Simple Mindfulness Technique for Yoga and Life

Yoga is not just about strength and awareness in the body.  One of the best known benefits of a regular yoga practice is stimulating the connection between the physical body and the mind through poses (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation and/or mindfulness. Perhaps you already know or have experienced that when we work with the body it will always have an effect on the mind, and vice versa. But how does this work in practice?

Can you remember a time when you stubbed your toe or knocked your (not-so) “funny bone” on a wall or counter? What about just thinking about pain? Has someone ever told you about pain that they have experienced and you found yourself scrunching up your face at the mere thought it? What happens to your mind when you think about or experience pain? It freaks out, right? So it makes sense that the connection between the body and mind is strong and therefore you can literally think yourself into a state of discomfort, and in the same way you could also release physical stress by calming the mind. Being mindful of this connection can assist to support you when experiencing any form of mental or physical discomfort, as well as when moving through or holding your yoga poses.

In yoga we usually begin by relaxing the mind before we start to move the body. We sit or lie on our mats, close our eyes and still the mind. It’s not always easy to do this. There are so many thoughts running through our minds at any time of the day that sometimes this can be a real challenge. It’s not like we have an off switch. Or do we?

Try this short mindfulness practice

Sit comfortably with your hands resting in your lap, close your eyes and breathe naturally. Gently press a finger to the tip of your nose and allow your eyes to drop towards your finger. Breathe evenly through your nostrils and spend a few moments focusing on the sensation of the gentle pressure of your finger and the air entering and leaving through your nostrils. Now slowly remove your finger, rest your hands back in your lap but keep your focus exactly where it was for a few more moments, or longer if you can, before slowly opening your eyes. How do you feel? Notice the effect this exercise has on your mind as well as your body. You can practice this technique anywhere, anytime. It can help relieve stress and relax your thoughts even if only for a few minutes.

Bringing mindfulness into your asanas

The next time you find yourself on your yoga mat, notice where your mind goes while holding different poses. Notice whether your thoughts come up for you more so during less challenging poses than during more complicated ones. Sometimes when we are resting in balasana (child’s pose) our minds tend to wander even more so than when trying to balance in vrksasana (tree pose) or ardha chandrasana (half moon pose). Either way you can use the mindfulness technique described above to gently quieten your thoughts and bring yourself into the present moment. You may not be able to bring your finger to your nose or close your eyes (this is super challenging when trying to balance!) but your intention to place your awareness between your brows will help keep your mind calm and focused. The more you practice this the easier it will become and in time it may come naturally.

As your mind relaxes, your body can too. Try this technique while stretching. You may find that your body responds beautifully to the release of your thoughts. If you struggle with mindful practice don’t be hard on yourself. Just keep on with your yoga path and enjoy the experience of being kind to yourself. Let me know in the comments below about ways that you have brought mindfulness to your yoga practice and into your life, and feel free to share this with others.

Peace & Namaste.