Our minds have a tendency to go on auto drive. Researchers believe that humans have anywhere from 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, most of them being negative. Unconsiously, we tend to repeat the same thoughts over and over again. The unconscious mind makes up the vast majority of our whole brain. Some scientists believe that our unconscious mind is greater than 99% of our brain!
So the question is: Do we control our minds or do our minds control us? Our conscious and unconscious minds are dependent and interdependent on each other. Descartes, father of modern philosophy, said “I think. Therefore, I am.” We are what we think. Or we think we are what we think. So how do we become more conscious of our thought patterns?
Early man had to survive in an eat or be eaten situation. He/she needed to be very aware of any lurking dangers. So the fight or flight mechanism was turned on frequently. The threats were very real back then.
In modern times this fight or flight mechanism is still active but our perceived dangers are typically relatively harmless in terms of will we live or die in the next few moments. Without needing to run or fight, the adrenaline released actually harms our bodies by creating stress – the silent killer.
There is a medical term for the mind/body connection – psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) – that studies the effect of our thoughts on our health and the relationships of the nervous and immune systems of our bodies.
The good news is that our thoughts are not facts and we can practice controlling our thoughts. We have lots of stored memories in our subconscious that are ready to be invited into our conscious everyday thoughts. Because we have been designed to be ready for fight or flight, these negative thoughts have a natural priority.
Practicing yoga is the perfect antidote for unwanted thoughts dominating our conscious mind. Using Pranayama (mindfulness of the breath) and Pratyahara (focusing inward) during our asana practice replaces these negative thought patterns with Dharana (one pointed concentration) on the alignment and actions needed for each asana and the movement between asanas.
Just as important, when we engage wholeheartedly in our yoga practice we are getting to know ourselves at deeper and deeper levels. We can notice how each little movement or change in alignment can create a different feeling. We can explore and appreciate the vast power and mystery of our body.
Dhyana (meditation) is the practice of clearing our minds. Getting rid of the ceaseless chatter without judgement. Being fully present in this moment keeps the conscious mind busy noticing our subtle body. It helps us tap into our intuitive powers by making space for them.
All practice is based on doing something repeatedly. The more often you repeat what you want to learn, the faster it gets programmed into your subconscious mind. We cannot force the unconscious mind to change. It needs to be coaxed with a conscious mind that is open and non-judgemental.
It may seem like you don’t have enough time to meditate or practice yoga, but actually these practices can give you more time in terms of the quality and longevity of your life. Doesn’t it make sense to give some thought to your thoughts?
