Written Literary Conversations with Nora D’Ecclesis
featuring Lauri Henninger
Into Stillness: Scripts for Guided Meditation
Nora D’Ecclesis: In this comprehensive and beautifully written nonfiction to ‘help the mind and body to relax,’ you reference your career as a yoga instructor. Did you focus on the journey or the results while writing the scripts?
Lauri Henninger: Years ago, I read Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The first section emphasized achieving goals, and habit number two: “Begin with the End in Mind,” resonated so strongly with me that it sort of became a mantra of mine. When I started writing this book, I focused mainly on the results. I would think about how it would look and its impact on others. While I feel those things are relevant, the process of developing the meditations led me back to the journey and my inspiration for writing this book. There were moments while writing the meditation scripts when I would become so immersed in the experience that I had to end for the day. That’s when I knew I was on the right track.
Nora: ‘Mindfulness vs Mindlessness’ in your words creates a visualization in a phrase. As a writer, you offered options, mantra, object-focused, guided meditation, and written visualization prompts. Do you have a personal favorite?
Lauri: Early in my yoga teaching (before YouTube!), I was listening to a recording of a yoga class on iTunes and was introduced to the practice of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra, which means ‘yogic sleep,’ is an ancient guided meditation practice. That experience changed my whole trajectory regarding how I wanted to teach yoga. Right then, I knew I wanted to offer others the gift of guided meditation. Throughout my teaching career, guided meditation has become the hallmark of my classes, with Yoga Nidra at the top of the list. This guided meditation practice, as old as yoga itself, provides imagery, mantra, breath awareness, object visualization, sense perception, systematic whole-body relaxation, and so much more. It is sometimes the sole focus of my classes as it is highly requested and well-received. There is a section in my book devoted to this incredible practice.
Nora: The most difficult part of becoming an author is establishing a daily writing routine. Tell us about your process of establishing a writing routine and the environment in which you produced this book.
Lauri: I have a dedicated workspace and have become more disciplined about spending time there each day writing, even if it’s merely jotting down some notes or ideas. Occasionally, I go through spells where I feel like I’m in a rut, so I step away and work on other activities or projects, which allows me to reboot, so to speak. Then, I can pick it up again with a fresh insight or a new perspective.
Nora: The combination of referencing both Hindu and Buddhist practices with thousands of years of history behind them is woven into your work. Tell us in a compare-and-contrast way how you share your knowledge during a typical yoga class.
Lauri: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is one of the most well-known texts for how the science of yoga is understood today. However, its primary goal focused more on behaviors necessary for entering deep states of meditation and less on the physical practices we are familiar with today. The Yoga Sutras were strongly influenced by Vedic scriptures of Hinduism as well as non-Vedic teachings of Buddhism and Jainism. Their similarities in yoga mainly include the path and the tools used to follow the path, such as meditation. My yoga classes typically begin with a pranayama practice, move on to asanas or postures, and end with a guided meditation. I might introduce a meditation such as Metta or Tonglen from Buddhist teachings or a meditation on the chakras or energy centers in the subtle body, for which historical evidence is found in Hinduism and Buddhism. Meditation does not belong to a particular religion, culture, or tradition. It is a method for freeing the mind to concentrate more, and I mostly treat it as such.
Nora: Progressive muscle relaxation, as described in your book, takes us through an intense process of moving toward stress reduction. Please also describe the results you have seen after including it in a person’s individual program.
Lauri: PMR is a fantastic method for relaxation and has many applications. I like that it incorporates breathing and visualization to enable the practitioner to recognize and release tension in the body and mind. Many students noticed that they could identify areas in their body where they were habitually holding on to tension without realizing it, and simply becoming aware of it produced profound changes. Others noted that practicing PMR before bed allowed them to relax completely, and their sleep improved significantly. Those with restless leg syndrome find it provides relief and can fall asleep more easily. A friend of mine, a yoga instructor, wanted me to recommend a meditation from my book for a yoga class she was teaching athletes. I suggested that she try Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and the results were very positive.
Nora: Starting with the simplest instructional techniques and ending with the more advanced ones, please tell us how you teach pranayama in yogic practice.
Lauri: Diaphragmatic breathing, sometimes called abdominal or belly breathing, is used throughout a yoga class. As the name implies, it focuses on the action of the diaphragm, which is the main respiratory muscle, minimizing the action of the chest and utilizing the lower lobes of the lungs. It is a very efficient way to breathe and has many physiological benefits. I usually teach it while students are lying on their backs, as it is easier to learn and practice the technique this way. Placing one hand on the abdomen and the other on the chest allows the practitioner to be aware of the breath in the belly and keep the chest relatively still. This is the foundation for many pranayama exercises, including Ujjayi, which adds the gentle constricting of muscles in the back of the throat to regulate the quality and quantity of breath. Other breathing practices, such as Sama Vritti and Viloma pranayama, introduce breath retention and are a little more involved. Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing, is a wonderful practice for cleansing or purifying the subtle energy channels in the body. It is one that I typically teach before meditation due to its ability to calm and center the mind. While there are some more advanced pranayama techniques, they are usually introduced after mastery of these exercises.
Nora: Is the work you do as an artist meditative? Tell us about your painting.
Lauri: Absolutely. Each time I lay down paint, I am witnessing something unfolding in that very moment. I am fully present. Additionally, I find I am much more aware of things, particularly in nature. I see them through a different lens. Skies aren’t always blue; snow isn’t just white. I note the change in the shape of something when observing it from a new perspective. Our brains are trained to see objects a certain way and associate specific colors or shapes with them, but they are quite different. I like to look at something and think of how I would express it on a canvas. Painting has changed how I view everything and is integral to my mindfulness practice.
Nora: Equanimity has been described by the American National Institutes of Health as uniquely Buddhist. The concept and spiritual practice is said to be a goal. Do you agree?
Lauri: Everything is in a constant state of change. Nature itself flows through cycles – the moon, the tide, the seasons. And within ourselves, there is alertness, hunger, joy, fear, sleepiness, and so on. The more we perceive the reality of these cycles’ continuous ebb and flow and the changing conditions, the less likely we are to fall out of balance. And honest awareness of what makes us imbalanced helps us learn to find balance. We tend to become attached to pleasant things and create an aversion to the unpleasant. We must be willing to sit with it all and be open to it. Learning to navigate the eight worldly concerns or eight vicissitudes discussed in Buddhist teachings can help us develop the qualities that support equanimity. I can’t think of a better personal goal than the freedom that comes with cultivating an attitude of calmness, acceptance, and non-attachment.
To find out more about Lauri and the book Into Stillness: Scripts for Guided Meditation, visit the websites: