The Yoga rules

By Paul Jerard

Organizing the mind is just one of the many wonderful benefits of Yoga practice. Long-term students, of Yoga, manage to get the most out of each day, but is there a "system" to it? Yes, there is, and it requires clear thinking to determine a constructive course for the following day. Let's look a little bit closer at Yoga's approach to daily life.

Have you ever awaken to a sluggish day? For some people, this is a continuous cycle in life. Their minds might be "jump started" by caffeine, but they do not have a clear plan for the day or their lives. Let's take two constructive steps toward clarity of mind.

One way to get the most out of your morning is to plan it the night before. Many of us stay up too late and fall asleep from exhaustion. While this is quite effective, it tends to leave us with a sleep deficit. Sleep deficits leave us in a foggy frame of mind, in the morning, and throughout life.

1. Write a list of projects for the following day and try to sort them by time lines.

By writing a "to do list" the night before, we organize the upcoming day, but we also let our mind do its job at night. We sleep, but the mind does not rest. By writing your tasks ahead of time, and leaving it in a place where we will refer to it in the morning, we have put the wheels of the mind in motion.

You do not need to worry about the following day. You can sleep in peace, so why not go to bed an hour earlier. As you sleep, you are free from the bondage of worry.

Even though your conscious mind might not remember each task, your sub-conscious mind has a crystal clear view of what you have written. While you sleep, your mind will sort, file, and organize the day ahead. This leads to the second step.

2. Be productive during the morning hours.

You may naturally begin to rise a little earlier and easier in the morning. If you begin to do this with regularity, and wake up feeling rested, you could set your alarm 30 to 60 minutes earlier.

When you wake up earlier, you will have time to go for a walk, read, meditate, practice pranayama, or something constructive, which sets the tone for the day and exercises the mind at the same time.

This second step is not to encourage you to "short change" your sleep patterns. When you naturally wake up early, it will be easier for you to have time for yourself. When one feels rested, and attains mental clarity, it is much easier to find true happiness.

ฉ Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html