PATANJALIS ASHTANG YOGA SADHANA
- YAMA (Social Discipline)
- NIYAMA (Individual Discipline)
- ASANA (Body Posture)
- PRANAYAMA (Control and Regulation of Breath and Vital Force “Prana Prana”)
- PRATYAHARA (Discipline of Senses)
- DHARNA (Concentration)
- DHAYANA (Contemplation)
- SAMADHI (Merger Merger-- --Ecstasy)
The Yogic teachings tell us that we harness ultimate control over our minds, even amidst the most distressing physical pain and discomfort. This is reassuring to know, because sometimes too much pain means we feel we are losing control. The effort in practicing Yoga when physical pain is very intense comes in an attempt to gain back a sense of control that has been lost.
The easiest way to still the mind and gain a sense of control is to observe the breath rise and fall. You do not need any experience to do this, you only need to become a witness to the breathing process as it occurs. Watch and witness the breath without getting too involved in the thoughts you are having.
Try this: Come into a seated or lying position where you can gain the most comfort. The process of finding the most comfortable position (the one with the least amount of pain) can itself be a practice in patience. Try not to be in a rush to find the best position as it might take multiple tries.
When you are ready, place one hand on the belly and the other hand on the chest. You may want to close the eyes. Begin to notice the belly and/or the chest moving as the breath goes in and out. Observe the inhalation…then notice the exhalation. Observe the inhalation, the belly and chest move...then the exhalation, the belly and chest move. Do it again. Keep trying to close the eyes. Feel how the hands placed on the belly allows you to draw your awareness to that part of the body.
This is a simple breath awareness exercise, the most accessible form of stilling the mind and the first step in learning how to meditate. Learning to deeply focus the mind brings about a sense of power and serenity. Think about how a damn works. The river gathers power as it becomes more concentrated, until at its most concentrated point, it begins to produce energy. Similarly, as the mind becomes more focused through a continuous effort to observe the breath, we gain a sense of power that brings about conscious control over the mind. Observing the breath leads to feeling more in control, which then gives us control. Anxious and fearful thoughts are transformed into a serene acceptance of things as they are.
