The Sensitive Space of a spiritual coward

[Guest guest]

This is Gian Kaur. I don't know if this is too long. Getting Sadhana

integrated into my life is such a struggle, it is hard for me to put the

problem into simple terms: time for bed, time to wake up and the shower are

my issues. I know just do it, and sometimes I do.

 

I have to be out the door by 7:40 am and work demands last until as late as

11 pm. So, I have been trying to do be a little more easy going about

sadhana. The results are not satisfying. The very early morning, 2.5 hours

is the best. I don't know if the limitations are really physical. The only

solution is to better organize my priorities and quit preparing for work

earlier in the night. By the grace of god it will happen. May be someone

in the group has some wisdom for me. I doubt that I am the only one who

struggles.

 

I think there is something about the sensitive space where you have to be

aware of how you are feeling in the world without an automated habitual

response. I read Yogi B's words on how you are supposed to do sadhana and

all of the things about the cold shower. Some days just doing it is just

too much for me to bear. I am doing the habitual response. I am going to

describe the cold shower in detail. Most of my yogini friends do not

agonize over the cold shower. I wonder is there something wrong with me or

with my method of taking the shower or my approach to Sadhana.

 

If I do not do vigorous exercise at 3 am ????, I am cold for at least an

hour after the shower. If I do aerobic exercises for 5 minutes before the

shower, now that the water is getting warmer with the weather, the cold

water actually feels good. Putting on a thick coat of oil is really

important. I hate to get all that oil on the towels, but now after the

shower, I just rub myself down.

 

I try to go into the shower with my turban on because staying still to put

it on just makes me cold. When I am in the shower, I am chanting the mool

mantra and running in place as I pump my arms and massage myself. For the

last month, I have been using a timer and trying to stay in for 5 minutes.

I allow myself to turn off the shower and to just move for 30 second

intervals during that 5 minutes so I really am still not really doing a 5

minute shower. I shut off the water maybe three times during a 5 minute

period. After the shower, I need to do another 10 minutes of aerobic

exercises to quit shivering. Usually I do this stark naked. Then I dress.

If I then I do a vigorous yoga set I'm FINE. I'm still cold but I believe

that my meditation is better. I am definitely awake.

 

If I am tired, as I often am, I do a the kind of mild set that Yogi B

suggests for sadhana. In that case, I shake for at least an hour after

sadhana. Also, I get colder as my meditation time progresses. I have a

feeling that there are toxins that come out during the meditation and aside

from the cold of the shower, I am cold from the toxins. I eat foods with my

meat-eating family that contain meat broths because I do not do the cooking.

Also, occasionally I eat eggs. No doubt this produces toxins. I don't know

enough about managing a pure veggie diet and I don't want to break away from

my family meals.

 

After sadhana, my husband sees me in the morning with a heavy winter coat on

and shaking and says I am crazy. I tell him that the web of surface

capillaries is going to become more dense and I won't get so cold in the

future. I actually can feel myself warming up during the day so maybe this

is true. I am really not certain. I have had a very stressful year and

never go sick when everyone around me was falling like flies. I tell

myself, that the results that Yogi B. promises just take time. I naturally

have very low blood pressure. This seems to be related to being so cold. I

am five feet one inches and weigh about 125 pounds so I am not skinny. I

have been taking 2 minute showers for about 2 years. The 5 minute showers

and all the vigorous exercise has only been implemented for about a month.

Is there any other approach? I am really not up to jumping up an down for

15 minutes at 3 am everyday. Often, I don't get up even though I wake up at

3 because I am dreading the shower and I am wishing for more sleep. This is

the worst situation. I lay in bed and cower. I don't really sleep. I do

negative activity like worry, plan, and dream. I don't start Sadhana until

about 5:30 when it is just getting too late. I barely make it through my

assigned meditations and can't even do a set. My turban is not on so hair

is all over the place and I feel slightly miserable.

 

I am 53 years old and feel better than I felt when I was in my twenties.

Nevertheless, 3 am is not a vigorous time for me. Maybe I need to do a

kriya for courage in the evening so I won't be such a coward at 3 am. If I

don't take the shower, I don't put on my turban and don't do Japji. In

other words, everything falls apart. Every fiber of my being seems to

succumb to rebellion against what I know through experience is the best way

to live. Doing Sadhana exactly as Yogi B says is the best if you can get to

bed early enough etc.

[Guest guest]

Dear Gian Kaur,

 

A few things:

 

1. Cut your cold shower time to 2 minutes. It is not necessary

to torture yourself with full imersion in cold water for a

full five minutes. You may be able to handle it eventually,

but it's better to do 2 than to do none. So drop back to two.

This is especially applicable if you have low blood pressure.

 

2. Be sure you "acclimatize" yourself to the cold. Start by

letting your hands experience the cold, then rub your arms

vigorously with the cold water, starting with your hands,

then working up the wrists/forearms to the upper arms. I

is REALLY IMPORTANT that you "let your body know" what

you're about to do!

 

3. Do the same thing with your feet. First get your feet wet,

then massage your calves with the cold water, then do your

thighs.

 

4. Only then do you DARE get your torso wet with cold water.

If you don't "do" you extremities first, you will SHOCK

your system, and that is to be avoided. Your instinct is

"in the right" to fear it. However, if you move into the

cold gradually, you will "tell" your nervous system that

it is about to get a "wake up call" and it will accept it.

Challenge your navel center first with the cold water,

and ONLY THEN your back.

 

The benefit is that once you have "driven" your blood

inward to the internal organs, your body will THANK YOU

for being so considerate. Vibrant health and long life

are worth the price of getting into cold water for a few

minutes. Just get into it GRADUALLY!

 

gs

 

Guruprem Singh ('GS') Khalsa

Berkeley, California

 

408-396-7249 cell, 24 hrs.

