Yoga & the Five Senses ... A common warm-up I teach in my yoga classes is to notice the sensation of the breath. ... Whatever the answers, the goal is to bring ...GetstartedOpeninappLauraMcNabbSigninGetstarted3FollowersAboutGetstartedOpeninappYoga&theFiveSensesLauraMcNabbSep10,2020·3minreadPhotocredit:VeroPhotoartatUnsplashAcommonwarm-upIteachinmyyogaclassesistonoticethesensationofthebreath.Iinvitestudentstonotice:wherethebreathisgoingandwhereitisnot,ifthebreathingisfastorslow,deeporshallow,constrictedorfull,warmorcool,unevenorrhythmicWhatevertheanswers,thegoalistobringawarenesstothesensationofbreathing.Bydoingso,webringattentiontothesensationofwhatitmeanstobealive.Itdrawsourawarenesstothepresentthroughafocusonphysicality.Focusingonphysicalityisatoolthathelpsusgrowinmentalandspiritualaspectsofourhumanexperience.Aphysicalyogapracticeiscertainlythemostpopularizedaspectofyoga,andthere’sareasonforit;physicalpracticesarestrong,tangibletoolsthatallowsustodrawclosertothenon-physicalaspectsofourselves.Engagingthefivesensesisaparticularlyhelpfultoolformindfulness.Thefollowingisapopularmindfulnessexerciseregardingthefivesenses.Theexerciseinvitesustonoticeandname(eitheroutloudorinourheads):5thingsyoucansee4thingsyoucanhear3thingsyoucanfeel2thingsyoucansmell1thingyoucantasteTheexercisebringsusintothepresentbydrawingoutattentiontoitbyusingourfivesensesastools.Thesensesaretheinterpretersoftheintersectionofourphysicalbodieswithourenvironment.Theactoftuningintoeachaspectofthisintersectiondrawsourawarenesstoexactlywhereweare,totheconjunctionbetweentheinternalandexternal.Ioftenpracticethisexerciseinmomentsofanxietyduringclass,coaxingmyselfintomypresentexperiencebyoverridingthechatteringthoughtsracingandescalatinginmyhead.Ondayswhenwefeelparticularlyanxious,wemightinvitethispracticeintoouryogasessiontohelpusbecomelessconsumedwithourthoughtsandmorepresent.Thepracticemightlooksomethinglikethis:Iseemymat,mytoes,mygraytowel,thewoodfloor,thelightcomingthroughthewindow.Ihearmyteacher’svoice