Brain's not vacating during yoga

mommasamfa
mommasamfa Posts: 87 Member
edited September 24 in Fitness and Exercise
Help!! I am having so many problems truly relaxing and enjoying yoga. I just stop doing it about 10 minutes in because I can't stop thinking of EVERYTHING. I have to do it late at night, because I wake up with my daughter and have to get her ready then head out to work. I just want to be able to truly think of nothing but my breathing and I can't focus on it. I think of what's going on in my life which generally leaves me tense. Any suggestions? I've tried color therapy breathing, "ohm"ing, doing it with music, doing it without music, doing it in the dark, doing it in my living room, my bedroom. I'm stuck!!

Replies

  • mixmastermolly
    mixmastermolly Posts: 272
    Maybe try relaxing before doing it. Not too much or you won't feel motivated to get back up and do it. But after you get your daughter to bed sit down with a hot cup of tea. Chill out and take some deep breaths that way before even doing yoga.
  • khillman77
    khillman77 Posts: 66
    lol I have the same problem.. I find myself praying while meditating.. In fact I just left yoga an hour ago
  • shanolap
    shanolap Posts: 1,204 Member
    Are you doing a specific yoga dvd? Have you set your "space" up?
  • BrianJLamb
    BrianJLamb Posts: 239 Member
    How focused are you on your breathing? I know that for me, I really really concentrate on the breaths. Not just for the beginning of each breath, but the breath for its entirety. Focus on pushing it with your diaphragm, up through your throat, and out through your nose, and then in the same way.

    I think if you can put 10 minutes aside, just to perfect that, without the distraction of doing the yoga, you will sink into the breathing. The extra oxygen will get to where it needs to go and you will naturally just relax and loosen up. Do that for a couple of days, here and there, and then try to go back to your yoga, once you have the breathing perfected.
  • annalisasoren
    annalisasoren Posts: 6 Member
    Hey there thats a pretty normal thing to experience, My teachers have told me don't worry about it, when you realize it is happening just refocus on your breathing and the pose and continue, and when/if it happens again just rinse and repeat, with practice it will probably happen less as time goes by but we all have "those" days!
    Try not to judge yourself too harshly, just let your brain know "we can come back to this when my time on the mat is over" and give yourself permission to relax
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    I can't clear my mind very well without a yoga DVD telling me what to think. I really concentrate on the lengths of my breaths when I'm meditating.

    If you can't avoid thinking, try breathing "out" the bad stresses and breathing "in" the good aspects of your life, like mantras. I also focus on softening my face.
  • mjd0109
    mjd0109 Posts: 152
    I took a class in college called "stress reduction through movement" and the professor told us to do deep breathing and imagine a blue light over your body. Start at your feet, relax your feet complete and let the light travel up your body by slowly relaxing each and every muscle until you reach the crown of your head.

    It gives you something in the moment to think about and helps with relaxation and takes practice! Soon you'll be able to just wipe your mind clean and relax.
  • Caper88
    Caper88 Posts: 418 Member
    I have the same problem. Everyone has been suggesting to do yoga in order to relax but I find it only make things worse. It gives me "free" time in my mind which causes me to think about things. At least when I am busy I am not thinking about things.
  • mommasamfa
    mommasamfa Posts: 87 Member
    I've tried all these suggestions. I focus on my breathing more and my mind still strays, I do the color breathing therapy (which is the same thing as breathing in the good and out the bad as well as focusing on a blue light around me). It's very frustrating, with serious injuries I've endured in the past, yoga is the best way for me to loosen my muscles before bed, or sometimes before a work out. I will sometimes even forget what poses I'm doing because I'm so stressed. I NORMALLY don't watch videos, if I do, Ill watch them before hand then incorporate them into my routine. I would never be able to completely take my mind off of things while watching a video. But thanks guys.
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