Using the mind/body connection

Whirling. Dazed. Unnerved. Busy moments in our day leave us feeling like our thoughts have nowhere to land. Anyone else find yourself longingly looking at the clock to see how close it is to sofa time?!

But, finding a place to rest may be closer than we think. When we comfort a baby, we rock back and forth. An upset child will often swing on a swing or just start running. We seem to instinctively know that our physical body is the gateway to calming the mind. The body-mind connection is one of the most well-researched areas of yoga.

So how can we access this “secret sauce” during our busy day? Try going into a small space (like a bathroom) and doing one physical movement. Bend forward and feel your belly breathe in and out against your leg. Or stand on one foot, feeling the solid earth beneath your shoe. Or inhale twist right, exhale twist left, focusing on the feel of your twisting waist. Think only of that one body part for a few minutes.

In other words, give your whirling thoughts a place in which to rest. After a few minutes, the mind begins to… well…rest! Rest doesn’t have to be an end-of-day finish line. Rest is right there, just waiting to be accessed whenever we are in need.

So, don’t wait until bedtime. Don’t just power through. Go ahead. Find a place in which to rest.

Unit next time,

Laura