How often do you find yourself being completely mindful while talking to another person, while eating, cooking, or practicing yoga? Being mindful every moment is not something that comes naturally, because the human mind tends to look for points, analyze and think incessantly.
But what happens when we start to be really mindful, calmly and deeply live each experience, without analyzing, judging and expecting? By standing on the mat and in any other life situation, thanks to mindfulness, you are able to fully benefit from the uniqueness of each moment, while experiencing everything much more deeply.
Mindfulness- mindfulness helps to synchronize the body and mind is a tool that gives us the opportunity to use the moment more, listen to ourselves and others. Careful yoga practice allows you to achieve the effects of a much deeper union with yourself. As with everything, when we focus our attention on something, we are able to do something better, deeper, and draw from what can bring a different quality to our exercises.
Mindfulness is also a much more aroused sensitivity towards oneself and others. This sensitivity teaches us to see the needs of our own body during yoga practice. We learn to be better for ourselves, it is easier to accept limitations, not to get tense.
I experience without preference
Following the assumptions of Mindfulness, the current of self-evaluation also changes, from negative thinking, at a time when the asanas on a given day do not go out as we would expect. It teaches us not to tense ourselves or punish ourselves. One of the definitions of Mindfulness very well reflects the meaning of this trend, "Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening, then it is happening, without preference."
This term is a perfect example of how mindfulness can affect yoga practice and more. It happens that during the exercises we think, "I wish I hadn't hurt". How can one be without preferences in such a situation? Just by experiencing what is happening at the moment.
Conscious breathing
During yoga practice, conscious breathing is also very important, as well as activating the diaphragm, and steady deep breathing increases our ability to perform exercises. Mindfulness also allows us to visualize how our body reacts in various emotional states or specific positions.
Mindful concentration on yourself
When we get on the mat and practice yoga in group classes, sometimes you find yourself comparing yourself with others. Mindfulness keeps our concentration focused on ourselves, without the need to match the person exercising next to us. Letting go of these thoughts and emotions gives you a great sense of inner peace. I allow this thought to arise, but I do not delve into it, I do not follow it. In relaxation positions, at the end of exercises, unresolved thoughts, experiences and fears often come back to us. By being with it and letting it go through, we are giving you a chance to harmonize these feelings. Accepting reality as it is is letting go of what blocks us and does not allow us to fully enjoy the moment.
Intention
A very important element of mindful yoga practice is intention, realizing the motivation to practice. When our assumption is to practice yoga carefully, we know what we want to strive for. Being on the mat, I am aware of every movement, I experience what is here at the moment, let go of my thoughts, returning to what is here and now. Mindfulness techniques talk about the supports of mindfulness, it can be a breath or a sound. When our thoughts run away, we can focus on one of them to get back to the moment without being overburdened with thoughts. Merely focusing on performing an asana or moving from one position to another can also become a support for mindfulness. The saying, "You cannot enter the same river twice, because it flows all the time", describes the changeability of the moment well, we experience something different all the time, it is worth being aware of it.
Knowing yourself
When we feel difficult during yoga practice, it gives us the opportunity to get to know ourselves, to see what is happening at a given moment and for what reason. We may compare ourselves to someone else, we may get discouraged, we give up or we stutter. With the help of mindfulness, we are able to get to know our mental conditions, the awareness of this makes them no longer able to guide us, this great feeling of freedom.
The text is based on a conversation with Tomasz Zalas, a psychologist, Mindfulness trainer (Mindfulness Association MBLC Trainer), who conducts mindfulness courses and yoga practitioner.
