The art of mindfulness

Don't your just LOVE the snow?! I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get hit with some serious, stay at home (and not just for a dusting) weather. This last storm, along with a bug that has made its way around my household, allowed me a little more down time. Since my physical yoga practice was on hold I decided to do "mental yoga" by browsing through B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on Yoga, a comprehensive manual on the philosophy and practice of yoga.

There were a few yoga asanas (postures) that I wanted to explore on a deeper level once I got better. This day I decided to actually read the forward and introduction. I've had the book for years and, as with most of my books, was too excited about the book to read the introduction. I came across a Sanskrit saying - mana eva manushyanam karanam bhandha mokshayaho (yes, definitely a tounge twister!). The saying translates "as the mind, so the man; bondage or liberation are in your mind. If you feel bound, you are bound. If you feel liberated, you are liberated."

For several moments I sat in silence trying to figure out what that meant to me. Sitting on my bed surrounded by tissues I realized that my current state of health began in my mind. My daughter, who normally cartwheels after every two steps, was totally zapped and didn't want to do anything but sleep and drink water. I looked at how she was affected and in the back of my mind knew that if she was down for the count I'd better get ready to follow suit. Have you ever been around someone who was sick and immediately thought "oh no, now I am going to get sick"? You sit back and wait for it to come. And then lo and behold you wind up getting sick!

This can be true to many other situations that we first play out in our mind. When we think of the worse case scenario we are putting ourselves through mental anguish so that we'll be prepared for whatever happens.

If that is the case (and it truly is) then why not think of the best case scenario and whatever happens, happens? We have the power to create our own realities and it begins in our mind. If you want happiness, joy, love or freedom create it first with your thoughts.