The yoga works on what’s called the HPA axis (or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which regulates your sympathetic nervous system as well as the parasympathetic nervous system. Yoga also reduces the SNS and increase the PNS, ending in a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Your brain takes cues from your body, so when your body is pacifying down, your brain gets the message that all is well.
Take a few moments to imagine all the confusion in your mind. Notify the size, shape, color, weight, texture, and location of the stress, worry, and confusion. Think to carry all of that with you for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a year, a lifetime or more.
Assume what limits it places on your ability to grow and touch your goals.
Now take a moment to visualize all the stress, worry, and clutter leaving your mind. Assume how much area and power you have to manifest all the things you want. Unloading the mind requires sorting what to keep from what to let go.
While there is no alternative to the individual and unique process, a clear mind is reachable.
“The longer I have to sit and wait, the clearer my game becomes to me.” – Venus Williams
Benefits of a Clear Mind
A powerful and clear mind reduces stress, anxiety, and the need for outside validation. Also, a clear mind develops self-awareness, focus, disciple, physical health, emotional stability, memory, and the ability to understand others.
So does this have anything to do with yoga, you ask? The short and true answer is this: yoga helps to refresh and clear the mind.
Asanas for a Clear Mind
Inverted Asanas and Forward Bends – Inverting the body employs gravity to build increased blood run and oxygen to the brain, which helps with mental performance and subsequently fosters mental clarity.
Balancing Yoga Poses – Balancing calls the mind and body to remain focused while the internal equilibrium is tested. In order to linger upright and not fall, the mind clears excess confusion to focus on the balancing pose.
Seated Yoga Poses – Seated asanas calm the body and relax the nervous system. Primarily when paired with breath work, these poses reduce exhaustion and restore mental clarity.
Pranayama for a Clear Mind
Nadi Shoddana Pranayama – three-part breath control, consists of alternating nostril breathing, it can be done seated or lying down, practiced for 10 breath cycles.
Kapalabhati Pranayama – skull-shining breath, cleansing method, develops heat in the body through a brief inhale (short and patient) followed by drawing the navel toward the spine for a sharp exhale (short and active).
Kapalabhati pranayama is done in a cushioned seat with a strong straight spine, practiced for 15-45 exhales per cycle for 3-4 cycles.
Ujjayi Pranayama – victorious breath, usually sounds like an ocean or Darth Vader. Each inhales promotes the full enlargement of the lungs, and each exhale focuses on squeezing the back of the throat while slowly releasing air from both nostrils. This can be practiced during asana flows.
Now the body is calm, the mind clear of cares – the stage is set to slide into meditation effortlessly. By this, we intend that just like we can’t seize ourselves to sleep until it falls on its own, even meditation cannot be seized or done with effort. It just results and you simply glide through it. And it’s not just the adventure during meditation that matters but how you hold after. The mind becomes more peaceful and unperturbed, and you find yourself much more in charge of things.
All these practices consolidated can help switch the mind from a state of disturbance to the bliss of tranquility. The mind doesn’t close off but it does stop chattering, letting you be 100 percent at the bit and enjoying it thoroughly.