Lack of focus during yoga

many a times we face this kind of a sitiation. As soon as we begin yoga, we begin thinking of a host of things like about your office tensions, your family tensions. As soon as you realise this, you pledge to stay focussed this time. But again the thoughts return. How do you people stay focussed during yoga. You can follow me on Twitter. My handle is divinewellness1

breathe through your nose only and focus only on your breathing…think of all your stress being released when you breathe out and puritity entering your body when breathing in…trust me this works for me and I have A.D.D. :confused:

Thanks a lot for the suggestion yogatatryit. I will try to use that thing in my yoga session tomorrow.

So hard to calm the monkey mind some days. I suggest a short meditation first (if you can focus on that).

Best of luck!

Hello Barbara,

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali outlines ashtanga yoga, the eight limbs or elements of the Yoga in this text. Those limbs include dharana (focus or concentration) however it is preceded by yamas, niyamas, asana, and pranayama.

The outlined path is a progressive path. It is for this reason that students of yoga are well advised to learn yama and niyama first as a foundation. These things set the table for the practice of asana, which sets the table for the practice of pranayama which sets the table for the practice of concentration.

When we leap-frog over the foundations, we build a structure upon something that cannot likely bear the weight resting upon it. Subsequently things collapse and erode, and fall apart.

To summate, the practice of concentration grows out of the living of yama and niyama, out of the sound teaching of asana, out of the safe and effective use of pranayama. Without those things, a mastery of dharana would be incredibly challenging, if not impossible.

Whatever you do :
PRACTICE MAKES IT PERFECT:) keep working on it! It will come one day…

also try to practice with the eyes closed

Hi!
I teach face yoga & combine the session with the face toning exercise & visualization. Think of the muscles you are working with, then imagine the energy flowing into each muscle, the golden light, the warmth & joy and finally visualize the effect the yoga position will result in : physically tone and mentally relax you.

minal
aiyanawellness.com

when you realize you are not focusing, let go of that. No point in focusing on not focusing. and instead of pledging to stay focused, just go back to focus.

When my mind is particularly restless I like to spend more time moving in and out of poses with my breath- like Cat/Cow and a couple other “warm up” moves I’ve done in classes where you inhale doing one motion and exhale doing another (and not holding the poses for a length of breaths because my mind can wonder).

I also do this with my eyes closed so I can better focus. If I spend a good amount of time doing this (20 minutes or so) I find the rest of my practice is much more focused and I can hold poses without my mind wondering off too much.

True what you say "when you realize you are not focusing, let go of that. No point in focusing on not focusing. and instead of pledging to stay focused, just go back to focus. "

It’s basically watch the cloud float!

hi db.

i find that visualising the posture (or change in posture) as you do the asanas really helps to focus your mind on what is at hand.

I try and visualise the changes in my skeleton as it goes through the motions of my sun salutations… it really helps me to focus on areas where i am holding tension.
when holding an asana, i concentrate on breathing, but then focus on drawing light into my body… golden light, white light… coloured light… you take your pick.
as i breathe in, i imagine my body (in the specific asana) growing in intensity from black to the chosen colour. when i breathe out i imagine that im breathing out all of the black…

hope that helps to keep you focuessed
cheers
y-p

Nice suggestion Pheonix