Yoga and the Alignment of Mind by Kristine Kaoverii Weber, MA, LMBT, RYT Yoga Instructor, Shiatsu Practitioner And Author I took my first yoga class when I was 11. My social studies teacher started a yoga club during last period once a week and a bunch of my girlfriends decided we'd do it together. We giggled at each other as we tried to create cat, bird and snake shapes with our bodies. We stuck our tongues out, rolled around on our backs, stuck our butts up in the air. It was funny, but it felt good. My favorite part of club was when we got to lie on our backs and relax at the end. It gave me a sense that there was something deeper to life, something special and quiet and peaceful within me. Twenty-six years later I still find that my strongest desire in doing yoga is to return to the sacred, receptive place within that is quiet, peaceful and nurturing no matter what is going on in my external life. I think because I was so attracted to this space, I sought out a meditation practice as a young adult. Meditation became, and still is, my strongest yoga practice. However, asanas, or yoga postures, are a beautiful and necessary complement to a meditation practices. There are times in life when practicing yoga in an active sweaty style feels good and furthers a feeling of accomplishment. But yoga practice can also be a quiet refuge from a hectic schedule and a place to reconnect with yourself. Slowing down the pace at which you do asanas can give you time to allow your body to reveal any messages it has for you and allow the conscious, positive intentions of your mind to flow into your body. I have found that while doing asanas, lining up the mind is as important as lining up the body. In yogic philosophy, the body is considered to be the coarsest layer of the mind. The mind and body are not separate, rather the body is a manifestation of the mind. So making sure you are present in your body and your mind and affirming your practice is as important as making sure that your tailbone is tucked and your shoulders are open. You can affirm your yoga asana practice by noticing the positive effects of certain poses on your body/mind and developing statements to reinforce those feelings. For example in triangle pose where one hand reaches down as the other soars into the air, you might think to yourself: "I am striving for something more while at the same time accepting all that life gives me." An affirmation such as this allows your body, the outermost layer of your mind, to integrate the verbal, cognitive hopes and desires of a deeper aspect of yourself. Child's pose is a wonderful place for connecting to a feeling of letting go. In India, this pose is also called "Pranam" which is the body position for paying deepest salutations to a revered teacher. By placing the palms together out in front of the body and sinking into child's pose, we can affirm, "I let go of expectations and surrender to the deepest wisdom that lies within me. I salute that which is infinite and unconditionally loving." In order to find deeper expression in your yoga asana practice, it helps to understand that almost every yoga posture contains mudras which give the pose a subtle meaning. "Mudra" is a Sanskrit word that can be defined as "gesture" or "attitude." A mudra may involve the whole body, or it may simply be a hand gesture. In either case, mudra helps to align us with deeper pranic (energetic) flows in the body/mind and connect to the source from which they come. When we tap into this source, yoga becomes much more than physical exercise, it becomes an affirmation of life and a spiritual practice. When the arms are stretched up over the head as in urdva hastasana (standing tall with your arms stretched straight up and palms facing each other), the upper body creates a mudra of celebration, surrender and receptivity to the divine. A softer version of this position (arms are held straight out at an upward angle and the body is softly swayed as the legs step side to side) has been used traditionally in India for singing kiirtan, a kind of devotional, ecstatic chanting. Raising the arms up over the head is also used at your local soccer field by kids and parents alike to celebrate victory and joy. In fact, human beings instinctively know that all postures that reach the arms up over the head can create this feeling in the body/mind. An affirmation for urdva hastasana could be: "I celebrate the joy of being alive. I share this joy with all living beings." The names of some of the poses can give us insight into their mudric qualities. The warrior series, three different strong standing poses, are deeply imbued with strength and gracefulness. They can help us develop steadiness of mind and create focus and willpower. An affirmation for the warrior poses might be, "I am strong and determined. I can accomplish anything. I will use my strength for the welfare of all." One of my favorite poses for affirming the feminine is the wide-legged or "earthmother" squat. The feet are splayed out and planted and the knees are wide apart in this squat. The hands can come together in prayer mudra in front of the chest or press themselves to the earth. This is a traditional birthing pose which opens the hips and groin, boosts the circulation of prana (life-force energy) and is beneficial to the digestive system. It's also a lot easier on most female bodies than the classical yogic knees together squat. An affirmation for this pose could be, "I pay my respects to the earth. I connect to the source of all life. I honor the universal Mother." These affirmations are by no means definitive, they are a starting point from which you can create your own positive statements to affirm your yoga asana practice. The goal of yoga is to bring together your external self and the deepest infinite part of yourself. Asanas are one step in that process. Asana affirmations can help you align your body with the eternal wisdom within. Kristine Kaoverii Weber, MA, LMBT, RYT lives and teaches yoga in Asheville. In addition to her 6th grade social studies teacher, she has studied with many other yogis and yogiinis in India and the U.S. She enjoys weaving the ancient philosophy of yoga into her classes to help students realize their physical, mental/emotional and spiritual potential through a comprehensive understanding and experience of the yogic path. Visit her website at www.subtleyoga.com RETURN TO OMPLACE HOME