Settling the mind, body and breath

This week in class we've been exploring how when we settle our mind on our body and our breath we are coming to the present moment. This is because the body and breath can only be in the present moment.

Ancient Yoga text The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Alistair Shearer 1982) say in the first sutra:

1:3 When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded consciousness

1:4 Our essential nature is usually overshadowed by the activity of the mind

Yoga teacher Michael Stone states “Yoga Psychology sees the mind and breath as bound together in the frame of the human body. There is no mind without breath, no stillness in the body without stillness in the mind, and no stillness in the mind without settled breath.”

When we pay attention to our breath and body in our yoga practice (or at any time in our daily activities), we become more aware of the present moment and what is already there beneath the activity of the mind – and what is there? Calm, peace, inner stillness, happiness - our essential nature.

So take a moment to stop, feel into your body, feel your breath and be present ❤️🧘‍♀️🙏