yoga training #6
if you read my last post, you were probably left wondering, what's a monkey mind? well, allow myself to explain....myself. (austin powers anyone? no? ok.)
monkey mind is the state of mind in a yoga practice where you can't quiet your thoughts. it tends to pop up during the relaxation poses and all of us have been guilty of it at one time or another... whether it's at the beginning of class and you're crouched down in child's pose wondering if you've locked the doors and left the iron on, or at the end of class in savasana, when you're positive that everyone in the room can hear the weird noise emitting from your stomach and all you can focus on is the distance to the nearest chipotle.
there are a few things you can do when stuff like this happens, but the most important thing to remember is that quieting the mind is one of the most challenging parts of your practice, so don't get discouraged. everyone around you has mentally gone through their to-do lists, planned their sunday dinners and picked out their outfits for tomorrow. it's ok.
now, the next best thing to remember is to get comfortable. if you are laying down in savasana and the air conditioner has decided to go on auto-pilot, all you will be able to think of is how cold you are. if you are down in pigeon and you feel like your hips are on fire, your mind is going to start racing. so, get comfortable. keep a sweatshirt and socks close for cold classrooms. re-adjust your body if you feel your focus start to wane. it sounds simple, but it works. hopefully these little tips can help calm your monkey mind, but some days will always be a little less focused than others so just embrace it!
*UPDATE* my teacher has a new class on sunday mornings at 10:00 am [woot woot] which was specifically chosen to be our class when our training is over! although my teacher packs a class like brad pitt packs a movie theatre, im hoping some of those peeps will stick around when it comes time for this little yogini to step up...
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