my active nostril when I was annoyingly roused at night, it was always the right nostril. When I lay in Vishnu asana on my right side, my nostril dominance shifted to my left nostril, and sooner than later I was calmly sleeping. That is when I became very interested in the nostril business. Very interested in my breath.

Mr. Patel taught us one day, years ago, maybe 2004 or earlier, that we could learn to do alternate nostril breathing without the fingers, without flopping from side to side, just by focusing attention on the right and left nostrils. I just laughed. Belly laughed. I remember exactly where I was at that moment, laying on the floor of the peach room of the 5th Avenue Himalayan Institute with my chin on my arms. It struck me as very hilarious that anyone would be able to do this, or invest the time it would take to learn it, if it was in fact possible.

But it was sure an intriguing challenge. I tried it from time to time just to prove I still couldn't. Until, one day, quite out of the blue, I could. That was during Nishit's class. And for a long time that was the only condition under which I could do it. Then I could do it when I was teaching yoga, and that went on for a long time. But I was really hooked, actively engaged in mastering nadi shodhanam now, and I tried and failed an awful lot at doing this during my personal meditation practice time. And then one day, it just came. And I could do it infrequently. Then more regularly. Then I could do it if I paused to focus my attention at a diner.

But it wasn't until today that I realized that I could do it walking along. Dr Renu Kapoor of the Personality Blog on Facebook posted about the practice this morning as follows:

If the student practices nadi shodanam, or channel purification (one of the finest pranayama excercise) for five to ten minutes, three times a day, his emotional life will become balanced and his nervous system will be purified. It is an excellent exercise for those who have had traumatic experiences or who have misused medications or drugs in the past.
H.H.Swami Rama- Choosing a Path.

So, I was wondering to myself as I was walking through the woods of Forest Park here in Northwest Portland, shall I commit myself to three times a day? And I challenged myself to do the practice walking.

Wow.

I could.

And my perceptual field altered delightfully. Delightfully! Before I started practicing I had been aware that a bird was chirping nearby. Surprisingly, focusing on my nostrils alternately, the humor of which is still not lost on me, I was instantaneously aware of the other bird, the one with whom the nearby bird was communicating, and the third bird, further away still, and the pattern of their talk.

And then, this coincidence occurred. A person came walking his dog and said, "You are looking at my favorite tree."

I wasn't. But I am unlikely to turn down an opportunity to meet a favorite tree. The dog walker said, "You have to look at it from here, and you will see that it looks completely flat." I looked, and sure enough. It looked flat. "Isn't that amazing," he said. "It is like a fairy book. Like a portal to another dimension, like the CS Lewis book with the wardrobe."

So there we were, left and right, sound and vision, flat and multidimensional, referencing fairy realms, then parting ways.

Nadi Shodhanam. That nostril business. They say that when the breath is balanced evenly between the two nostrils we are standing at an opening portal to joy.


Jennifer Rose
jelyrose@gmail.com

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Plummet Your Own Depths to Ease Feelings of Loneliness

Four Foundational Questions for Introspection

The practice of the kind of introspection called vichara in Sanskrit, is the practice of asking oneself, "Who am I?" This huge question can be broken into 4 foundational questions that lead to transformational insights.

Question 1     Am I my body?

Question 2     Am I my breath or my energy?

Question 3     Am I my mind?

Question 4     Do I exist beyond my mind?

I created this illustration of these four questions to inspire you on your vichara journey. This way of outlining the body, breath, and mind is ubiquitous among my teachers, all students of the late Swami Rama.

In addition, there are many ancient stories that accompany, support, or encourage these reflections. Here is an example:

Questions for Vichara Introspection

Once upon a time, the senses were engaged in an epic debate about which of them was the most important. The breath was also engaged along with the sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smelling. In order to resolve their dispute, they decided that one by one the senses would leave the body and by this means they would determine which sense had the greatest impact.

First the sense of smell left. When smell returned, it was agreed that existence was less enjoyable without that sense. Smell was glad about being missed, and anticipated winning the debate. 

Then, the sense of taste left. And, as with smell, when taste returned, it was acknowledged that existence was less agreeable without good taste. Taste too anticipated winning the debate. 

Similarly, the senses of touch, hearing, and sight took their turns. One by one they departed, and one by one, they returned. Each sense was missed while they were away. 

Finally, it was the breath's turn. Breath was at the moment of departure, just about to leave, stepping one foot out of the door... Then all at once the five senses together were overcome with an irrepressible need to cry out, "Don't go!" 

The senses were relieved when breath agreed to stay. And to this day, no one has since heard the senses debating.  

Vichara is the pursuit of the true nature of the "I." If this strikes you as overly esoteric, consider some of the common complaints that can be eased by the practice:

• feelings of victimhood
• feelings of isolation and loneliness
• feeling overwhelmed 
• feeling purposeless

Of course, it does help to have a teacher with whom to place the insights that come from the practice in a meaningful context. 

It does help to have a teacher with whom to tease the questions into finer threads of inquiry at the right time. 

It does help to have a teacher who knows 100+ practices that support the inquiries. 

It does help to have a teacher. 

I am here for that!

Jennifer Rose

646-831-2675

jelyrose@gmail.com