Asana Asana Asana

Today's yoga: Seane Corn Bodies in Motion, Vinyasa Flow Yoga Part II. Note to self: Need to get better at carving out a full hour for morning yoga, not 40 min.

Why would twisting your body up like a balloon animal do anything but make you cry uncle?

Here’s how I think about it.

I have a lot of trouble getting away from the worries that the day creates. I think-think-think-think. Then I think some more. I get classic “monkey brain” – when your thoughts ricochet around your mind, in a continuous chaos that leads nowhere.

BUT….

During yoga practice, I am forced to direct my focus at my body and my body only. To get properly into a pose – say, triconasana, or triangle pose – I have to think about every single part of my body. I have to tighten and elongate dozens of muscles. And then I need to hold that configuration.

It takes every ounce of mental juice to wrangle my muscles – and suddenly, I’ve forgotten everything else and find a state of grace.

Hello mental RELIEF. Once I’ve had an hour or so of asana, my brain finally gets to the point where shivasana – the resting meditation that caps a yoga session – is possible. My brain, finally freed of having to rally my muscles, just… floats.

That’s right, folks: Yoga is the ancient, time-honored Idiots Guide to Meditation, designed by some smart bendy Indians to get the befuddled human brain into a clearer, quieter state.

And it works.