Intentional Grounding

November 6, 2019

“Meditation is as important as lifting weights and being out here on the field for practice. It’s about quieting your mind and getting into certain states where everything outside of you doesn’t matter in that moment.”
~ Russell Okung, Los Angeles Chargers (formerly with Seattle Seahawks)

QB Russell Wilson in easy pose with gyana mudra  (Peter Yang for ESPN)

 

It may seem somewhat against type for a California yogi and ethically-conscious omnivore to be a football fan, but I am. My favorite team is the Seattle Seahawks, partly because I’ve always loved the style of Northwest Coast art (that of Pacific Northwest Native Americans) that inspires the Seahawks logo, but also because of the team philosophy implemented by their coach, Pete Carroll.  Since 2011, the Seahawks have included mindfulness meditation in their training program. Yoga has been a mandated part of the team’s physical workouts since 2013.

Not only the Seahawks team members, but also the Los Angeles Clippers, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Misty May Treanor, Kerri Walsh, Barry Zito, Carli Lloyd, Aaron Rogers, Kevin Love and more have incorporated yoga, meditation or both into their personal and professional routines.  Yoga poses can help prevent injury by making the body more flexible. Meditation can have a similar effect for the mind, by helping to keep your focus in the present moment and on your breath.

As the holiday season approaches, beginning just a few minutes a day of mindful meditation practice will help you to feel more flexible mentally and more grounded and centered emotionally, enabling you to enjoy, rather than rush through the rest of the year. Here is a simple conscious breathing exercise that you can do standing, sitting or lying down:

Stand with your feet about hips distance apart, arms at your sides, shoulders back, head and neck softly lifted, as if an unseen hand were helping to hold you up. Tuck in your abdominal muscles to support your back and lift your chest slightly, as if you just got good news.
Or
Find a comfortable seated position, arms resting on your lap, sitting upright with feet on the floor, shoulders back and neck softly lifted.
Or
Lie down, knees up or supported with a pillow, shoulders lightly back and lower back gently pressed to the surface beneath you. Tuck your chin in a bit towards your chest.

Begin breathing in slowly, through the nose if you can, allowing your belly to rise first and your chest last, as you fill your lungs. Placing your hand lightly over your solar plexus (just below your rib cage) can be helpful in training yourself to do this.

Let your abdomen expand and your lungs fill with air completely.
Exhale slowly, also through the nose, squeezing out the last bit of breath using your upper abdominal muscles.

Begin again with a new inhale.

Now count slowly as you breathe in. As you exhale, try to slowly extend your breath to match the count of your inhale.

As you continue to breathe in and out, find a fixed point in the distance in front of you to softly focus on. This is your “now.” Let everything else around this point blur. If you are lying down, you can close your eyes and focus on the spot just above and between your eyebrows, perhaps imagining a pink or lavender rosebud opening and closing there as you inhale and exhale.

Practice this simple meditation for 3 minutes a day to start. Try it just before bedtime, upon awakening, at your lunch break, before you begin your commute, just before the relatives arrive for dinner, or whenever you need to stop, breathe and do some intentional grounding.

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
~ Thích Nhat Hanh

~~~~~~~~~

Meditate on the deliciousness of Polenta with Sage and Walnut Pesto

Polenta with Sage and Walnut Pesto
Polenta is a traditional Italian dish made from corn. You can find packaged prepared polenta, ready to slice and grill or sauté, in most supermarkets. This dish compliments poultry well, making it a tasty Thanksgiving side. The pesto by itself is also delicious with pasta, in soups or as an appetizer served with bread.

Sage and Walnut Pesto Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts (plus 1/8 cup extra for garnish)
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
(or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan/Romano blend)

For Polenta:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (18oz) package organic precooked polenta

 

To make pesto:
Toast nuts in a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Let cool.

Combine remaining pesto ingredients with 1/2 cup of the toasted nuts in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, stirring a few times between pulses.

To prepare polenta:
Slice polenta into 1/2″ thick slices. Dab excess liquid with a bit of paper towel, if necessary.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. When oil is hot, carefully add polenta slices, a few at a time, in a single layer (watch out for splatters). Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, then turn with a spatula, season, and cook 2 to 3 minutes on other side.

Drain briefly on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve polenta slices hot and topped with the pesto and a few of the reserved toasted walnuts.

Serves 4

 

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