Yoga is listening.

Have you ever listened to a song over and over without ever really listening? 


I finally heard these lyrics (have a listen) and it really reminded me of some incredibly thoughtful discussions during Teacher Training on the Yoga Sutras. At the end of our morning meditation the other day, I shared a chapter from a book I'm reading now, The Mirror of Yoga (by Richard Freeman):

All too often, I find myself somewhere other than the here and now. Wondering about what is to come, planning, hoping, anticipating, dreaming, I sometimes find myself so far, far away from the present moment. And then I come back. Sometimes a little disorientated and sometimes very clear about where I am, where I want to go, which ideas and insights I dare to create and how to architect my life so that it oozes greater freedom and fun.


I believe in the power of meditation, the abundance of visualization, the importance of setting intentions AND I believe in "action".

When we can take a moment to pause, to set an intention for a given moment or experience and stand in a clear place with a calm mind, we can better create the results we want. Setting an intention before anything – whether it's embarking on a yoga class (or yoga teacher training!), going on a vacation, giving a presentation at work or envisioning on how you want your daily life to unfold helps  us to organize our thoughts and puts our minds at ease. It's like a meditation in and of itself.

What perspective and point of view do you want to carry into your day or maybe even into a specific circumstance?  What results do you really want?  What do you need to do in order to be fully self-expressed?  Establishing the attitude and intention behind your actions will ensure that your energy and emotions lead you where you want to go.

Mindfulness is indeed an art of paying attention. Paying attention to the "signs" and that little voice in your head that often goes unheard. Being mindful of what your direction is and mastering the art of attention to best guide you there.

What can you do to bring you to the here and now? How do you design your life?

Listen . . .