6 Tips To Bring Mindfulness In Your Yoga Practice
It’s time to let go of all preconceived notions you have around what it means to be a person who practices yoga.
Treat your yoga practice like an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your body. Approach each moment with an open mind. Here are some tips to bring mindfulness into your yoga practice.
Practice From A Place of Gratitude
In yoga, gratitude is one of our core practices. Gratitude is the act of expressing thankfulness for a blessing received or received from someone or something. What are some things you can be grateful for?
The first step to practising gratitude is realising what you have already been given. You have your family, friends and pets; your health; a shelter over your head; food on the table—these things are all blessings!
How often do we take these things for granted?
This is where yoga comes in handy: it helps us find balance between feeling overwhelmed by life and taking care of ourselves so that when challenges arise, we're prepared with tools on hand instead of falling apart under pressure.
Don’t Compare Yourself To Anyone
This is a key component of yoga practice philosophy, and it’s something I am still working on, but it’s important to remember. We all have different body types and mindsets, as well as strengths and weaknesses.
We may all be practising the same pose in class, but that doesn’t mean we are doing so at the same level of ability or skill. As soon as you start comparing yourself to others, you begin focusing on their accomplishments instead of your own.
You will then feel like you are not worthy or strong enough because they can do something that takes more courage or strength than what you can do right now—even if this person has been practising yoga for years longer than you have. This mindset will only create unnecessary pressure around your practice that can ultimately lead to anxiety and stress instead of empowerment and confidence.
So don't compare your practice with anyone else's; just focus on being present in each moment with an open heart.
Approach Each Class With An Open Mind
Yoga is a practice that encourages us to keep an open mind and heart. That's what makes it so wonderful, but sometimes we find ourselves in our comfort zones and want to keep things exactly as they are.
This can make it difficult for some people to experience the full benefit of yoga because they're not open to new experiences or ideas. Step outside your comfort zone and step onto your mat with an eagerness to learn.
Forget About How You Look
Make sure that you’re present in the moment.
Be mindful of your own practice.
Be mindful of your own breath.
Be mindful of your own thoughts.
Be mindful of your own body, and how it feels in this particular position. Remember that every body is different, so there isn’t really any way for one person to tell another person what their body should feel like.
Remember that alignment isn’t fixed—it changes over time as we grow older and develop new habits through yoga. Ubuntu Bali is offering an upcoming ashtanga yoga intensive workshop where you can learn about how your body work and how to adjust as your body evolves.
Don’t Think About Working Out, Instead Work Inwards
When you're practising yoga, your mind should be focused on nothing else but the present moment.
If you're thinking about how much time is left in class as you're trying to hold a pose, then you’re missing the point. The flow of movement and breath is important both physically and mentally when it comes to yoga practice.
If your mind wanders while exercising or meditating, don't worry. What matters most when practising yoga or meditation is that once the thought has entered into consciousness (even if only for one second), we acknowledge its presence without judgment and move on without dwelling on what was said or done previously.
Honour The Process
In our society, we tend to fixate on the results of our work and ignore the process that brought us there. We are afraid of failure and therefore become too focused on avoiding it.
But if you are fully present in your practice, it doesn't matter how many times you fall down. All that matters is where you'll land next time—and this time, maybe you'll do better!
Don't be afraid to fail because it's part of a deeper understanding about yourself as a human being—one who is learning and growing every day.
If you can keep this philosophy in mind while practising yoga, you will find that it seeps into other areas of your life. You'll start to notice that the same feelings and thoughts you experience (and overcome) while on your mat are the ones you face in other parts of your life as well.
That's why yoga is such a great way to become calmer and more centered off the mat. If you can approach life with the same dedication and openness as you do a yoga practice, then perhaps someday soon, every day will feel like a good yoga day.
