Trick to yoga meditation is taming your ‘monkey mind’

Restless thoughts lead to fidgeting, poor breathing.

We were about at the midpoint of our 75-minute yoga class when the instructor told us to sit cross-legged on our mats — hands cupped in our laps, one over the other, as if awaiting communion — and breathe. Just breathe. Ahh, I thought. We had just completed a series of simple but horrible poses, holding our arms straight out to our sides for what seemed like hours until our shoulders burned.

Sit and breathe, I nodded. What a relief.

Close your eyes, the instructor said. Focus on your breath. Keep your back straight, the crown of your head reaching toward the ceiling. Inhale, exhale. So I began. Within seconds I started to fidget, rocking every so slightly on my mat.

I wiggled my hands, tapping the pads of my fingers one by one against my thumb. I decided to make potato hash for dinner. I wondered when my car might be out of the shop. I counted the days since I had last spoken with my parents on the phone.

I opened one eye and scanned the room. Everyone else seemed to be following the rules, both eyes closed and breathing calmly.

I admired the yoga top the woman in front of me was wearing. I thought about buying one like it. I imagined going to the mall, stopping at Orange Julius. I envisioned the food court. I suddenly craved a hot pretzel.

“Monkey mind,” as the Buddhists would say. My thoughts were unsettled and restless. My body, consequently, couldn’t sit still.

Having just begun my yoga journey, it’s little wonder I’m easily distracted. But according to the instructor, the Sukhasana, or “easy pose,” can be one of the most challenging for people at any level.

We live distracted lives. It’s hard to find a waiting room or even a restaurant without television screens everywhere. We talk to friends with one eye on our phones, always checking for that next text, tweet, phone call or e-mail. Our minds go a million directions at once.

The trick to meditation, I’m told, is to start small. Fifteen breaths, maybe, or just 10.

A friend who often accompanies me to yoga shared a video in which Tibetan Buddhist master Mingyur Rinpoche shares advice for taming a monkey mind. The key, he says, is to focus on that chattering in your head and lean into it instead of trying to fight it.

“You ask monkey mind, ‘Hello! Watch breath.’ So monkey mind says, ‘Ah, yeah! Good idea!’ And be aware of breath: Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in.”

“This sounds a lot easier,” my yoga buddy said.

Easier said than done, no doubt. But I’ll keep working on it.