I had been working out regularly, unless unavoidable circumstances like travel, pressing work, etc., which will count to a lesser part of the year, but other than that, for at least 6 years and over a period I realized that every time after the workout I feel very refreshed. I work out mostly after work, in the evening. The workout would brush away my fatigue from the day's work and my mind also feels invigorated.
There would be days when I have something unpleasant going on in my mind but if I workout I tend to be balanced or at least be less affected by the internal storm. I read the similar advocacy by doctors and other health care professionals and the reason they give for this rejuvenated feeling is when we workout the heart rate increases and as a result the blood flow increases to the different parts of the body, etc. I agreed with them not because I knew the cause and the effect but because I saw the causes and the affects and thought maybe they are true when the relate both.
Brief introduction about the insight meditation - Vipassana - a pali (language of India, 26 centuries ago) word which means seeing things differently. Passana means seeing which in general is associated with outside objects. Vipassana means seeing differently. So here the difference is seeing things inside, within the framework of human body. To put the practice in a generic way is to observe somatic sensations on the body as they happen from moment to moment without any reaction towards them. So in essence awareness of sensations and equanimity towards them.
Now when I mix my understanding from the meditation with the exercise, when I am trying to do aerobics :
Though a part of the mind is still wandering in thoughts, the major, if I might, or the other part is focusing on: the steps on the treadmill so that I may not fall off, the flexing of the muscles during stretching, the pain in the knees or other parts from running, the sweat in various parts, the itching on the skin at the parts where the pores have been closed due to cold or other reason, the inhalation and exhalation and at times when I can't take more, reducing the speed to get the breathe back to normal, the pounding of the heart, the movement of the lungs from the deep breaths, the pain in abdomen, once in a while, if I am working out without eating, so on. And if this was practicing for half marathon, apart from all the aforementioned, I would constantly convince my mind to run the next quarter mile or half mile before settling for walking, try to make it to the mile marker, inspire to keep going with the practice, etc.
If I am trying to do weights: I have pain in the muscles and obviously the mind is focused on the pain but I am not 100% averse to this pain because I am aware of the theory that the way muscles get pumped is the fiber breaks when subjected to tension and at night when rested, the new fiber grows in the split portion. Hence the soreness over the consecutive day(s). Since I am not averse and I am observing the pain, a grosser sensation, the mind is in essence meditating.
And then my teacher says - this awareness and equanimity gives the mind, the best rest and you feel refreshed. So when I converge both these, now I understand with my experiential wisdom why the physical workout relaxes my temper or balances my mind! Eureka!!!
There would be days when I have something unpleasant going on in my mind but if I workout I tend to be balanced or at least be less affected by the internal storm. I read the similar advocacy by doctors and other health care professionals and the reason they give for this rejuvenated feeling is when we workout the heart rate increases and as a result the blood flow increases to the different parts of the body, etc. I agreed with them not because I knew the cause and the effect but because I saw the causes and the affects and thought maybe they are true when the relate both.
Brief introduction about the insight meditation - Vipassana - a pali (language of India, 26 centuries ago) word which means seeing things differently. Passana means seeing which in general is associated with outside objects. Vipassana means seeing differently. So here the difference is seeing things inside, within the framework of human body. To put the practice in a generic way is to observe somatic sensations on the body as they happen from moment to moment without any reaction towards them. So in essence awareness of sensations and equanimity towards them.
Now when I mix my understanding from the meditation with the exercise, when I am trying to do aerobics :
Though a part of the mind is still wandering in thoughts, the major, if I might, or the other part is focusing on: the steps on the treadmill so that I may not fall off, the flexing of the muscles during stretching, the pain in the knees or other parts from running, the sweat in various parts, the itching on the skin at the parts where the pores have been closed due to cold or other reason, the inhalation and exhalation and at times when I can't take more, reducing the speed to get the breathe back to normal, the pounding of the heart, the movement of the lungs from the deep breaths, the pain in abdomen, once in a while, if I am working out without eating, so on. And if this was practicing for half marathon, apart from all the aforementioned, I would constantly convince my mind to run the next quarter mile or half mile before settling for walking, try to make it to the mile marker, inspire to keep going with the practice, etc.
If I am trying to do weights: I have pain in the muscles and obviously the mind is focused on the pain but I am not 100% averse to this pain because I am aware of the theory that the way muscles get pumped is the fiber breaks when subjected to tension and at night when rested, the new fiber grows in the split portion. Hence the soreness over the consecutive day(s). Since I am not averse and I am observing the pain, a grosser sensation, the mind is in essence meditating.
And then my teacher says - this awareness and equanimity gives the mind, the best rest and you feel refreshed. So when I converge both these, now I understand with my experiential wisdom why the physical workout relaxes my temper or balances my mind! Eureka!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment