When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.
Some Yoga wisdom from Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Yesterday I had an old school friend over. She and I did a yoga course together back in the 90’s but time and distance had separated us for some years. In among all the life changes she had returned to smoking. So in between bursts of conversation, Suzy excused herself to go in to the backyard and fag.
At first I wasn’t quite sure if I was supposed to follow or not… there was kind of semi-awkward moment when she first excused herself, and I got the impression that I should busy myself with feeding Muffles-the-yoga-cat while she took her break…
This gave me the silence and a chance to hear what was going on out there – big deep breaths. In fact huge, copious almost sighing ones. It got me thinking that smoking is just an excuse for time-out and breathing… perhaps it is the breathing that is addictive and the smoking is just a device that gives permission.
So today I am going on smoko… but I won’t be lighting up. Just deep breaths outside in the sun. Those smokers are on to a thing or two.
Yours,
Yoga Genie
Chief Bloggist, Yoga Whatever…
