Balance. Flexibility. Strength.

Yoga. Meditation. Adventures in spiritualism.

In eastern medicine, unreleased negative or traumatic experiences are thought to manifest in the body as toxins, polluting the whole system, causing a torrent of physical ailments and disease. There are seven major energy centers, called chakras, that run up the spine. The ancient yogis, for thousands of years, have taught that good health is linked to a free flow of balanced energy up and down this subtle spine, which stimulates vital glands in the brain. You don’t want stagnant energy getting stuck in the lower three chakras. This much I know is true.

From the cutting room floor of Bottom of the Breath...

She looked at the time on her phone: 4:30. The usual dilemma arose—try to go back to sleep or get in some meditation time. Why wasn’t she more disciplined? She should be able to set an alarm, move to her cushion and sit. Like a grown up. It really wasn’t that difficult. Instead, nearly every day began with an inner argument. A scolding. Maybe if she slept more soundly, if she didn’t feel so exhausted all the time, it would come more easily.

She sat up in bed and positioned the pillow against the headboard. She crossed her legs. Immediately, her knees ached in protest. She straightened her legs with a sigh and set another pillow under her knees for support. It wasn’t that long ago she could sit in half-lotus, her right ankle easily lifted and set high on her left thigh, with no problem at all.

Now she could barely manage a simple cross-leg position. Sukhasana—easy pose. It should be easier.

She closed her eyes and straightened her spine as much as she could on the soft foundation. She knew she should move to the floor. She took a deep breath and exhaled as slowly as she could. She tried to feel low in her belly and squeeze out every last bit of air. Out with the old, she thought.