Imagine you are walking into an office building. You go through the front door and walk down a hallway or through a foyer before you reach your destination. In a house of worship, there is a gathering space or narthex before you reach the sanctuary. Physical transition gives a sense of space and purpose. It is the same in yoga.

When you get on your mat, the teacher may suggest you “ settle in”, “set an intention for your practice”, “or take a moment.” These are are all auditory cues to help you transition to being physically and mentally present in class. Everything that is outside the yoga room will still be there when the class concludes. Why is this important?

Yoga encourages the student to work on focus and response. Many yoga students and teachers are injured in the transition from one pose to the next. Establishing a tone of mindfulness at the beginning of class seeds a crucial awareness. When I move intetionally in and out of a pose, I thoughtfully engage my muscles, my gaze and my attention. Practicing with focus allows me to know what is working and not working in my body. I can more readily sense my edge and step back as needed. This increases safety and self-knowledge.

These principles are equally important off the mat. How many times have you heard “count to ten before you answer”? Stress happens. I can’t control what happens around me. Yet, I can control my response. I can reach for my default response OR I can choose to take a moment and respond differently. I tried this recently. My husband made a remark that didn’t land well with me. Instead of replying sarcastically, I took a moment and said quietly, “I am doing my best.” He replied, very sincerely, “thank you for all you do.” The tone of our conversation became warm and my anger dissolved—all because I responded differently. The point of power is always in the present moment.