The Yoga rules

By Kate Cunningham

What sets yoga apart from any other form of physical exercise? The breathwork. The breathwork is the key that opens the door to transformation on every level. Through the breathwork, we create the mind/body experience, which brings every part of us into sync, all flowing together. Yoga restores not just the body but the mental, emotional and spiritual states of being as well, all through the use of the breath.

Let's look more closely at this body/mind experience. By "mind" in yoga, we are not talking about our thinking brain. We mean the total consciousness or intelligence within every atom of our being. In yoga, we send the "brain" on a much-deserved vacation and suspend analytical thinking altogether. We do this simply by focusing all of our attention on the breath, one breath at a time. It is not possible to think and to focus on your breath at the same time. But don't take my word for it. Prove it to yourself. Right now. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath, just one deep, slow breath. Good. How do you feel? A little calmer? A little more relaxed? And after just one breath, mind you. Let's do it again, this time for three breaths. Make the breaths as long and deep as you can. Don't hurry them. Ok, close your eyes and go for it.

When we place our attention on the breath to the exclusion of all else, the body automatically begins to relax, creating effortless release of stress and tension. By working consciously with the breath as we do in yoga, we can access a deeply relaxed, expanded, meditative state of being. This can literally be measured in the brain waves, which shift from beta waves, or waking consciousness, to the more relaxed alpha or even theta waves in yoga, which promote automatic stress reduction. Focusing on the breath is, in fact, the simplest form of meditation. In effect, yoga is a moving meditation, which opens us effortlessly to deep transformation on all levels. During one practice, without even trying, we can let go of all kinds of excess emotional and mental "stress-baggage" that piles up inside as a by-product of daily life. As we clear ourselves, pure "prana" the Sanscrit word for "life force", begins to flow through our being and open us up so that new possibilities can emerge.

The challenge for every one of us is just that - to still the endless ramblings of our thinking mind that race relentlessly, even haphazardly from one thought to another. Paradoxically, by quieting ourselves, we improve mental clarity. Listening to a CD on a road trip recently, I was startled to hear that we have over 60,000 thoughts a day and 95% of them were thoughts we had yesterday! Now that gave me pause for thought...hmmm...what exactly do I think about all day...yes, that and oh yes, too, and ohmygod not that again...as I continued the litany, witnessing my own un-harnessed mental process. Alright, then, I'll stop thinking right here and now. So as I ribboned a path through the verdant, rolling hills of northern California, I began a breath in and a breath out with no thoughts at all, placidly observing the black cows speckling the emerald hills, the abundant mighty oaks, the crisp blue sky, so calmly present and connected to it all. Rest assured, it wasn't long before I found myself sucked back into the vortex, wondering whose dinner table those cows might end up on and what was an Angus steak anyway and were these the organic variety and what was a cow's lifespan...and on and on until I became conscious that my momentary serenity had been surreptitiously snatched by no one but me - thief of my own peace of mind! Befuddled and amused, I could only surrender to my own humanity and reaffirm my dedication to shut that little bugger up for good one of these days, although I knew which day that would be - the day I went up in smoke. I took a few more breaths in the moment, gratefully acknowledging the ancients who gifted us with the practice of yoga in the first place to still the noise, soften the shoulders and loosen the brain knots.

Yoga is called a way of life, a practice that becomes internalized over time. Remembering to consciously use the breathwork as a tool in our everyday lives, we can instantly access the same peace, presence and grounding that we find in our practice. As master of our ship, the breath is a trusty compass that can redirect us as we navigate life's inevitable storms. And so, remember your breath the next time you feel the turbulence gathering around you. Remember it and use it, one breath at a time. It could well be the difference between a shipwreck and a successful passage.

Kate Cunningham has worked as a visual artist, singer, songwriter (ASCAP), record producer, businesswoman and teacher of yoga (CYT) and meditation for many years. A published poet and author of many articles, she is currently writing a book on meditation and intuitive development. In addition to her yoga/meditation business, http://www.thebodymindadventure.com she owns and operates Kate Cunningham Company, http://www.katecunninghamcompany.com which manufactures one-of-a-kind, art furniture for the high-end trade. Clients include architectural and design firms, corporations and collectors and she is a vendor for Polo/Ralph Lauren Corp., who sell her unique tree stump tables in their retail stores worldwide.