Want to feel confident in meeting life situations with control and a sense of joy? It’s all about the perspective you take. It’s all about the mind. Traditional Yoga has provided me with the perspective changes that have transformed my mind, decreasing my emotional reactions. This is Yoga for the Mind. 

YOGA FOR THE MIND

Traditionally, Yoga is a spiritual path that leads to Self-realization. The main focus of Yoga is actually refining the mind, not creating a more flexible and strong body. Sankhya Yoga, the philosophy from which Patanjali Yoga Sutras was written, states that when we shift from “misidentifying” ourselves as the ever-changing roles and identities we play (Prakriti) and fully understand the essence of who we truly are, which never changes (Purusha), this is Yoga.

The ironic thing is we have to use prakriti (nature of the changing world) to find our way back to purusha (our True Nature). What I mean by this is that how we typically identify as “who I am “ – roles, identities, body, mind, emotions, thoughts, beliefs – all change. Thus, these things are prakriti and not who we are.

Think about the last time you were upset. Why were you upset, honestly? Most likely because of an expectation that didn’t happen, which is a thought. Just because it was your expectation of how the world ‘should’ work, doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen. So, really it was your expectation or perspective that created the reaction of being upset. It was the other person or situation.

Seeing our reactions for what they are…why is this important and how can this help? 

FIND CONTROL

Since thoughts and beliefs change, you can change your perspective. You can do this by taking responsibility for your part and connecting with a view that is more helpful and based in reality. All of this ‘thinking’ is happening in the mind, which is prakriti.  But, it is a more refined aspect of the mind that can help discern what is based in fact and what is based on a story. Slowly, with time and practice, the mind is refined more and more. Over time, this practice of discernment helps to find the way towards the essence of what is always permanent.

A term I learned from my dear teacher, Prasad Rangnekar, simplifies this process: “See all of life as an Experience Giver.”

Another part of Sankhya philosophy is the belief that prakriti exists solely to help purusha (think about this as the soul with in each of us) to realize itself, i.e. Self-realization.  

EXPERIENCE GIVER

Life as an ‘Experience Giver’ is a perspective that every…single…aspect of life is an opportunity for us to learn and grow, leading us back to our True Nature.

• Partner comes home from work grouchy and short. Do you choose to react back? Or do you view them as ‘misidentifying’ with prakriti and with this understanding, meet them with love and compassion?
• Someone cuts you off while driving. Do you choose to yell, speed up, and chase after them in anger? Or do you breathe, acknowledge your fear reaction, realize you don’t know why this person did this and choose to believe they had an emergency or weren’t paying attention. They weren’t doing this personally to harm you.
• You get a health diagnosis. Do you choose to go with “Why me? What did I do to deserve this?” and stay stuck in negativity and depression. Or do you meet yourself with compassion that, yes, this is challenging and scary, then ask and accept help from as many places as possible to face the challenges that lie ahead?

Do you see that we don’t have control over what happens in our life but we do have control over how we meet life, no matter the circumstance? 

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE

Remind yourself what is prakriti and use it to move you towards what is permanent. Find trust and faith that you, at your essence, are purusha. You ‘are,’ with nothing to prove. A perfect being at your core. Even though you don’t know what this really means yet, commit to using all of life’s experiences to move closer and closer to it.

Try it out, ‘Life is an Experience Giver,’ and see what happens.

Find the control, confidence and joy you long for by turning inwards.

Namaste.

Are you in the helping professions? Ready to take control of your life and your mind once and for all? Have you reached the point where you’re willing to do whatever possible to stop the cycle of overwhelm, the ups and downs of your emotional reactions? Watch the FREE Masterclass on the surprising, 3-Step process that has helped myself and the hundreds of women I’ve worked with to create emotional breakthroughs and find a calm mind.