When the Mind Wanders – Two Techniques from the Yoga Sutras

If you’ve ever found yourself halfway through a pose only to realize your mind is somewhere else entirely—planning dinner, revisiting a conversation, drifting into judgment—you’re not alone. This is part of the human experience. The practice isn’t about never being distracted. It’s about recognizing when you are, and learning how to return.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer more than lofty ideals—they offer practical techniques for working with the mind. Two of them are especially relevant when it comes to rising thought waves: one helps us redirect the mind in the moment, and the other helps prevent those thoughts from building in the first place.

1. Subduing the Thought as It Arises (Yoga Sutra II.11)

“These fluctuations are to be subdued through meditation.”
(dhyāna-heyāḥ tad-vṛttayaḥ)

Here, Patanjali is referring to the subtle mental patterns that take shape in our consciousness. When we sit, breathe, or hold a pose with attention, we begin to see them. The practice is not to fight or suppress them—but to notice their rise and gently guide the attention elsewhere.

This is what B.K.S. Iyengar called cultivating the witness consciousness—observing the mind without getting pulled along by it. You start to feel when a thought is forming, and in that moment, you can return to the breath, the body, the present.

That moment of return is the practice.

2. Preventing Disturbance Through Mantra (Yoga Sutra I.29)

“Through repetition [of Om] and reflection on its meaning, obstacles are removed and consciousness turns inward.”
(taj-japas tad-arthabhāvanam)

This is a technique for preparing the mind. Instead of waiting to get distracted, we anchor ourselves in something steady—like the repetition of Om.

Geeta Iyengar, daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar, emphasized the transformative power of the Om mantra. She viewed it not just as a sound, but as a bridge to inner peace and spiritual connection. Om, she said, is the sound of the inner self—a way to align with the universal rhythm and settle the mind into something deeper.

When practiced with quiet reflection, japa can shift the inner landscape. The thoughts don’t have as much fuel. The breath slows. A new kind of quiet becomes possible.

Neither of these techniques is about perfection. They're about attention. About noticing what the mind does—and remembering that we have the tools to come back.

Whether you pause in the moment (II.11), or set the tone with mantra (I.29), the effect is the same: greater steadiness, deeper clarity, and a more spacious relationship with thought.

That’s where practice begins to change us.

📖The Breath Knows What to Do: Pranayama in the Yoga Sutras

We don’t usually think about the breath unless something feels off. But in practice, we start to notice how much it reveals. The breath reflects what’s happening in the body, the mind, and the nervous system—sometimes more honestly than our thoughts can.

In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali doesn’t introduce pranayama as a dramatic or advanced technique. Instead, he describes a shift in attention—one that begins when the body is steady and quiet.

II.49 – “Pranayama is the regulation of the breath; the control of inhalation and exhalation. It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained.”
(Translation: B.K.S. Iyengar)

In our own practice, that doesn’t mean asana must be perfect. It means we’ve developed enough awareness and stability to start paying attention to the breath—without needing to adjust or perform.

II.50 – “The flow of inhalation and exhalation is regulated by location, time, and number, and becomes prolonged and subtle.”

This doesn’t happen all at once. As Chip Hartranft writes, the breath isn’t forced into a pattern—it’s observed. And through steady observation, it begins to change. We may notice moments of stillness between breaths or feel the exhalation begin to lengthen naturally.

II.51 – “The fourth type of pranayama transcends the external and internal forms of breathing.”

Iyengar and Hartranft both describe this as a space that isn’t created by effort—it becomes noticeable when the breath is steady and the senses are no longer agitated. That space—sometimes just a pause—can become a reference point for attention.

This approach is slow and respectful. It doesn’t require us to do anything dramatic. It asks us to listen.

🧘‍♀️ A Grounded Practice for Breath Observation

This short sequence helps prepare the body and senses for observing the breath. There’s no goal here. Just notice.

1. Savasana – 5–7 minutes
   Lie with support under the head, back, and knees. Let the breath move naturally.

2. Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – 3–5 minutes
   Notice where the breath moves—chest, ribs, back. Watch, don’t adjust.

3. Return to Savasana – 5 minutes
   Now observe the exhalation. Is there more ease? Does anything shift without effort?

4. Optional: Try a few cycles of Ujjayi I¹ or Viloma I²
   Stay relaxed. If you feel yourself working too hard, return to simple observation.

Pranayama begins with attention—not with control. The breath already knows what to do. We’re just learning how to notice it.

Footnotes:

¹ Ujjayi I – Reclined breath observation. Inhale and exhale through the nose with a quiet sound in the throat. No holding of the breath. Focus is on smooth, even rhythm.
² Viloma I – Interrupted inhalation. Breathe in partway, pause, then continue. Repeat until the lungs feel full, followed by a steady exhalation. Builds sensitivity to how the breath fills different parts of the chest.

The Art of Alignment: Building a Practice That Supports You for Life

Why Alignment Matters (Way Beyond the Pose)

When students arrive at their first Iyengar Yoga class, the word “alignment” often comes up right away. But it’s not about striving for picture-perfect shapes or matching the person next to you. In Iyengar Yoga, alignment is about integrity—not just in the body, but in how we engage with practice as a whole.

Alignment becomes the way we learn to observe ourselves honestly, work with what’s present, and move with intelligence and care.

A Conversation Between Body and Awareness

Alignment is less about aesthetics and more about awareness. It’s how we learn to feel where we are in space, how our joints are supported, and how our breath responds to what we do. It helps us notice imbalance, explore options, and make thoughtful adjustments.

Clear, appropriate alignment:

• Protects the joints and supports sustainable movement

• Builds stability and access for more complex postures

• Distributes effort evenly so no part of the body overworks

• Brings attention to the present moment

Whether you’re standing in Tadasana or exploring a backbend, alignment brings coherence to the whole practice.

Precision That Leads to Freedom

In Iyengar Yoga, precision isn’t about perfection—it’s a way to access steadiness. When the feet are grounded, the spine is supported, and the breath begins to flow more freely, a shift occurs. There’s a sense of clarity. Of being at home in your body.

With that, the pose becomes a tool—not just for flexibility or strength, but for focus, balance, and insight.

Adaptable, Thoughtful, and Informed

Alignment also means recognizing that no two bodies are the same. Our teachers are trained to offer modifications, props, and hands-on guidance (when appropriate) to help you find what works for your structure. Whether you're working with stiffness, injury, scoliosis, or simply curiosity, the aim isn’t “perfect”—it’s progress that’s appropriate and informed.

A Practice That Builds Confidence

The more we understand alignment, the more we trust ourselves. Instead of moving on autopilot, we learn to observe, refine, and choose. This kind of awareness doesn’t end at the mat—it shapes how we move through our days, relate to others, and care for our bodies over time.

Curious? Come See What It’s All About

If you’ve ever felt unsure in a yoga pose—or sensed there was more to learn—Iyengar Yoga offers a clear and supportive path.
Join us in class and discover how alignment, when practiced with intelligence and care, can lead to freedom.