"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought." – Peace Pilgrim

We've all done information technology. Walked into a party thinking "I should have stayed home, this is gonna stink," only to discover the party does indeed stink. Or headed into a tennis match, 5K race or soccer game thinking "In that location's no style I can win," only to lose by a hair. Or been introduced (at last) to a new colleague who yous've already decided is snotty, only to discover that they're just as aloof equally you expected them to be.

Are nosotros prescient? Or have our negative thoughts created a cocky-fulfilling prophecy?

Personally speaking, I have ruined an awful lot of parties that my friends have really enjoyed for my (shy, sometimes reluctant to go out) self. I've also lost a shocking number of tennis matches that I actually ought to have won considering of unforced errors and a seeming disability to just close the deal. And I have been on the receiving stop of the "she simply looks snotty" judgment, so I know firsthand that someone who has already decided not to like me does not seem as friendly or equally engaged every bit someone who is excited to meet me.

My guess is that, while we might sometimes exist able to run across "the writing on the wall," more often than not, our negative thoughts create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Our thoughts are remarkably powerful in shaping our experience of our lives. They are so powerful that the 10 principles that yoga offers us to alive richer, more satisfying, more productive lives (the yamas and the niyamas) each, in part, direct our awareness to our thoughts. No study of these ten tenets (not-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, non-grasping, purity, zeal, contentment, cocky-report and devotion to a college power) is consummate without taking a close expect at the way our thoughts affect our words, actions and beliefs. Every single time I teach these concepts I am re-amazed at the power they have to change a person.

As transformative as its philosophy is, yoga goes a step farther by giving its students a safe "laboratory" within which to practice putting its life principles into action – the yoga mat. Each fourth dimension nosotros do yoga nosotros must come up with a clear mind. Nosotros must larn how to gear up aside preconceived notions of how strong or flexible we are. We must put the kibosh on assumptions near what we tin can and can't do. Nosotros must accept that we are always changing – sometimes growing and learning, and sometimes regressing. Nosotros must stay open up to each moment and all that it holds for u.s..

I have had days when a posture I've been able to do for years has (seemingly out of the blue) disappeared. And I have had days when a posture I've never even dreamed I'd be able to exercise has shown up (just as seemingly out of the blueish). It never ceases to astound me how the stiffest mean solar day in my retentiveness tin can follow on the heels of the loosest. I accept had days when I feel so exhausted that I have literally dragged myself to my mat dreading a sluggish, heavy do but to be stunned to feel light and "all in" equally presently equally I beginning to move.

Fifty-fifty more than pertinent to my point, practicing yoga offers u.s. an hour- (or more) long opportunity to pay attention to our inner dialogue. If nosotros mess up a posture, the critic inside the states will often spit out a stream of invective. If we're asked to do something that scares u.s.a., our inner child will ofttimes first spewing a litany of excuses and reasons why "today is non the twenty-four hour period." If we are feeling fatigued, our inner lazy-bones tin exist quite sugariness about offering a hundred creative reasons that arrive a proficient idea to cut the do short.

Each of these is an opportunity to recalibrate our thoughts. We can have a breath and focus on what went right in the messed up posture. Nosotros can have a deep breath (or two or 5 or ten) to settle ourselves down so we can requite the scary posture our all-time effort. Nosotros tin have a breath and mindfully center our thoughts on the benefits and gifts that nosotros receive from our practise – fifty-fifty i that is a little gentler than usual because we are tired. When we are non able to refocus, we feel viscerally the power negative thoughts take to hold usa back and keep us modest. When we are able to refocus, nosotros experience tangibly the ability positive thoughts have to keep usa open to our experiences, no matter what they are.

These experience on our yoga mats are powerful teachers. The lessons we larn (over and over over again equally we practice day afterward day) gradually become hardwired into our beings. With practice, we brainstorm to notice when nosotros set ourselves up to not relish a party, or not perform up to par in a match, or inadvertently, "preemptively" snub a new colleague, or close ourselves off to a million other things. This noticing leads to alter that makes our changing bodies (and – male child! – practise they alter through this practice) on our mat seem trivial by comparing.

Every bit we change, we also notice that we are appreciating and savoring much more than of our lives than ever earlier. This is why we practice yoga.

"Sentry your thoughts, they get words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your deportment, they go habits;
scout your habits, they become character;
watch your grapheme, for information technology becomes your destiny." – Frank Outlaw