Bring Your Mind to the Mat: 3 Yogic Philosophies to Help You Keep the Peace

Today’s blog post is from guest blogger, Bonnie Schmidt.  You can catch her teaching her kick butt flow class at extendYoga on Mondays and Wednesdays!

Can you remember the last time you felt stressed out?  How about anxious?  What about worried?  If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, guess what?  You’re completely normal!  With more demanding work schedules, never-ending errands and personal obligations it’s no wonder we often can’t remember the last time we felt at peace and totally relaxed.

For those of us that seek refuge on the yoga mat, we know how powerful a regular practice can be.  Our asana practice helps release a lot of tension in our bodies and creates stillness for us in savasana.  But what about those times we can’t break out into down dog?  This is when our mental yoga practice comes in handy!  I am a firm believer that combining a physical yoga practice with a mental one is our key to keeping the [mental] peace and here I’d like to share three yogic philosophies to tap into when you’re feeling frazzled:

Ahimsa- lose the ‘tude!  I bet if you took stock of all the negative thoughts that crossed your mind on a daily basis you’d be shocked.  We often have more negative thoughts than positive ones, and they start from the moment we wake up in the morning.  Instead of mentally beating ourselves up, let’s commit to kindness.  You’re smart!  You’re capable!  And you can do it!  Now you try.  Feelings of anxiety are usually accompanied by our own personal negativity about ourselves.  Turn it around!  Think of how much more of a peaceful place your mind will be when it’s focused on positive thoughts.  Bonus- positivity overload leaves little room for negativity to slip in!

Satya- tell the truth.  Our stress response is triggered just as much by an imagined danger as it is a real danger.  Are you freaking out about an upcoming flight?  A public speaking gig?  Think through your fear and be honest with yourself.  Is what you’re afraid of actually going to cause you bodily harm?  When we begin to see our fears for what they are – thoughts – they lose their power over us.  Because honestly, all that we really become anxious over is just a thought.  The thing we’re stressing about might have not even happened, yet we’re in a state of panic over it.  Being truthful about our anxieties will help us see that most times what we’re stressing about most is an imagined outcome of an upcoming event.

Svadhyaya- The practice of self-study is one of the most powerful philosophies in helping you alleviate anxiety!  Get to know your stressors, or the events and situations that cause you to become stressed and anxious. Begin to understand how your body reacts to stress. Study your thought patterns and behaviors. Know what tends to stress you out and what helps to chill you out.  Become an expert in ‘you!’

So the next time you step into the studio, bring your mind onto the mat too!  You’ll be blissed out in no time.

Bonnie Schmidt is a yoga instructor in the DC area and founder of Anxiety to Zen, a holistic and mindfulness based approach to alleviating stress and anxiety.  She offers classes and workshops that focus on utilizing yogic practices and philosophies to help people alleviate their stress and anxiety.  Having overcome a debilitating anxiety disorder herself many years ago using these exact practices, she knows how important it is to have a healthy outlet and a way to keep the peace!  For more info on Bonnie, her work or her classes and workshops, please visit Anxiety to Zen or connect with her on Facebook