Photo of Andrew Gurvey by Chris Miel
By Pam Udell
Losing your balance on the mat is an opportunity to explore yourself and how you respond to life’s imbalances off the mat. What happens to your body and mind when you lose your balance? Well, that depends on how you react. If you can slow your thoughts and practice calming your mind and body even half of the time, you are ahead of the game. Here are five steps to help you get to know yourself better and improve your physical balance. Each requires you to stay present.
Five steps to explore your mind and improve your balance
1) Observe your reactions. How do you respond when you fall out of a pose, or when class doesn’t go the way you expected? Studies have shown that our thoughts affect our brain waves, including the beta wave associated with stress and the alpha wave linked to relaxation and calm. Try to become aware of your thought response and create a more serene environment.
2) Breathe. Slow down and deepen your breath. This will lower your blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and decrease your heart rate. Focusing on your breath can help you connect with yourself and improve your balance inside and out.
3) Find a drishti (focal point). This may help you to slow down your thoughts and increase concentration.
4) Redirect your thoughts. Just as you strengthen your heart with cardiovascular exercise, you can train your mind to think more positively.
5) Feel whatever is touching the earth. Whether on or off your mat, use the sensation to ground down and let everything else oppose the action of whatever is rooting down. Find freedom in your body.
If we stop and think before we react, we can steady our minds and our bodies. Just stay present and all will be upright.
Yoga teacher Pam Udell is passionate about the study of yoga and anatomy and strives to help her students prevent injuries in their practice.
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