What is being mindful ? There are a lot of parts to mindfulness but one big one is - to be present in the moment.  (Feel free to return to the August Newsletter - HERE  and rejoin us back here if you have not already read it or need a refresh)

Acknowledging how important it is to be present is easy ?  But continuing to live in the present is much harder. Having to constantly use this perfect moment - the now in the most beneficial way and to do that again and again becomes overwhelming very quickly.  Overwhelming and impossible to sustain and also that is not the real intention of being present. The idea is to feel personal enhancement not extra stress. 

Being present is accepting what we can control. Acknowledging that all of the things in the future or in our past are out of our control. Being present means we can let that worry go. Yoga can help us, because by definition - Yoga is the turning inward. 

But just a moment before we move on.  Let's break down the words turning inwards and what it means to you. 

If you read the words alone and not in the context of yoga would  turning inward create a good or bad scenario in your mind ?  The words may have triggered thoughts of someone turning away, maybe becoming introverted, or not facing things we should, turning away instead of dealing with them. Maybe we think of someone else we have experienced doing this maybe it is our own experience. 

In our yoga practice the words turning inwards are reframed them to mean becoming centered. What better way to stay in the moment than to check in with where you are right now than to do an internal scan? To become aware of our body and mind so we can better serve ourselves and others. Using our yoga practice we can bring some calm and center back into our world. 

This is the difference - in yoga the words the turning inwards is not turning away it is not avoidance it is becoming centered. How does that sound to you now ? For me, in the context of yoga I now see someone turning inwards as being someone calm, focused, in control, grounded - centered. Do you feel the same ? 

Mindfulness - a new word in many ways; word which has become trendy, a high school class a podcast favorite, is actually skill that yogis have been practicing for many centuries. Being present and centered is pivotal to our yoga practice. Mindfulness is a practice not a skill one which it needs to be practiced. How do we do this ? Try this month to find some time to practice. The guide below may help you.