Stability: Finding Balance Through Yoga and Thought Awareness
Over the past weeks, our yoga practice has been dedicated to cultivating stability, focusing on hip and shoulder opening, lower body strength and the interplay of our own thoughts and emotions. In the throes of daily life, stability—whether physical, emotional, or mental—acts as a grounding force, so let’s take a look back at what we’ve covered over this yoga practice/sequence.
Hips: Gateways to Release and Renewal
Autumn, the season of letting go, mirrors our practice’s focus on the hips. As the clocks turned back, we stepped into a time of release and change. The hips, often referred to as an emotional storage centre in the body (or the junk drawer of the body) hold tension, unprocessed emotions and energy from both past and present experiences. Through the use of targeted asanas, we’ve worked on opening the hips, perhaps creating space for emotional balance and freedom. I know from conversations with some of you that you’ve felt this during and after practice when working with the hips, so just a reminder to know that whatever you feel, allow it all and go with it. If something needs to shift, let it.
At the heart of any “release” that you experience working with the hips, lies the mighty Psoas, often called the “muscle of the soul.” Letting go of the stored tension in this area helps us shed what’s no longer useful to us. Just as the trees shed their leaves in autumn, we learn that releasing paves the way for growth, transformation and expansion. Working with the Psoas can also improve your ability to breathe deeper as we discussed in class last week. The Psoas connects the upper body to the lower body and to the deep fascia of the diaphragm. If you have chronic tightness in this area, for whatever reason, it can affect the depth of breath, so opening up here can enable you to breath more deeply.
Physical Stability: The Foundation of Strength
From a physical perspective, stability starts with a solid foundation. In yoga, this means ensuring that our joints are supported by engaging the muscles effectively to stabilise, before we look to mobilise and find space. A strong foundation not only supports your asanas but also relates to stability in life. When our foundation feels shaky—whether in relationships, at work or our living environment—it affects our sense of security and inner strength. By consciously cultivating stability on the mat, we reflect this into day-to-day life by grounding ourselves, creating more resilience to be able to deal with whatever life wants to show us.
A Stable Mind: The Power of Thoughts
While it’s important to take care of our physical health, it’s equally important to recognise the importance of a stable mind. Isn’t it interesting that we try to ensure we exercise daily, perhaps aiming for 10,000 steps per day, or a visit to the gym/play sport etc, but how much time do we spend on taking care of our mind, training our thought process, noticing the dialogue that often goes on unnoticed within ourselves?
While we often believe we are in complete control of our lives, the truth is that our thoughts are pretty much the only thing we truly have control over. Thoughts are magnetic forces—they attract similar thoughts, shaping beliefs that manifest into our experiences. Thoughts emit feelings, and the harmony—or discord—between them determines what we manifest into what we experience.
When we align positive thoughts with positive feelings, we create the foundation for a more harmonious life.
Modern life often pulls us into a cycle of planning for the future, leaving little room for the present moment. While planning is useful, allowing constant future thinking to “run the show” can disconnect us from the now. Yoga teaches us to cultivate presence. Present moment awareness. Mindfulness. To observe without reacting, breaking the unconscious patterns that often drive our lives. As the saying goes, “Life happens when you’re busy making plans.” Yoga reminds us that life is only happening now.
Pratipaksha Bhavana: Transforming the Mind Through Opposite Thinking
We discussed this in class over the past few weeks and here is a reminder of what was said. In the ancient wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Pratipaksha Bhavana is introduced as a powerful mental practice for transforming negativity into positivity. Found in Sutra 2.33, it offers a simple yet profound method for interrupting unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with their opposites. This approach is not about suppressing negativity but about consciously cultivating a mindset that fosters peace, harmony and emotional resilience.
How Does It Work?
- Awareness
The first step is recognising when a negative or harmful thought arises. This awareness is critical because many of our thought patterns operate unconsciously. - Acknowledgment Without Judgment
Rather than suppressing or fighting the thought, acknowledge it with curiosity and self-compassion. It’s natural to experience negativity—what matters is how we respond. - Choosing the Opposite Thought
Shift your focus to an opposite or balancing thought. For instance:- Replace anger with compassion.
- Counter jealousy with gratitude.
- Transform fear into trust.
- Consistency and Practice
Repeatedly replacing negative thoughts trains the mind to adopt positive perspectives more naturally over time. This isn’t about perfection but about persistence
Why Is Pratipaksha Bhavana Important?
- Mind as a Creator: Thoughts are magnetic and shape our beliefs, emotions, and experiences. Negative thoughts lead to suffering, while positive ones cultivate peace.
- Empowerment: It reminds us that while we may not control external circumstances, we always have the power to choose our thoughts.
- Emotional Balance: By replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, we reduce emotional reactivity and create a state of inner stability.
Practical Examples of Pratipaksha Bhavana
- Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion
- Negative Thought: “I’m not good enough.”
- Opposite Thought: “I’m learning and growing every day, and that’s enough.”
- Fear to Trust
- Negative Thought: “I’m afraid I’ll fail.”
- Opposite Thought: “Every experience teaches me something valuable. I trust in my ability to adapt.”
- Anger to Understanding
- Negative Thought: “They’re so selfish.”
- Opposite Thought: “Maybe they’re acting out of their own struggles. I choose to respond with understanding.”
The Heart of Pratipaksha Bhavana
Pratipaksha Bhavana isn’t about denying the reality of negativity; it’s about responding to it with conscious awareness. By redirecting the mind, you reclaim your inner power, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Over time, this practice creates a more positive and peaceful mental state, helping you live with greater emotional freedom and joy.
As Patanjali teaches, changing your thoughts can change your life—and Pratipaksha Bhavana is a tool to help you do just that
Key Takeaways
Stability isn’t about resisting change—it’s about creating a foundation that allows you to move with it. Just as the seasons transform, so do we. By releasing what no longer works for us, we create room for growth and evolution.
Through physical stability, emotional release, and mindful thought awareness, we remember our innate greatness. Beyond the constraints of the physical, we reconnect with the infinite possibilities of who we truly are.
So…….take a deep breath, ground yourself, and let the beauty of life flow through you.
Stability is your anchor and change is your path to expansion.
As you change your mind, you truly can change your life.
And as always, thank you for coming to class.
K x
Quotes from class
“You are not a drop in the Ocean. You are the entire Ocean in a drop “.
“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go”.
“Everything is in motion. Learn to be stable in the moment”.
“A negative mind will never give you a positive life”.
“A positive thinker does not refuse to recognise the negative. They simply refuse to dwell on it”.
“Train your mind to see the good in everything”.
