This week our Yoga Tales theme is ‘being aware’.
This is one of my favorite themes as we get to explore life through our senses. The senses are the vehicle for awareness.
When we are being aware we are in the present. Our mind becomes settled on what is in front of us at this very moment. In this state there is no past or future, our judgement lessens & the mind becomes ‘one-pointed‘ which is the foundation of any meditative process. When practicing awareness we get a chance to step back from the analytical processes of thought & counter thought. We then begin to develop the ‘witness mind’ where we can begin to see ourselves & behaviours from the perspective of an observer.
Have you ever witnessed anothers behaviour and wondered if they realised how strongly reactive it was? How many times have you wished you could have reacted differently? Practicing mindfulness helps develop the opportunity to pause & assess the situation before you react. With practice, it gives you the ability to choose!!
For the children, if possible, have a play with sensory awareness. Go into the garden, a park or perhaps even the beach. Use different senses and try closing off others like closing eyes as you explore the scent of a flower. Children are naturally the best teachers as they get so engaged by little things that we often miss.
