How to Calm the Mind With Internal Yoga

In this frazzled, instant messaging, cellphone, high stress life most of us live, it's good to have some techniques for calming the mind. Internal yoga was designed for the Western lifestyle and can help practitioners achieve greater mind/body balance. Follow these easy steps and learn how to calm your mind with internal yoga.

Things You'll Need

• Loose and comfortable clothing
• A mat or a carpeted area
• Relaxing music, if you choose
• Candles, if desired

Instructions

1. Set the stage. Change into your comfortable clothing and if you're choosing to use music, turn it on. Make sure that it has a slow tempo and no lyrics. Gentle classical music can be very relaxing, as can meditation music and nature sounds. If you're using candles, light them. Take your time with this first step. The ritual of changing clothing, putting on music and lighting candles is part of the unwinding process. As you do these things, be sure and stay mindfully aware and resist the temptation to think about your day.

2. Deep breathing. Sitting on your mat or carpeted area, take five deep breaths. With each inhalation, hold the breath until you can feel your lungs. Don't hold so long that it hurts, of course, but hold each breath long enough to feel the stress coming out of your body and into your lungs.

3. 

   Act like a child. Slowly get into the "Child's Pose." This pose is illustrated in the picture. If you can't comfortably do this, you can modify it by placing some pillows on the ground in front of you and placing your arms on the pillows instead of the ground. The Child's Pose is supposed to allow for free breathing and if you're constricted in any way, you can come out of the pose for a bit. If this is still uncomfortable for you, you can stay sitting or lie down flat on the ground.

4. Melt away the tension. While in your relaxing pose, begin to use some visualization techniques to calm your mind. Here are some suggestions: Imagine that you are standing at a dock. There is a large trash barge there. Imagine yourself emptying each of your worries and concerns onto the barge. Take your time and visualize each thing being dumped onto the floating barge. Then, see the barge leaving the dock and going away down a river. See it getting smaller and smaller until you can no longer see it. Feel the sense of relaxation as the stress has gone, floating down the river.Imagine you are flying, or on a magic carpet. Feel yourself rising high above the room you are in. As you see yourself rising, realize that all of your stresses, concerns, and worries are below you. Your spirit is light as you soar above your daily worries.Visualize yourself swimming in a clear, warm pool. You glide through the water with ease, and appreciate the silence. Your mind is quiet as you imagine swimming in this endless blue water.

5. Come back soon. After 15 minutes or so, slowly become aware of your environment again. Come out of the Child's Pose, or whatever pose you were using. Sit up, and take five more deep breaths. Either in your mind or aloud, say, "My mind is centered and calm."

Tips & Warnings

• Only engage in the stretches that feel comfortable to you. If you have been told by a doctor or chiropractor that you should not do yoga, then only do the visualization part of this practice.