Why you can’t just “change your mindset”
When I led 200 hour yoga teacher trainings, I would introduce the students to a documentary called Awake. It’s a documentary based on Yogananda’s Biography of a Yogi, and how he helped to bring yoga to the West.
There’s a part in it where one of his students is inquiring about the limitations of yogic practice - i.e. what he can and cannot do as a yoga student. He hasn’t yet realized that yoga isn’t the limitation; yoga is the path towards liberation.
Anyway - and I paraphrase - the student asks:
“Can I still drink?” To which, Yogananda replies, “Yes.”
“Can I still smoke and do drugs?” To which, Yogananda replies, “Yes.”
“Can I still have promiscuous sex?” To which, Yogananda replies, “Yes, you can do that, too, but you may not want to do those anymore!”
Gets me every time. :)
What Yogananda is referring to is the dismantling of Samskara, or our mental impressions.
Samskaras are mental patterns and habits that make up our belief systems, the way we live our lives, our general perspectives on life and so on.
Think about a well worn path in the woods. That’s how a Samskara is in the brain. Hard to miss, it’s the path most traveled. And yet, Samskaras are not always super helpful.
All the habits we wish we could change - our addictions, lack of consistency, certain thoughts about our bodies and minds, our tendencies to rush through life, disregarding our intuition, our negativity bias about [fill in the blank], what we believe about childbirth and mothering, habits around drinking, smoking, promiscuous sex (I’m chuckling here)... all Samskaras.
The beauty is that Samskaras can be changed. And, in a relatively painless way.
Neuroscience is now showing us what the Vedas have shared for thousands of years - that the brain is plastic. From Psychology Today:
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences. Plasticity is the capacity to be shaped, molded, or altered; neuroplasticity, then, is the ability for the brain to adapt or change over time, by creating new neurons and building new networks.
Historically, scientists believed that the brain stopped growing after childhood. But current research shows that the brain is able to continue growing and changing throughout the lifespan, refining its architecture or shifting functions to different regions of the brain.
The importance of neuroplasticity can’t be overstated: It means that it is possible to change dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behaving and to develop new mindsets, new memories, new skills, and new abilities.
Of course! Our brains and bodies are wonderfully designed for growth and spiritual evolution. We are allowed to thrive in this lifetime.
But, it doesn’t just start with the mind. We see it everywhere - Just change your mindset!
It’s not possible to disable a Samskara with the mind alone. It must be a multifaceted process to allow for its dissolvement and eventual destruction.
So how do we rewire our neural pathways?
How do we dissolve a negative Samskara and replace it with a new groove?
According to the Sutras, it’s meditation. Meditation - and learning meditation from a trusted teacher - begins to naturally dissolve our negative patterns.
How do we get to a place of effective meditation? Remember that yoga is a technology. We need to study spiritual texts, move our bodies in ways that feel joyous, practice breathwork to slow down our nervous systems, and THEN we can move into stillness, such as in meditation.
This practice is called sadhana, or our spiritual practice, and it needs our regular devotion. We only get there by practicing consistently, over long periods of time, and with great reverence (this, too, is according to the Sutras). Fifteen minutes everyday is a great place to start. Move a little, breathe deeply, and find yourself in silence.
Soon, I’ll be sharing more about the Afterglow Perinatal Yoga Training, where we’ll be combining perinatal health with study of the Vedic wisdoms, like yoga and Ayurveda.
As with any yoga training, this is as much about supporting YOU as it is those you want to serve or currently work with. When we practice and begin removing Samskaras, it is most beneficial to do so with a teacher, a guide, and a community of like minded souls. And, SHEESH, are there a lot of Samskaras out there around women’s bodies and women’s health.
Also - truth here - I’m entering into my final weeks of pregnancy and want to make sure that a) everyone knows about the Early Bird rates, and b) I’m throwing in something special if you register before April 20th. We start in September.
Jai Ma.
With love,
Leanne
