Who knew I was practicing present moment awareness while strengthening my core and increasing bone density? I just thought I was hitting beats 2 and 4 with my drumsticks on opposite sides of my body in Laura Trafidlo’s pound class at the YMCA.
Trafidlo leads us through a cardio workout in which we move our whole bodies to connect the lively rhythms with our drumming on the ground and in the air. The musical squats, lunges, stepping and jumping bring me gratefully right out of my mind and into my body with no awareness that there may be such things as dinner to plan or a shopping list. All that matters is tuning in to the music to feel on what beats to hit the sticks and how to move our bodies to that rhythm.
Who knew I was practicing present moment awareness while bringing delicious space into my body between the muscles and bones and activating my parasympathetic nervous system, allowing for inner calm? I just thought I was following Laura Fetzer’s gentle guidance through a yoga flow class at the Granby Congregational Church on Thursday morning. Fetzer gracefully articulates that it is easier to stay focused on our breath when we connect breathing with our limbs’ movements. Inhale arms rise, exhale arms lower. Smiling, she acknowledges it’s more difficult to keep our attention focused on our breath when we hold a still pose. Remember the breath, in stillness? Oh, the helpful mind loves to intrude, insisting not only do we need to figure out dinner, but also this weekend’s plans, what emails to write later, and oh yeah, whose birthday is coming up? Ooops, what happened to embodied awareness? It’s fine. We notice the mind’s enthusiastic activity (with kindness and self-compassion, it’s part of the practice) and gently guide our attention back to our breath, repeatedly. Awareness. Inhale, hold. Exhale, deepen the stretch. Mindfully, in stillness.
Who knew I was practicing present moment awareness and increasing my knowledge of butterflies and hummingbirds, all while appreciating a neighbor’s wit, wisdom, and stunning native flower garden? I just thought I was visiting Denise Canora to see the tiny monarch caterpillar eggs she rescues on milkweed all over Granby and nurtures until they are ready to launch into their new airborne lives. And to witness the multitude of hummingbirds feasting on nectar and insects in her exquisite garden of cardinal flowers and echinacea. And the great spangled fritillary who lays eggs on her native violets.
Is it possible to be truly aware and alive—100 percent present to the very moment one is living? Not planning the future or rehashing the past; not even analyzing the present moment (why do I feel so sad?), but rather actually living it, being it, whatever “it” is; through felt sense perception and experience?
Certainly, it’s an ongoing practice with intention. But it’s also possible to “set the conditions” (Jillian Pransky) to allow this experience of focused attention to occur with more ease. No better environment exists to “set the conditions” than Granby!