This world is an intense place these days for sure; we need tools to help us to transcend the stress, worries, and fears going on inside and around us. Tools like becoming more aware of the present moment, learning to observe the mind and our emotions, activating the parasympathetic nervous system to deeply rest, and getting quiet so that we can hear the whispers of the body and spirit deep within. Once we learn these tools, we must commit to consistent practice and to putting ourselves first to show up for our practice and in turn for the people around us.
Presence
We practice becoming aware of the present moment by keeping our breath as our anchor and always returning to it no matter where the mind wanders off too. We can also be aware of the sensations in the body and by all the information being received by our five senses. To practice focusing our loving awareness on ourselves for a whole yoga class, instead of externally with the use of phones and electronics or on the people around us, has the potential to shift our energy and perspective on what’s going on in our day and life. This is why, during yoga, I offer many reminders to come back to the breath and the bodily sensations as we move pose to pose and strengthen our mind-body connections.
We practice learning to observe the mind and our emotions by taking a step back—to become the observer behind the chatter of the mind and the fluctuating emotions. We are not our bodies, our minds, or our emotions. We are the observer of these happenings and we have to remember this. The mind can be a rough place and our emotions can seem to be as turbulent as the seas. To recognize that you are not your mind or emotions gives you the power to come home to your true self, pure loving and conscious awareness.
Breath
We can activate the parasympathetic nervous system by using our calm and focused minds to practice different breath techniques. The breath plays a huge role in telling our nervous system how we are feeling. Long, deep, slow breathing will signal to your body that you are safe and relaxed and allow the parasympathetic system, that rest and digest part of the system, to kick in. Slow and mindful movements of the body also help keep us feeling calm. We have enough stress going on these days and we have to understand that we have the power to shift ourselves from the fight or flight response into the peaceful and calm response.
Calm
If we regularly practice all of these things, we will train ourselves to get deeply quiet internally so we may hear the whispers of the body and spirit. We are so overloaded with external stimulation that most people will go a lifetime without hearing these sweet whispers. The world around us is so loud and moving at a million miles an hour and there are no signs of it slowing down and chilling out anytime soon. Now is the time to rise up. The world will kick us down and we will rise up again and again. The peace we are longing for really isn’t far away. It’s right here. We just need a calm and steady mind and nervous system to let us see that it exists right here right now and let us deeply experience it.
It is my most sincere wish that we can all reclaim our sovereign minds and choose to co-create peaceful, loving, and satisfying lives. I believe a consistent and dedicated practice of yoga and mindfulness can lead us there.
-Samantha Richardson