2
Chapter
Mindful exercising
Theories of mindfulness Theories of mindfulness
Theories of mindfulness Theories of mindfulness
of this practical science was given by Patañjali (see
Chapter 1). Patañjali’s Yoga-Sūtras, a concise text
consisting of 195 aphorisms, cover all aspects of life.
The Yoga-Sūtras were written some time between
200 bc and ad 400 (Mylius 2003); they have been
used since then and are still studied by yoga prac-
titioners all over the world. The basic principles of
yoga practice that are still used can be found in this
ancient textbook. The sources of this work are even
older, reaching back perhaps 1000–2000 years.
Patañjali describes the fluctuations which con-
tinually disturb the mind. The task of the mind is
to receive information from the outside from the
senses of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin, and to
reflect on this information in order to select or reject
it. The mind is distracted and distressed if there are
too many stimuli from the sense organs.
Patañjali shows various ways of stilling the
organs of senses and the mind. One famous verse
says: “Yoga is the cessation of movements in the
consciousness” (Iyengar 2002a, p. 50). The general
means of achieving this calmness are mentioned in
Yoga-Sūtra I.12 (Iyengar 2002a, p. 6 1 ): constant
study, practice, effort (abhyāsa in Sanskrit); detach-
ment from desires and aspects distracting the mind
(vairāgya). This includes learning what is essential
for a fulfilled, healthy life.
Several practical means are described: breath-
ing, stilling the senses, concentration, meditation.
According to the Yoga-Sūtras meditation is the fruit
of sustained practice of yoga. Mind and breath are
closely related. Control of the breath is considered
fundamental for mental stillness and peace, through-
out the further development of yoga.
According to Sutra I.34 (̄ Iyengar 2002a, p. 8 7 ),
the practice of slow inhalation and slow exhalation
leads to a “state of consciousness, which is like a
calm lake.” This awareness of the breath brings clar-
ity of mind, attention which is totally focused on
the present moment, and is ideally applied during
physical practice. In Yoga-Sūtra I.2 (Iyengar 2002a,
p. 49) yoga is defined as “union or integration from
the outermost layer to the innermost self, that is,
from the skin to the muscles, bones, nerves, mind,
intellect, will, consciousness and self.”
To reach this mindful, focused attention
pratyāhāra, the fifth stage of Patañjali’s Yoga-
Sūtras, is fundamental (see Chapter 1). Practicing
pratyāhāra can calm the senses and the wander-
ing mind. The sensory organs are withdrawn from
objects that distract them and make them greedy.
Therefore they are free and released. The senses are
controlled and mastered (Yoga-Sūtra II.55, Iyengar
2002b, p. 170). This can be practiced with the fol-
lowing two exercises.
Exercise: Breathing and Listening
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 until the end of the exercise.
Be aware of your whole body; feel the contact with
the floor and your clothes. Accept everything that
your senses are perceiving; be completely open to
these perceptions.
Possibly sound will be the most dominant per-
ception. Be aware of all sounds, no matter whether
people are speaking, birds are singing, 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 organs of the senses,
while your inner observer is unaffected 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 per-
ception 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.
Partner exercise: cultivating mindfulness
Partner A is performing any exercise from this book.
Before the other one, partner B, touches A’s body
with her hands, both talk about which area should
be touched. Then, partner B feels the quantity and
