“One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.” Bhagavad Gita

“Whether working or relaxing, it’s all the same. Your breath is moving fluidly and your mind is calm and clear.” Unknown Author, Yoga Journal excerpt.

“Only when you can be extremely soft and flexible can you be extremely hard and strong.” Zen Proverb

“Every challenge in life is a question of finding the balance between hard and soft in a given situation.” Beryl Bender-Birch

“In Ashtanga, you are training yourself in mental endurance. You are training your body to build physical endurance in order to flow through the form without stopping. But more important, you are training the mind through continuous practice to stay focused for the duration and not break concentration.” Beryl Bender-Birch

“Some people think it’s holding on that makes one strong-sometimes it’s letting go.”
Unknown

“Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to.”
Unknown

There are things we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world. It is the beginning of a new life.”
Unknown

This lesson in creating awareness in the moment is from Mirka Kraftsow, co-director of the American Viniyoga Institute and is found in the Yoga Journal’s Novemember 2010 issue, page 22:

A busy mind is like a blindfold, keeping the sights and sounds of the world from penetrating your awareness. When you’re distracted, you miss the opportunities to enjoy the sweetness of your surroundings-and yourself. Take these three simple actions to wake up to the present moment:
1. STOP Clap your hands, just once, but loudly, as if you wanted to get someone’s attention. (Your attention!) If you’re in a public place, you might, instead, silently but emphatically say to yourself, “Wake up!”
2. BREATHE Do a brief round (20 counts) of Kapalabhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath). Or simply take a few focused, deep breaths with the intention to enliven your whole being with oxygen.
3. REMEMBER Repeat this affirmation of sovereignty: “Here I am.” This moment is the only one. The beginning and the end of your experience is the here and now. Suggest to yourself, “Now I am awake. I remember who I am, and I am present to the world around me.”