 

P.S. I've been following Yogi Bhajan since 1972... And I still

can't "face" a cold shower every day!

 

 

(all re:)

"Ellen Madono" <vze3dssf wrote:

 

>This is Gian Kaur. I don't know if this is too long. Getting Sadhana

>integrated into my life is such a struggle, it is hard for me to put the

>problem into simple terms: time for bed, time to wake up and the shower are

>my issues. I know just do it, and sometimes I do.

>

>I have to be out the door by 7:40 am and work demands last until as late as

>11 pm. So, I have been trying to do be a little more easy going about

>sadhana. The results are not satisfying. The very early morning, 2.5 hours

>is the best. I don't know if the limitations are really physical. The only

>solution is to better organize my priorities and quit preparing for work

>earlier in the night. By the grace of god it will happen. May be someone

>in the group has some wisdom for me. I doubt that I am the only one who

>struggles.

>

>I think there is something about the sensitive space where you have to be

>aware of how you are feeling in the world without an automated habitual

>response. I read Yogi B's words on how you are supposed to do sadhana and

>all of the things about the cold shower. Some days just doing it is just

>too much for me to bear. I am doing the habitual response. I am going to

>describe the cold shower in detail. Most of my yogini friends do not

>agonize over the cold shower. I wonder is there something wrong with me or

>with my method of taking the shower or my approach to Sadhana.

>

>If I do not do vigorous exercise at 3 am ????, I am cold for at least an

>hour after the shower. If I do aerobic exercises for 5 minutes before the

>shower, now that the water is getting warmer with the weather, the cold

>water actually feels good. Putting on a thick coat of oil is really

>important. I hate to get all that oil on the towels, but now after the

>shower, I just rub myself down.

>

>I try to go into the shower with my turban on because staying still to put

>it on just makes me cold. When I am in the shower, I am chanting the mool

>mantra and running in place as I pump my arms and massage myself. For the

>last month, I have been using a timer and trying to stay in for 5 minutes.

>I allow myself to turn off the shower and to just move for 30 second

>intervals during that 5 minutes so I really am still not really doing a 5

>minute shower. I shut off the water maybe three times during a 5 minute

>period. After the shower, I need to do another 10 minutes of aerobic

>exercises to quit shivering. Usually I do this stark naked. Then I dress.

>If I then I do a vigorous yoga set I'm FINE. I'm still cold but I believe

>that my meditation is better. I am definitely awake.

>

>If I am tired, as I often am, I do a the kind of mild set that Yogi B

>suggests for sadhana. In that case, I shake for at least an hour after

>sadhana. Also, I get colder as my meditation time progresses. I have a

>feeling that there are toxins that come out during the meditation and aside

>from the cold of the shower, I am cold from the toxins. I eat foods with my

>meat-eating family that contain meat broths because I do not do the cooking.

>Also, occasionally I eat eggs. No doubt this produces toxins. I don't know

>enough about managing a pure veggie diet and I don't want to break away from

>my family meals.

>

>After sadhana, my husband sees me in the morning with a heavy winter coat on

>and shaking and says I am crazy. I tell him that the web of surface

>capillaries is going to become more dense and I won't get so cold in the

>future. I actually can feel myself warming up during the day so maybe this

>is true. I am really not certain. I have had a very stressful year and

>never go sick when everyone around me was falling like flies. I tell

>myself, that the results that Yogi B. promises just take time. I naturally

>have very low blood pressure. This seems to be related to being so cold. I

>am five feet one inches and weigh about 125 pounds so I am not skinny. I

>have been taking 2 minute showers for about 2 years. The 5 minute showers

>and all the vigorous exercise has only been implemented for about a month.

>Is there any other approach? I am really not up to jumping up an down for

>15 minutes at 3 am everyday. Often, I don't get up even though I wake up at

>3 because I am dreading the shower and I am wishing for more sleep. This is

>the worst situation. I lay in bed and cower. I don't really sleep. I do

>negative activity like worry, plan, and dream. I don't start Sadhana until

>about 5:30 when it is just getting too late. I barely make it through my

>assigned meditations and can't even do a set. My turban is not on so hair

>is all over the place and I feel slightly miserable.

>

>I am 53 years old and feel better than I felt when I was in my twenties.

>Nevertheless, 3 am is not a vigorous time for me. Maybe I need to do a

>kriya for courage in the evening so I won't be such a coward at 3 am. If I

>don't take the shower, I don't put on my turban and don't do Japji. In

>other words, everything falls apart. Every fiber of my being seems to

>succumb to rebellion against what I know through experience is the best way

>to live. Doing Sadhana exactly as Yogi B says is the best if you can get to

>bed early enough etc.

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Gian Kaur,

 

FIVE MINUTES IN A COLD SHOWER!! no wonder you are shivering. Start out

with slightly warm and then gradually turn on the cold and massage yourself

going in and out several times. That's enough. Don't torture yourself, just

wake yourself up.

 

Doesn't sound like you are a coward, just too ridge in your interpretation

of the practice. Anyone who stays in a cold shower for 5 minutes cannot be

a coward.

 

And who says you are supposed to like it? You are just supposed to wake up.

 

Sat Nam,

Gururattan Kaur

[Guest guest]

Your instructions on how to take a cold shower are so clear. I have such an

emotional reaction to that cold, it is hard to think that clearly. Thank

you. Sat Nam.

[Guest guest]

Thank-you. I read in my teacher training manual about staying in the cold

water for 15 minutes so I thought that maybe I was so cold because I was not

doing it enough. It says there that the water should not feel cold.

 

May be I need to understand that Yogi B has said things at different levels

for different people. He probably does not mean for any of us to approach

yoga as self terroism.