When you come into Savasana, it goes without saying that you feel a sense of calm and present-moment bliss.  And just as in meditation, if you find your mind wandering, you just let it do its thing and observe the process.  But how do you stay mindful, present and aware in the rest of your asana practice?  We believe mindfulness is the difference between Yoga and other forms of fitness classes.  Here are some ways to stay mindful on the mat.

Practise

Each pose is an opportunity to practise mindfulness.  This means giving each pose your full awareness.  Notice your breath as you hold each posture.  Become aware of the physical sensations that accompany different breathing patterns.  Yoga is all about the connection between the physical body, the breath and the mind.   Remember it doesn’t matter how a pose looks; it’s more about how you show up for it, bringing curiosity and a beginners mind to your practice. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, slowing and watching your breath can help a lot.

Awareness

Mindfulness is often translated as awareness.  It’s about learning to sit with whatever comes up and to be present with what arises without reacting to it. You can read more in our self-awareness blog.  With awareness you can learn to be more open in your acceptance of what is.  You can develop this skill by becoming more aware of the filter of your emotions in relation to the physical sensations you experience as you practise.

Emotions

Do you become agitated or angry during challenging poses? This type of mind-body awareness is an amazing tool for transformation.  Through awareness you grow your ability to see things as they are.  Perhaps as you practise you start to notice your own patterns of resistance such as playing the victim or reacting to things as opposed to responding to them.  Developing this awareness can help you to shift away from characteristics that may be holding back your spiritual growth.  

Savasana

This is one of the main poses for achieving mindful awareness that is always taught at the end of each class and sometimes at the beginning as well.  In Savasana, you have to allow your whole body to surrender to gravity as your mind rests on the flow of your breath.  Once the teacher leaves the room, you can continue to practise your mindful breathing exercises for as long as you need.

Continue

Mindfulness is a journey with both an unclear destination and plenty of opportunities to get lost on the way.  In this information-driven world, you can spend a lot of time on inauthentic conversations that are neither helpful nor insightful.  Mindfulness is just as much about connecting with each other and the world in which we live as it is about being comfortable in your mind and body.  We think Yoga helps with both.