I recently saw this sign ‘your mind is crazy and tells you lies’ and it made me smile a big grin for how much it rang true. In an ideal world we are the master of our minds but in truth we are but mere slaves. Most of the time our mind does what it wants, when it wants, in the way it wants. Now this is fine if the thoughts and pattern arising are positive and sweet but when our thoughts turn darker or towards negativity it can sometimes feel very challenging to steer the mind in the direction we wish. Which is where intention and our yoga practice come into play.
“The mind can often get stuck in worst-case scenario mode”
Whenever we have a big event coming up whether it be an exam, our wedding day or that big interview we usually feel anxiety and nervousness arising and depending on our history the mind can often get stuck in worst-case-scenario mode where we imagine the many disasters that could go wrong and fixate on they. Unless we take the reins back the mind can go round and round on this loop and leave us dreading our big day.
“Conjure up images you wish to reinforce”
Working with intention and visualisation can be a great way to re-programme our thought patterns. We can decide how we wish our big day to go in our highest ideal and each time we think forward to the event we can conjure up images we wish to reinforce rather than let the mind ran wayward to it’s go-to negative standpoints.
A key to these intentions is the belief that they could turn out as well as we desire and sometimes this means unless we reinforce these positive intentions with some faith they fall short.
“You do have power.”
For me the TED talk by Amy Cuddy about how body language can change the sense of your own power that partly inspired this Big Day series was a big piece of the puzzle. If we work with conscious intention whilst putting the body in a consciously power-inspiring body position we are reinforcing to the mind that we do indeed have power and can feel good whilst setting up a strong intention.
This can be a potent mix to cut through the not so helpful anxious patterns that accompany our big days.
“Close your eyes, adopt a powerful Wonder Woman stance and conjure up positive feelings from inside out.”
So next time you have an important event coming up and notice nerves arising. Close your eyes, take a powerful Wonder Woman stance and conjure up in your minds eye the event going wonderfully until you feel your body respond with positive feelings from the inside out. Anytime you think of the event coming up recreate this in mind and body and enjoy creating new habits to old no longer useful mind patterns.
So whatever your big event is you enjoy it and the run up to it and begin the journey towards being master rather than the slave of the mind.
Fancy a class with Lucy? We thought you would.
Lucy accidentally came across yoga way back when she was an actress on tour around India, doing a Shakespeare play. From the first morning on a rooftop with a yogi called Prakash who spoke little English, she was hooked. To her surprise she kept going back morning after morning. What she loved most was the clarity and calm in her mind after class and how light and bright her body felt. Since that day she has continued to follow her nose and immersing herself deeply in all things yoga. www.lucyogi.com
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