Quick Ways to Quiet the Mind
In response to Joanne’s question:
There are many ways to quiet your mind, but they all have one thing in common: grounding your awareness in the present moment.
A very simple way to do this is by shifting your attention to any one of your senses. Walking down the street? Notice your surroundings, the breeze on your face, your footfalls on the ground, the smell of the air, the sounds around you. Look, listen, and feel without labeling or judging what you experience–just pure sensation–your senses can be a way to ‘drop in’ on the moment wherever you are.
Another way is with your breath. If you are particularly anxious, lie down on your back. Place one hand on your lower abdomen and tune into the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe. Abdominal breathing, more than chest breathing, helps to calm the nerves and the mind. If you can’t lie down, sit with your spine straight and your feet firmly on the floor. Cross your arms at your chest, taking your hands under opposite armpits. Focus on the expansion and contraction of your ribcage by breathing into your hands.
If you find that focused breathing feels counter productive (like it is frustrating to sit still) try some movement. Asana is great for this. Do any pose or sequence of poses that you like, with emphasis on smooth movements and full, relaxed breathing. Any pose that asks you to use your legs is also quite grounding. A short sequence could be a standing forward bend followed by tree pose on each side.
These are just a few simple ideas, feel free to post more if you have some of your own. Remember that any activity that calmly brings your awareness to the here and now will help.
As a practicing yogini I have learned many of your suggested methods that help to overcome physical stress and mental distractions. Yet for myself, there are times when these don’t have the expected result and the usual methods that I had come to rely on don’t bring stillness to my mind. One strategy I have used is to bring my body to a state of stillness, either sitting, lying or in an inversion. I might belt my legs together when lying or inverting or place weight my legs in Supta Virasana or Savasana, etc. This helps to ground the body and creates a safe feeling such as a baby being swaddled. Then, I wait, breathe and watch the contiuous flow of thought. Most of the time, the minds grip on the thoughts lessen as I seek to be witness to the fluctuating thoughts- citta vrttis. and detach my mind. When this happens, I observe the space between my self and the thought. I try to stay interested in that space, as my mind flows into thought. It is then that the flow slows down and begins to quiet my mind.
That’s a great point. The more I progress with yoga physically, the better I am at standing on my head while my mind jumps all over the place! Like you said, letting yourself become the observing presence behind your thoughts and feelings is absolutely crucial.