8
Chapter
Yoga in everyday lifeSelections from practice that are suitable for integration into many areas and situations Examples for integrating the spirit and practice of yoga into everyday life
Selections from practice that are suitable for integration into many areas and situations Examples for integrating the spirit and practice of yoga into everyday lifea disciplined, clearly structured day that starts with
getting up early enough, creating extra time for our
own development. In Chapter 2 we also learned from
the Yoga-Sūtras that our state of mind can be influ-
enced by consciously cultivating a positive attitude.
This ancient wisdom tells us that it is possible to fulfill
all of life’s duties while still feeling relaxed inside.
If we integrate this spirit of yoga into our every-
day life, it can help us to be less affected by stressful
situations and to maintain a good, healthy posture
and natural breathing throughout. Of course it is
also important to find sufficient occasions for actual
practice. Below we will look at practical aspects
relating to our surroundings and the best adjustment
of our posture. Also included are short programs to
practice in everyday life. If time is short or the sur-
roundings are not suitable for some of the exercises,
you can practice only parts of a suggested program.
To make our daily yoga practice successful life-
style and diet are important. The furniture, which
chair we use in the office, the height of our desk and
computer screen, how we sit in our spare time, in the
car, on a bike, what sports we play, how much effort
we put into them – all these factors contribute to the
results of yoga therapy. Furthermore our bed, mat-
tress, pillow, and the shoes we wear play an impor-
tant role. Nowadays there are so many possibilities
which need to be tailored for individual use, so we
will not give specific endorsements here. However
we do recommend that you respect the importance
of these factors and consult an expert when you
come to buying or changing any of this equipment.Selections from practice that are
suitable for integration into many
areas and situationsExercise: Breathing and listening
To calm the sensory organs and the mind in noisy
surroundings, this simple perception exercise can be
practiced even if you only have a short time:
Sit on a chair or on the floor in a position of your
choice so that your spine is upright. Close your eyes
and keep them closed till you finish the practice.
Be aware of your whole body; feel the contact withthe floor and your clothes. Accept everything that
your senses are perceiving; be completely open to
these perceptions. Probably sound will be the most
dominant perception. Be aware of all sounds, no
matter whether people are speaking, birds are sing-
ing, the telephone rings, a car is passing by, there is
noisy construction work going on, or anything else.
Listen carefully without judging, without asking
where the sounds are coming from, but be aware
that you are listening. Remain as an observer with-
out becoming involved. In this way your perception
connects the object with your sense organs, while
your inner observer is not affected by it.
Focus on a particularly dominant sound, then move
your awareness to a different one, and then to a few
more different ones. Now listen to as many different
sounds as possible at the same time. Expand your
perception to the most distant sound; listen to even
more subtle sounds. Expand your perception further
and further: this helps to keep your thoughts calm.
You perceive the sounds directly without your mind
judging. Now pull your perception inwards to your
breath, just below the nostrils. Sounds from outside
are excluded now. Be with your breath for some
time. As long as time allows you can switch between
awareness of the outer sounds and your breathing.Quiet breathing in a good sitting
postureQuiet breathing in a good sitting posture can be
practiced as follows, even if time is very short.
In this case correct your sitting posture and practice
a few breaths consciously.
Sit in a firm and comfortable position on the
floor with the legs in a simple cross-legged position
or sit on the front half of a chair. Find the balance
for your pelvis between tilting it forwards and back-
wards so that your spine is lifting without effort. If
the chair is too high for you to sit and correct your-
self well, put a suitable item, for example a book,
underneath your feet. If the chair is not high enough,
use a folded blanket, properly adjusted, underneath
your buttocks. Rest your hands on your thighs, palms
facing upwards, so that your elbows and shoulders
move slightly backwards and downwards. This will
probably settle the hands and arms well after most
working positions.