Citta Simple

Question 1

Intention

Answer 1

Today we are going to find some space from our mind chatter. Some space from that internal dialogue that always seems to be in motion.

Question 2

You are not the voice

Answer 2

“There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind - you are the one who hears it.”

― Michael A. Singer, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

Question 3

Intro - child’s pose

Answer 3

Shut your eyes as you start to relax.
Allow your breathing to discover its own natural, unhurried pace.
As you hear the chattering of your mind, let the ideas and thoughts float away without attachment.
Reassure yourself, that it will be ok to stop thinking for these moments.
Let go of tension as your body and mind unite and we move into our yoga practice

Question 4

Savasana

Answer 4

Shut your eyes as you start to relax.
Allow your breathing to discover its own natural, unhurried pace.
As you hear the chattering of your mind, let the ideas and thoughts float away without attachment.
Reassure yourself, that it will be ok to stop thinking for these moments.
Let go of tension as your body falls into a state of peaceful quiet, into savasana.

Question 5

Mind might be busy

Answer 5

Your vtrri/ your thoughts might be busy today
Maybe anxiously focused on your to do list, a big day ahead
Maybe they are focused on your form in this pose and comparing your form to a previous practice
Or you might be like me this week – trying to fit a zillion things and people in and my mind going a million miles an hour

Question 6

Bring some lightness

Answer 6

Sometimes when my mind is very busy. I bring some lightness to my situation by remembering that the Buddhists think of our mind as a monkey. Imagine each of your thoughts as a branch, and your mind, is a monkey, swinging from thought-branch to thought-branch. We want to find ways to calm our monkey-mind

Question 7

End class

Answer 7

Hands to third eye (to represent the mind, the chatter of thoughts), hands to heart centre (representing the integration between the head and the heart), slowing down
Reminding you to stay in the present, stay in your body

Question 8

Return to the breath

Answer 8

Return to the breath
Slowing down
Recognising that in this challenge, in this moment of discomfort you are building internal strength
When you feel challenged, when your mind chatter grows louder, breathe and come back to being the witness, recognising that you have the strength to move through the challenge