I don’t know about you, but I consistently have at least one A4 sheet in my bag, written on it a big list of things to do. One day I was complaining to my sister about it, and she dropped a very simple, but very effective – even yogic – line, “you can only do one thing at a time “.
Although this is not at all what we are made to believe today in our world of multi-tasking, it makes a lot of sense to focus fully on one thing only. Focusing on one thing at a time will give you much more of a chance to complete a task satisfactorily. You’ll experience a true sense of accomplishment and confidence in the quality of your work. You also do things well. In yoga we are given several tools to achieve exactly that: a single-pointed focus.
When practised regularly, focusing on the breath or any other point of concentration in our yoga practice will greatly enhance our capability of getting things done in our day-to-day life in a concentrated and efficient manner. For the whole duration of our practice we are aiming to be aware of every single breath we are taking. Every single inhalation and exhalation have meaning, and the mind is being trained to stay with the focus point- the breath. You are harnessing the mind, rather than it going its own way.
Another beautiful tool of the ashtanga practice to aid in accomplishing this, is the use of the bandhas. We learn to internalise, to go within, become less distracted by external happenings. We get a sense of true connection, something so precious in today’s world. We are given the opportunity to get to know ourselves on a deeper level, get a sense of our true self.
Focusing on the drstis- the gazing points in each posture – further enhances the concentration in our practice, and our over-all ability to work on and ultimately accomplish a task. The endurance and stamina gained in our physical practice is reflected in our mental state.
When working on one item of my endless list of things to do, I now have a chance to stay fully absorbed in the task. I’m not overwhelmed by what is waiting for me afterwards. I honestly don’t know how other business owners are functioning without yoga!
OM Shanti, Angelika
photo curtesy of @tiansheng_photography