Steadying the Mind
Steadying the Mind – attention, concentration & focus are three challenges of the mind, especially when we are bombarded by distractions & shiny objects.
It’s no surprise we have accumulated *mind dust* populating our whole body, running interference on our desire for lasting change within.
Change happens within by shifting the mindset from a negativity bias (brain continually scanning for bad news, reacting & overfocusing on it) towards a positive one.
Then learning how to turn off the alarm bell in the brain (amygdala) by cultivating a stronger sense of gratitude, compassion & positive experiences to activate a *cocktail of calm* surge of dopamine, GABA, oxytocin & norepinephrine. (hippocampus)
H O W – Cultivate enjoyable positive experiences, e.g. yin yoga/yoga nidra/restorative yoga (this is a blatant bias towards the slow, meditative styles of yoga)
B R E A T H E – sustain the shape on the mat for a breath and more, feel it in your body, notice sensations, then tend & befriend with a mindful breath, absorb the rich goodness in your posture. By doing this, you are signalling to your brain that this is a meaningful & positive moment, worth overlaying the negative bias. You are also sending the breath along the vagus nerve (through the midline of the body) towards the belly and calming the fright/flight/freeze response.
You might take a short breath in, then extend the exhale breath to stimulate your body into the rest & restore phase of the nervous system.
S T E A D Y I N G – if you notice negative thoughts or sensations arising, focus on the breath, steadying your awareness by riding the breath.
Change is possible in a yin yoga practice by making space for compassionate, grateful mind/body positive experiences. Woven together with breath, safe space & loving-kindness for self. This is the scaffolding by which you deepen into resilience.
Being in a live class with a yoga guide enhances the experience. Suggested is a regular practice of 1 – 2 classes a week to make lasting changes within.
How can I help you with this?
With great love, Carol x
