Every day, I am eternally grateful for my training and practice of SOM (Science of Mind/New Thought). SOM gives language in a Western World to the timeless Universal principles and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in a tangible way that students understand.
Engaging in physical practices demonstrates the mind-body-breath connection with every asana.
When students are wobbling in tree pose, eyes like a deer in the headlights, I often ask: What is in your mind right now? “I’m terrible at balancing” or “I’m afraid I’m going to fall”? Well, you will be right. As students explore their thoughts in the safe laboratory of a yoga class, balance and confidence improve. The human bio-energetic complex makes new neuron-muscular connections. The body realigns in harmony with gravity–Nature. It doesn’t stop there. Yoga practitioners, receiving constant visceral evidence of the mind-body connection, realize that other beliefs and habitual thought patterns are up for grabs, strengthening their ability to set intentions, question, make wise choices and consciously change their lives and world.
When I feel like a victim, when self-esteem is flailing, or I’m overwhelmed by life, I go into Warrior poses and chant “MaHaHa!” Instantly I feel energized, empowered, and confident mentally and physically.
Over the years, I realized that I would never be completely empowered without integrating body, mind and breath. Just prayer treatment or meditation or even walking miles a day or exercising at the gym would never yield the knowledge, wisdom and healthy transformation of yoga practice combined with Science of The Mind and Spirit.
The most important of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (the Classical yogic scripture) is in Book 1, Sutra 2: Yogash chitta vritti nirodaha. The state of yoga is attained when the thought-forms in the mind cease. SOM practitioners know that this is the time when there is a space for intuition, literally, new thoughts to flow. In Christianity, the still small voice…the mind of God.