My Meadow Report

the juice is in the journey

  • Home
  • About
    • About Renée
    • What is My Meadow Report
  • New Here?
  • Offerings
    • Practical Astrology:
  • Work With Me
  • Collections
  • Connect
You are here: Home / Navigating Change / How to Use an Adhitthana to Survive Home Isolation

How to Use an Adhitthana to Survive Home Isolation

March 17, 2020 | Renée Fishman

Six months ago, I returned to New York City after nine months away and found that the city now presented a shock to my newly recalibrated nervous system. I immediately discovered a weekly sound meditation class at The Studio, a Katonah Yoga studio.

After a few weeks of observing the end of the Katonah Restorative class that took place immediately before sound healing, I decided to give it a try. I’ve been hooked ever since.

The Discomfort of Backbends

A Katonah Restorative yoga class is not like other restorative yoga classes, which aim to quiet the nervous system through comfort in the poses, dimly lit rooms, and essential oils. Katonah Restorative is more active, and more about putting the body back together than “naps on props.”

Like other types of renovations or restorations, it’s not always comfortable.

In Katonah Restorative, we start every class with a backbend. Usually in a seated bound-angle pose, but sometimes in a seated hero’s pose, or a supported bridge pose. Regardless of the lower body set-up, the upper back is propped up on hard wooden blocks, which provide “scaffolding” to support the body.

Physiologically, the pose takes us out of the habitual hunched over pose that so many of us fall into during the day as we sit over keyboards, steering wheels, phones, etc. The supported backbend also brings the lungs forward, which facilitates deeper breathing.

It’s not comfortable, especially if you’re someone with limited mobility and extension in the thoracic spine, which I am.

Katonah-Restorative-Supported-Bridge-Renee
This is me in a supported bridge pose. Not feeling as relaxed as it may appear.

Most of the Katonah Restorative classes I’ve taken have been with Kyle Henry, who masterfully weaves in the theory and metaphor of the practice while offering adjustments that put the body back into alignment.

Each week as I lay in this supported pose, I listen to Kyle explain how backbends take us out of what we know as personal. Backbends are also known as heart-openers in yoga, and they are vulnerable poses. Backbends expose us, because they expose our hearts. They also connect us by forcing us out of our shell, which is one reason why we do these poses to start a practice done in community.

Yet this opening up to others, especially so early on in a class, is not comfortable.

So on all levels — physically, emotionally, and energetically — backbends are not comfortable.

Technique: Setting an Adhiṭṭhāna

As we lay in the supported backbend, Kyle offers us ways to work with the lungs through the breath. One technique we use is to set a large number and count the breaths to that number. Each inhale and exhale is one breath cycle, and you count until you reach the number.

This is an Adhiṭṭhāna — a Pali word meaning “resolve” or “determination.”

The purpose of setting the Adhiṭṭhāna is to calm the nervous system. In every situation, the nervous system wants to know: How long will we be here? When is this going to end?

Setting a number gives us a direction to where we’re going.

Maybe we’ll reach it before Kyle is ready to take us out of the pose, in which case the instruction is to count backwards. Or maybe the number is so big that we never reach it.

The number itself is actually irrelevant; it’s almost a distraction technique — a way to trick ourselves into maintaining focus on the breath. The point is in the counting.

Counting keeps us focused on the breath, and therefore in the present moment — because the breath is the only thing that is truly in the present. If you’re focused on your inhales and exhales, you cannot also be reflecting on your to-do list, reminiscing about some event from the past, thinking about what you’re going to eat for dinner after class, or any of the other things we might tend to think about when we’re in a challenging yoga pose.

Using an Adhiṭṭhāna to Navigate the Coronavirus

This concept feels so relevant to the challenge that many of us face right now.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to some unprecedented situations. In New York, California, and many other places across the country life is shutting down. We are being forced to stay inside unless absolutely necessary to leave. Many people must acclimate to working from home while also overseeing kids who are home from school.

We are out of our routines, out of what we know as personal, and in a position that may be quite uncomfortable both physically and emotionally.

Our nervous systems are asking: How long will we be here? When will this end?

And nobody has the answer.

In this situation, it’s easy for the mind to get lost in reflection on past events or to spin out with what-ifs and catastrophic thinking.

Neither of these help us find peace in the midst of discomfort. This is not like 9/11 or a hurricane or even past disease outbreaks. The what-ifs are an endless game of speculation that take you out of the present and deplete your energy and focus.

Even with longstanding practices and a deep well of experience in navigating uncomfortable situations, I have found myself pulled into the swirl more than once a day. It’s been a relief to me to hear from some of my teachers that they, too, are getting caught up in this.

The stronger the pull of the force, the more we must root in our practices and rituals to stay grounded.

