- belleleroy
- Oct 25, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 25, 2022
How do we keep focused and grounded ? How do we find steadiness & peace of mind ? We need to delve deep within to find our anchor. Yoga shows us the way with a regular breath, asana (poses) and meditation practice. It requires faith, discipline, patience and commitment. Being in the present moment time after time. Let me share with you how:
Staying calm & centered amidst the storm ?
Patanjali, a Sanskrit scholar and teacher, offers us pearls of wisdom in his book, The Yoga Sutras. Written in Sanskrit around 200 years BCE, it offers 195 sutras or verses, which used to be chanted, when oral teaching was prevalent. This book on which yoga philosophy is based, is considered as one of the most important book in the world of yoga. Why ? Although written thousands of years ago, it simply is still so relevant to us, human beings and to our lives today, teaching us how to live harmoniously within ourselves and the world around us, no matter what.
Patanjali mentioned some 2500 years ago,
Heyam duhkhamanagatam (Chapter 2, v.16)
“Suffering that has yet to manifest is to be avoided”
(Translation by Edwin Bryant)
He reminds us of the yoga tools, meditation, pranayama, āsana (yoga poses), svādhyāya (study), chanting etc. as a way to ease our suffering and reduce the surrounding negativity we find ourselves in today so, we can keep our balance amidst the storm.
Does it sound like something you would like to have in your life ? I know you might think it is easier said than done, so how exactly do we put this into practice ? This is when we look at another yoga sutra, (Chapter 1, v.2)
. Yoga citta vritti nirodhah (Chapter 1, v. 2) "Yoga is the resolution of the agitations of the mind”
This verse refers to what people commonly called nowadays our “monkey mind”. It is suggested the best way to calm our mind is the ability to direct our attention exclusively toward one point of focus without any distraction. It could be yoga, meditation, gardening, painting, playing music for example. Thoughts come and go all the time. On the mat, we learn to cultivate steadiness of mind and detachment. Yoga certainly is the most wonderful way to reach this peace of mind.
How do we arrive at a state of Yoga ? What should we do and what should we not do ?
Abhyasavairagyabhyam tannirodhah (Chapter 1, v.12)
The mind can reach the state of Yoga through practice and detachment.
To practice this art of quieting the mind, we need two things. First something known as abhyasa. This means dedication of prolonged practice over a long period of time. This is the work of discipline and commitment. It takes time, perseverance and patience. The regular practice of yoga asana (poses), breath and meditation cultivate tranquility and stability.
Secondly we must apply vairagya, meaning, non-attachment. We must learn to let go of attachment of the goal, even in our practice. It is no longer about achieving but about being in the present moment. Allowing ourselves to just be and cultivate presence and awareness to become the observer or witness. When we practice abhyasa and vairagya, we are in yoga.
In conclusion, a consistent yoga practice with yoga philosophy can help us both physically and mentally. On our mats, we learn to observe, listen, focus whilst developing inner and outer strength, patience, resilience, courage and flexibility to find the stability within.
We also learn to centre and anchor ourselves delving deep to find inner peace and calm no matter what. The breath, key part of our practice, helps us to steady the mind. We are then in a better position to deal with the storm around us and dispel the fear that pervades around us, and off the mat we can continue to remain steady like a mountain and learn to flow with life.
I offer various classes online such as beginner’s yoga, non-beginners yoga, dynamic morning yoga, meditation, Somatics or relaxation. Please feel free to contact me for further details.
To book, Pls email yogawithbelletw@gmail.com To find out more check www.yogawithbelle.co.uk
