14 Mindfulness Tricks to Keep You Present in Yoga Class

"Sometimes, your wandering mind needs an anchor. Thoughts of the day ahead, to-do lists, self-criticisms, and more tend to creep in when you're in pursuit of stillness (aka on your yoga mat). Fortunately, the right mindfulness tools, aka mindfulness anchors, can give your monkey mind something to play with. These verbal tricks are often a study in metaphor, such as exhaling as you think of"

"crashing ocean waves, visualizing a color or shape, or imagining roots growing from your fingertips in Downward-Facing Dog. They can also be encouragements disguised as reminders, each meant to be returned to over and over should you lose your sense of focus. Once you find an anchor that resonates, whether spoken by a favorite teacher or borne of your own brain, it's likely to stick (at least in our experience). The following mindfulness tools might help make you more present in your yoga practice."

"Imagine there's a tiny portal in the back of your head through which all of your racing thoughts are slowly being siphoned. Appreciate your body rather than criticize it. Let thoughts and emotions flow through your mind as if they're clouds or river water. Let them come, let them go. Remind yourself it's not about how a pose looks, but how it feels. Use props. These provide support and minimize unnecessary physical tension which in turn frees up your mind."

Mindfulness anchors use breath, imagery, bodily sensations, and short reminders to refocus attention during yoga. Metaphorical cues—like imagining ocean waves, roots, spirals, or colors—offer a mental image to return to when thoughts wander. Breath techniques such as Ujjayi and prompts to relax shoulders or appreciate the body support presence. Physical supports and props reduce unnecessary tension and free cognitive bandwidth. Repeating encouraging reminders and practicing sensory scans or grounding visualizations stabilizes attention. Selecting an anchor that resonates makes it more likely to be reused and helps deepen awareness and the felt experience of each pose.

Read at Yoga Journal