Taking the Practice Off the Mat

Yoga and meditation are not just practices that we do in a studio or on the mat. The value in them is in how we apply them in life off the mat. Yoga is not about reaching the perfect pose, but about what you learn in your efforts to get into the pose, and how you apply that in the rest of your life.

One of my missions as a yoga teacher is to help my students take their practices off the mat. Yoga is a practice of navigating change and uncertainty, and the coronavirus pandemic is a perfect opportunity to tap into our practice.

This is where the adhiṭṭhāna comes in. Here are two ways I’m using this technique in my daily practice off the mat:

Setting a Time Frame

First, instead of listening to the various speculations about how long we might be in this current state of being shut in, I decided to set an adhiṭṭhāna for it, for myself. What that means is that I put my own number on it, setting in my head a number of weeks that I expect life to be disrupted in this way.

It’s arbitrary — as all numbers are. I have no idea if it’s rooted in reality. And it doesn’t matter. By giving myself that number, I’ve told my nervous system an end date. Now it doesn’t ask anymore how long this will last. This is how it is until something changes or we reach the number.

Returning to the Breath

Second, in any moment where I notice I start to spin out or get hooked into virus porn, I put down the screen and tune into my breath. I give myself an adhiṭṭhāna and count my breaths to that number, as a way to return to the present moment. It’s a forced time-out that resets the system, reconnecting me to my breath and my body so that I don’t get swept up in the swirl of panic and fear.

The coronavirus is pervasive and persistent, but we will survive it if we can tap into our practices, our resources, and our determination to stay present.

Like what you're reading?
Get it delivered.

Join the community and receive my best posts, straight to your inbox.

    Worried about inbox clutter? Me too. No spam here and you can unsubscribe at any time.

    Built with Kit

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
    • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
    • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
    • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
    • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

    Like this:

    Like Loading...

    Related

    Filed Under: Navigating Change, Spirituality Tagged With: adhitthana, coronavirus, determination, mindfulness, presence, resolve, yoga

    Love it? Hate it? What do you think? Don't hold back...Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    The journey is better with friends!

    Join a growing tribe of wisdom seekers who are committed to a life of meaning and purpose, and embrace a new paradigm of productivity.

    I take your privacy and my integrity seriously. I won't spam you or sell your info. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    WHAT’S EVERYONE READING?

    • The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
      The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
    • 3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
      3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
    • Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
      Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
    • How to Navigate the Fog of Mars Square Neptune
      How to Navigate the Fog of Mars Square Neptune
    • 5 Lessons on Healing from the Jupiter/Chiron Conjunction
      5 Lessons on Healing from the Jupiter/Chiron Conjunction
    • Life is Not Happening TO You; It’s Happening Through You
      Life is Not Happening TO You; It’s Happening Through You
    • 5 Essential Elements for a Tight Five Comedy Set
      5 Essential Elements for a Tight Five Comedy Set
    • 3 Steps to Navigate the Roadblocks of Sun Square Saturn
      3 Steps to Navigate the Roadblocks of Sun Square Saturn
    • 5 Reasons Why Having a Vision is Important
      5 Reasons Why Having a Vision is Important
    • Venus Square The Lunar Nodes: An Invitation to Transcend Your Fear With Confidence
      Venus Square The Lunar Nodes: An Invitation to Transcend Your Fear With Confidence

    RECENT POSTS

    • How to Break Your Phone Addiction Without Deleting All the Apps
    • Full Moon in Scorpio: Disrupt Yourself
    • The Skills of Motherhood
    • Mercury in Taurus: Be in Your Body
    • The Mis-Labeling of “Soft Skills”
    • 3 Major Technology Evolutions I’ve Lived Through in 50 Years
    • How to Turn a Breakthrough Into a Transformation
    • Reflections on Turning 50
    • My Most Important Tip For Managing Low-Energy and Low-Focus Days
    • The Real Heavy Lift of Injury Recovery

    Archives

    Categories

    Explore

    action ADHD astrology business change coaching communication creativity emotions energy fear fitness freedom goals habits healing holidays learning lessons life meaning mindfulness mindset nature personal development personal growth planning practice presence process productivity purpose rest rituals seasons self-awareness strategies success time time management trust vision work writing yoga

    Disclosure

    Some of the links in some posts are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.

    Connect with Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Medium
    • Pinterest
    • Threads
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • Vimeo
    • YouTube

    Get the Insider Scoop!

    Not everything is on the blog. Sign up to receive ideas and strategies that I reserve only for insiders.

    Thanks for subscribing!

    Copyright © 2025 Renee Fishman · BG Mobile First · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

    %d

      Timing is everything.
      Learn how to find yours.

      Learn how to use the patterns of the planets to up-level your planning, unlock your productivity, and unleash your potential.

      ​

      Register below to get notice when enrollment opens. You'll also receive my Practical Wisdom newsletter.

        We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
        Built with Kit