...now yoke it, into shape, shape it up, go forward, move ahead...yoke it, yoke it good...

it’s 2:30 in the afternoon on a remarkably sunny day. i returned from lunch a bit ago; en route i noticed an undeniable sign of the approaching spring, 3 motorcyclists out for what could possibly be their first ride of the year. classes are out for haru yasumi, spring vacation, so the office is quiet and calm. i’m enjoying a piece of chocolate cake and a fresh cup of coffee, which i know will come as a huge surprise to you all. my tastes have continued to evolve here and it seems lately i can’t keep sweets of my mouth. it could be because everyday someone is bringing in omiyage, obligatory gifts given to everyone upon your return from a trip or holiday, or homemade baked goods. i joke that it is no wonder all japanese have horrible teeth considering all the sweets they eat, although the trouble is probably more grounded in their lack of preventative healthcare. every thursday i enjoy some preventative treatment in the form of yoga. it's a welcome dose of mind and body stretching. we recently talked about concentration in a very interesting way and i thought i would share. at different increments throughout the class we do shavasana, where we lie supine and focus on our bodies. it’s a dim light, quiet experience that should allow us to assess how we are truly feeling and what our body’s needs are, but all too often an overactive mind makes it difficult to concentrate on kinesthesia. thoughts like i had a rough class earlier in the day, i’ve got to do laundry tonight, what am i having for dinner, i haven’t finished tomorrow’s lesson yet, i need to pack for this weekend, etc. are swirling in my head; a kinetic riot that steals my attention. yuriko asked if we knew the word ‘yoke’. i explained the term as i knew it, as a collar of sorts used to connect an ox or a horse to a plow or wagon. it turns out the word simply refers to something that connects or joins. it’s related to the word yoga, which is hindi, from sanskrit, for ‘union’. yuriko likened the mind to a wild horse, bucking in many directions, untamed and wandering. she explained that in order to control this wild horse you put a yoke on him and connect him to a post or stable structure. we can harness our minds in the same way, by yoking them to a single thought we can keep them from wandering. it’s one of the basic points of meditation, concentrating on something pleasant to induce relaxation. in yoga, i make an effort to yoke my thoughts, sometimes in a practical way, perhaps to my breathing, feeling it carry out exhausted energy, or to my tired muscles, feeling their cells replenish with oxygen. sometimes i yoke my mind to a pleasant sensation, the most beautiful field i can imagine or the energizing golden sunshine. it’s a chance to escape from the daily thoughts that fatigue our spirit. i am amazed how well this works at night when i can’t sleep because thoughts are running through my head. next time your mind is going a thousand miles an hour, yoke it to a single thought. i find its great exercise.