Scott Lamps Yoga
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact

One-Pointed Mind In the Postures

7/29/2014

0 Comments

 

One of the highest goals of yoga is the one-pointed mind - a mind that is quiet and undistracted, focused unmovingly on one thing. A one-pointed mind can filter the important information from the useless and is capable of great concentration and therefore great perceptiveness.

When practicing postures, a one-pointed mind can be elusive. The body has so many parts, each of which is flexing or extending uniquely, not to mention the breath and the movement between the postures.

The complexity of the physical practice makes it easy for the mind to be distracted and many-pointed. What is my foot doing? Is my leg straight? Is my spine correct? Is my breathing deep? Are my muscles tired or stretching? But we have the ability to make the mind one-pointed, even amidst such diverse bodily movements.

To do this, we need to practice the postures with intention and attention to detail. Much of our practice must be focused on the physical mechanics of the body - what limb is doing what, what muscle and what breath. We must practice with this detail often so that the postures become ingrained in our bodies.

When the postures are ingrained at least somewhat, we can begin to remove the mind from the execution of the posture. The body will do what it knows how to do and the mind can be still.

The mind becomes free to focus or meditate or be completely empty. Just don't let the mind wander or become distracted as that will defeat much of the purpose of the practice.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    This journal honors my ongoing experience with the practice, study and teaching of yoga.

    My Favorites

    - Lessons From Tony
    - Lessons From Tony, 
    Part 2

    - This Complete Stillness
    - Truth Is a Pathless Land

    Popular Posts

    1) Sridaiva Yoga: Good Intention But Imbalanced
    2) Understanding Chair Posture
    2) Why I Don't Use Sanskrit or Say Namaste
    3) The Meaningless Drudgery of Physical Yoga
    5) Beyond Bikram: Why This Is a Great Time For Ghosh Yoga

    Categories

    All
    Community
    Ghosh Study In India
    History & Theory
    Kolkata
    Meditation
    Physical Science (Anatomy/Mechanics Etc)
    Postures
    Practice
    Pranayama
    Pratyahara
    Spirituality
    Sun Salute
    Teaching
    The Mind
    Tony Sanchez Advanced Practice

    Archives

    November 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

©2016 by Scott Lamps. Madison, WI. All rights reserved.
Classes | Journal | About | Contact
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact