Yoga for your mind, on and off the mat

Bill Hifschmidt states that "Yoga is said to be a calming practice to help relax your body. It is also used to alleviate pain and tightness, to become more flexible and to become more in control of your body". What most people do not know is that yoga can not only do that but it can do the same to your mind. It gives people the opportunity to explore their mind and how they would respond to certain elements. Yoga can, also, help how you live and respond when off the mat. When you move and position your body into the different positions you are, in essence, creating different small-scale stressful situations. As you hold the position and concentrate your mind on your breathing you can observe the thoughts that run through your head. Eventually, Hufschmidt says, we will be able to notice when our mind creates reactions that are not the ideal first response. Once you reach that point you can then decide between different responses. One of them would be the automatic first response or the second one, one that is probably better, is more a loving or thoughtful response.

I personally agree with Hufschimdt. Yoga is said to be a calming practice to help center your thoughts so that you can think rationally. I am a technically trained ballet dancer so from my few experiences of participating in yoga-like positions I have felt what he is talking about. Even though I have not joined a class I would like to join one to get the full effect of its centering power. I do not really disagree with anything that Hufschmidt said.

Hufschmidt, Bill. "Yoga for your mind, on & off the mat." New Life Journal. BNET, Feb.-Mar. 2004.web. 25, Mar. 2010.