MIND-BODY PRACTICE: On Progressing Beyond The Body in Yoga Asana
Jolisa Nadine on the mental aspects of yoga:
Daily and devotional practice reveals to a practitioner the realization that the divine never ceases to inspire; you awaken to the fact that you are a living embodiment of divine inspiration... get onto the mat and be with yourself until you realize this. The bravest thing we can do in this practice is be alone with ourselves on the mat.
Sometimes, progress in a posture is beyond physical progress. Aim for mental progress above all else. When you achieve a clear, patient, and steady mind in an āsana (physical posture), the physical progress will surely come. Keep digging... using the breath as your shovel. The breath is the vital link between the body and mind. The breath carries the energy that can move us from physical sensation to mental awareness; we realize this vast field of space beyond the body that we can access and bring into the practice and keep us anchored into the present in a fresh way. Let the breath link together the mind and the body. Keep reaching for a deeper place beneath the surface level of all things- below the endless chatter and crawling thoughts of the mind there is stillness waiting to be discovered and experienced... if even for a moment.