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Yoga Tools You Can Use Right Now!

As I sat on my front porch steps last Monday after a torrential downpour, I reflected on my horrible day. On top of everything going on, the Hot Studio in Del Ray had flooded through the roof, we found out we would not receive the funding we were counting on, and we received criticism from a client over email. It was a bad day...I was having a moment. Then, Caroline called. Caroline (I call her triple threat) teaches Pilates and yoga at Mind the Mat. She is also the director of Mind the Mat's 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. What she said to me in that moment soothed me like nothing else could.She said, “right now, people need yoga more than ever.” In that low moment, I needed to hear something hopeful. I asked her to write a post fleshing out what she had just said. Spoiler alert...yoga is not just breathing and stretching, it’s much, much, much more. Here’s what Caroline had to say... 

 Yoga is an empowering practice with practical tools for navigating life's inevitable challenges. I am not just talking about physical postures on a sticky mat, which is a small slice of the yoga pie. Personally, it is a consistent practice with all of the tools of yoga (not just postures on my mat) that make me stronger and more equipped to face change and challenge. These tools can support anyone facing difficult times to build physical immunity, develop emotional resilience, and envision and create a more abundant life.Yogic philosophy outlines eight practical tools to work with. Working with all of these tools is key. The goal of yoga is to calm the monkey mind that goes all over the place in every possible direction, without focus. It frightens us, paints the worst scenarios, asks us to believe the worst about ourselves, others and life, and at times leads us astray. When the mind is calm, we gain a sense of clarity and can respond from a wiser, more creative place within. The results are well worth the time put in to the practice! 

What are the eight tools and how do they work? 

The first two tools are basically about being a good person. Wow, imagine that! 

 Caroline Deitch teaching yoga

 

The first tool is RESTRAINT. From what?

1.) Violence in action and in speech2.) Non-truthfulness3.) Non-stealing4.) Wasting energy5.) Greed 

The second tool is COMMITMENT. To what?

1.) Purity2.) Contentment3.) Self-discipline4.) Self-inquiry5.) Surrender to a source of wisdom higher than ourselves 

The third tool is MOVEMENT. What kind?

Yoga poses that create strength and flexibility in our bodies to prepare us to sit in meditation. Movement is a practice, not a performance. We get to mess up, fall down, struggle to find grace, get back up, and begin again. It's a lot like life! 

Caroline and her daughter practicing yoga

 

The fourth tool is BREATH WORK. What kind?

Start by observing the natural breath and then applying specific techniques (Your yoga teacher can share many with you. Just ask!) to attain a desired result. Breath work is the tool that gives us an opportunity to calm the mind. Conscious breath is the link between the brain and body. 

The fifth tool is REGULATION. How?

Start by noticing physical sensations, thoughts, or emotions without reacting to them and allowing them to dictate your actions. For example, if your ten-year-old comes through the front door yelling, try to breathe, wait, and not react until your nervous system has a moment to calm. Break work is one of the most important tools to help regulate the nervous system. These days, we take in a lot of stimuli from our external world and from technology, so it is absolutely essential to our wellbeing to work with this tool. Take a two-minute break once every hour. Find a quiet spot. Close and rest your eyes (especially if you are looking at a screen all day), sit with your seat or feet rooted on the floor. Allow your breathing to be long, slow, and smooth. Breath in through your nose and out through your nose. Take these few moments to let your senses recalibrate and regulate. 

The sixth tool is FOCUS. How?

Our world has come to prioritize complexity over simplicity and multi-tasking over mono-tasking. The brain can do some amazing things, but it doesn't work optimally when it is overloaded. The yoga mat is a great spot to work on focusing because you’ve already set boundaries. Sit on your mat and focus on your breath coming in through your nose and out through your nose. By giving your brain a very specific task, it will begin to calm. When you notice that your attention has drifted away from the breath, guide your attention back to the breath. Do this over and over. 

The seventh tool is MEDITATION. How?

In the process of focusing on your breath as described above you will notice a sense of freedom or space between you and your physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings. As you continuously guide your attention back to the breath that sense of freedom and space will continue to expand until you realize that you are not your sensations, thoughts, or feelings, but that you can observe them from a calm and centered place. 

Mind the Mat Co-owner Sara VanderGoot in a Meditation Seat

 

The eighth tool is INTEGRATION. How? 

When you can allow your body, mind, and emotions to flow without fear, without a need to deny or cling to any feeling or thought, you have achieved "yoga." Yoga means "integration." It is when we become a compassionate witness to ourselves without judging or needing to change anything about ourselves. It is then that "flow" and true transformation can occur. We just have to get out of our own way and return to who we truly are!Whether you're just starting or you’re continuing your yoga practice, please know that it is a worthwhile endeavor. I am proud to be a part of the community at Mind the Mat because it's a place for everyone and there is a practice for everyone. The practice of yoga is unique to the individual, but in practicing together we can support each other and fortify our connectedness. We are one! 

 

A few ways we're here to support you:

1.) Join us for our weekly Live Stream Yoga & Meditation Classes. This includes our New Program: Morning Meditation Series, offered daily M-F. It's 15 minutes of meditation at 9am on our Mind the Mat Pilates & Yoga Facebook Page in the Group "Yoga Live - Del Ray" with Mind the Mat's experienced yoga instructors. It's an opportunity to put the tools above to practice and to stay connected to a joyful community during this challenging time. If you would like to join, sign up on our Mind the Mat Scheduler and then join us live on Facebook. This includes our Hot Yoga Classes too. Put on your space heaters y’all!2.) How to Join?

3.) Transform Your Life! In our Mind the Mat 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program we dig deep into the eight tools of a well-rounded yoga practice and explore your personal relationship to these transformative tools. The next Mind the Mat 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Program runs from September 2020 through February 2021. If you are curious about teacher training, whether you are just interested in deepening your practice or becoming a teacher, please attend one of our Virtual Q&A Sessions to learn more:

  

Teacher Training Graduation February 2020