Mind Matters Most

One of the most classic definitions of the word yoga means to yoke, or unite. Specifically, the aim is to unite the mind and body so one feels like a truer and more genuine version of themselves. We strive to attain peace and happiness. We use our breath to do this.  It is the link between our mind and bodies. I was recently asked to write an essay for my 200-hour yoga teacher training on the topic, Mind Matters Most, and have shared it below. Namaste, readers.

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Several common quotes come into mind when I think about this essay topic. “You can do anything you put your mind to,” “Mind over matter,” and “The mind is a terrible thing to waste.”  Sometimes, some things are so true that even popular culture needs to endorse it. 

As I looked further, other notable quotes included, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven,” from John Milton in Paradise Lost. Also, by Martin Luther King Junior, “As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. Psychological freedom, a firm sense of self-esteem, is the most powerful weapon against the long night of physical slavery.”  One of my favorites that I stumbled upon was, “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind,” by Khalil Gibran. The last quote led to me to think of Patanjali’s, “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.” 

Yes, mind matters most.  Other yoga readings have also endorsed this idea. One’s reality is shaped by how one perceives it through the mind.  When our minds are disturbed, or uncalm, the body reacts with sickness, distress, a quickened heart rate, etc.  The beautiful simplicity of yoga is that we can make ourselves happier beings by moving our bodies, breathing, and learning how to calm our minds, how to unclutter our minds so that we may perceive more clearly.

 Mind matters most is a freeing concept for me.  It is empowering. By being present we can access greater peace, joy, and freedom.