Good day Yogis! Hope you are finding your mat well. Today's post is going to be about three things you can focus on during yoga class other than your breath. The inspiration for this topic came to me the other day during my practice when I just couldn't stay connected to my breath. I tried concentrated on my breath in the postures, but I felt utterly defeated. My thoughts just wouldn't stop coming. The goal of yoga, if you want to apply one, is to still the constant flow of thoughts (Yoga Sutra 1.2). I found myself bored and far too familiar with my breath during practice. On one hand, I felt like if I couldn't focus on my breath, then I was failing and not staying present. On the other hand, I knew beating myself up about not being able to stay concentrated was completely counterproductive. So the clever little yogi in me, who is in everyone, decided to improvise and focus on some other objects.
Here are the other focus objects if the breath just isn't cutting it:
1). Dristana (dristi) Point: The dristi is a steady point that you focus on with your eyes. Yogi's believe that wherever your eyes are directed, so follows your attention. Here's a really great article by Yoga Journal that goes a little more in depth about the dristi:
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/philosophy/the-eye-of-the-beholder/
The most important thing about finding your dristi point is that it should be a soft gaze; no straining of the muscles in the eyes.
2). Mula Bandha: "Mula" translates to the word "root." "Bandha" translates to the word "lock." This practice is the locking of your root, which is your pelvic floor. To activate mula bandha, squeeze and lift the area that is right between the anus and the genitals. If you've heard of kegel exercises then this won't seem that foreign to you. The difference is that you hold this contraction instead of pulsing the muscles like in kegel exercises. This lock is especially encouraged during standing postures, balance postures, and if trying to activate the first chakra (Muladhara Chakra).
3). Grounding your feet: This focus object really helps me during my topsy turvy standing postures. Sometimes we don't fully appreciate that anytime we are standing, we are balancing. When I'm in a standing posture, and my thoughts start to dominate my practice, I literally cultivate a voice in my head that says, "ok, whatever is happening in here, STOP and go back to your feet. You need a solid foundation in this posture, and you can't have that when you're in your head." I then re-direct my concentration on all the tiny muscles in my foot that are working hard to keep me upright. I also like to concentrate on the feeling of connection to the earth in each individual unit in both of my feet.
Additionally, you can apply breath to all of these focus objects and the combination of the two will definitely help you stay focused. When you apply breath to a part of your body, you're breathing prana (energy) into that space. Moving more into the pranic body helps to propel us into a higher consciousness and helps to navigate us to our truthful, blissful selves. It's a pretty great feeling. But you'll only know if you experience it- so enough computer time. Go try these tips on your mat!
Thanks so much for reading! Please share and comment any thoughts or questions you may have!
Peace.Namaste.
Here are the other focus objects if the breath just isn't cutting it:
1). Dristana (dristi) Point: The dristi is a steady point that you focus on with your eyes. Yogi's believe that wherever your eyes are directed, so follows your attention. Here's a really great article by Yoga Journal that goes a little more in depth about the dristi:
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/philosophy/the-eye-of-the-beholder/
The most important thing about finding your dristi point is that it should be a soft gaze; no straining of the muscles in the eyes.
2). Mula Bandha: "Mula" translates to the word "root." "Bandha" translates to the word "lock." This practice is the locking of your root, which is your pelvic floor. To activate mula bandha, squeeze and lift the area that is right between the anus and the genitals. If you've heard of kegel exercises then this won't seem that foreign to you. The difference is that you hold this contraction instead of pulsing the muscles like in kegel exercises. This lock is especially encouraged during standing postures, balance postures, and if trying to activate the first chakra (Muladhara Chakra).
3). Grounding your feet: This focus object really helps me during my topsy turvy standing postures. Sometimes we don't fully appreciate that anytime we are standing, we are balancing. When I'm in a standing posture, and my thoughts start to dominate my practice, I literally cultivate a voice in my head that says, "ok, whatever is happening in here, STOP and go back to your feet. You need a solid foundation in this posture, and you can't have that when you're in your head." I then re-direct my concentration on all the tiny muscles in my foot that are working hard to keep me upright. I also like to concentrate on the feeling of connection to the earth in each individual unit in both of my feet.
Additionally, you can apply breath to all of these focus objects and the combination of the two will definitely help you stay focused. When you apply breath to a part of your body, you're breathing prana (energy) into that space. Moving more into the pranic body helps to propel us into a higher consciousness and helps to navigate us to our truthful, blissful selves. It's a pretty great feeling. But you'll only know if you experience it- so enough computer time. Go try these tips on your mat!
Thanks so much for reading! Please share and comment any thoughts or questions you may have!
Peace.Namaste.
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