Is the mind continuously on a downward spiral? Once I heard in a presentation that having a positive mind is like exercising a muscle, if unused it withers away. In Yoga we call this Abhyasa (making an effort), which is part of Panchata Kriya or meditation in daily life. Well, I think if you are not lucky enough to be born into a perfect environment, where there are only positive role models, we all have to make an effort to keep our minds constructive rather than destructive.
Another aspect of Panchata Kriya is Vairagya (not colouring with any pre-conceived ideas). How many times do we react to another person unproportionately because something is bothering us that has nothing to do with that person?
Swadhyaya or self-study helps us to remain more objective and is an important skill to separate our own issues with other peoples’ problems. By studying or learning about positive role-models, whether it be scriptures or books like “eat pray love” we create possibilities to expand our minds in a unlimited way.
Tapas, where we balance physical and mental behavior allows us to practice discipline. Hatha-Yoga is a form of tapas. It takes commitment and discipline to practice postures or Asanas, which help us to create balance in body, mind and spirit. And finally Ishwara-Pranidhana or self-surrender , where we devote our actions to something greater that, we trust, exists. It takes the pressure off us, and helps us to live more responsible and joyfully.
They are pretty, they are elegant and they fit perfectly to one of my skirts. I am talking about the shoes I am eagerly eying in one of the shops at the mall. But I should know better. I am no Cinderella but a Yoga practitioner and all that grounding and spreading my toes have rendered them incapable of fitting into pretty and pointed shoes. Even though my comfy Scholls make my feet sigh with pleasure they look poorly matched with feminine attire. Starting Yoga from the feet up is what I teach and practice and now I have to live with the consequences of my feet not wanting to compromise their firm stand anymore. Still, I am the boss, not my feet. Succumbing to my desire I soon regretted my purchase when after half hour not only my feet, but also knees and back started to protest in agony. After all they like to be supported by the 
thieves on a motorbike early morning. They were out of luck because I only had my son’s schoolbag in my hand. Then my car broke down and finally my sunglasses were stolen. Although the guys on the motorbike were obviously more vile and professional in their pursuit, my thought was what person thinks something left in a shelf automatically becomes public property? Is there a difference between threatening someone with a knife and simply taking something that you know doesn’t belong to you? Although the Yamas in Raja Yoga clearly state rules of conduct: Ahimsa for non-violence and Asteya for non-stealing I believe these universal laws of human conduct are not exclusively taught in Yoga but are part of every religion. Obviously the guys on the motorbike do not practice Yoga. Well, I can’t change the way those thieves think or act, but I can change the way I react to that incidence. First I am grateful that both I and my son remained unharmed, second that they did not get my handbag and third that I can finally get some new sunglasses. It will take me a little more practicing of “loving kindness” to actually see that those thieves are caught in their own downward-cycle of life. And finally next time I better remember how I judged these thieves when someone offers me that pirated CD. 
I wished I could travel to see my family in Switzerland every year and that I could travel to any otherdestination of my choice as well. However so far we only make it back every two years, which is mostly a financial decision. I was talking to someone else who wished she could travel with the airline of her choice, instead of taking the cheapest ticket, for which she then gets reimbursed by her company. The next person wished he could travel period, but cannot afford it at all and has never been anywhere else then his birthplace. Some people do not wish to travel and are happy where they are. And the last person IS travelling anywhere and anytime she wishes. 
There I am having a fit of anger and get the standard line: “but you are doing Yoga, how come you get so angry!” Believe me, I do get angry despite doing Yoga. Being a mother, my buttons get pushed all the time. My children are my greatest teachers and bring forth all those deep-seated, raw and not-dealt-with emotions. Yoga just helps me to manage them better. There is one more difference. Now I SEE myself being angry rather than just being fully involved in it. I see myself reacting, but another part of me watches that and thinks “what is she going on about?” In Buddhist teaching it is called “passive witnessing”. Sure one part of me doesn’t feel so passive at that particular moment, but another part kind of just sits back and observes. There is a great website out there that teaches how to deal with any type of anger and gives rules how to fair-fight