The Power of Contemplation - Imbibe Qualities you need most in your life

From thinking, doing, and controlling to channelizing, feeling, and being – the mind follows the path we choose for it. One of the ways to do this, is to find something to anchor the mind. Give it a place to rest. This could be a posture (asana), the breath, a sound (mantra), or a visual. It could be a combination of these. We can take this a step further by adding “bhavana” – reflecting and contemplating on the ‘qualities’ of the movement, asana, mantra or visual.

Think about this posture, tree pose or Vrikshasana (also called Bhagirathasana), here are a few simple ways to add bhavana or contemplation in the pose:

1. Physical pose: Focus on the foot on the ground – feel the weight distributed across all four corners of your foot, and feel the ground supporting you. You could also focus on the spine, think about lengthening it, supporting your body.

2. Function of the pose: Reflect on the qualities of stability and grounding. How do you react when you go off balance? Are you able to come back into the posture calmly?

3. Breath: Breathe in and visualize the foot, as you breathe out feel the foot grounding further into the ground, offering more stability and support.

4. Visualization: Imagine yourself standing in a forest or a wooded area surrounded by trees, being supported by them. Reflect on the qualities of tree – think about the roots that offer stability, the leaves that offer shade? Try to bring these qualities of sthiram (stability) and sukham (ease and comfort) into the posture.

Bhavana is an incredibly powerful tool for healing, it helps you create an inner environment that reflects the qualities that you want to bring into your life.