Integrating Mindfulness, Meditation & Yoga Asana: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

In This Session, You’ll Explore:

• Why yoga and meditation are not separate practices – and how seeing them as one path transforms our teaching
• How the eight limbs of yoga offer both outer and inner methods for moving energy and clarifying the mind.
• Practical ways to weave mindfulness into asana without creating a “spiritual sandwich” (mindful at the beginning and end, but not in the middle)
• How to structure an asana class like a guided meditation – with intention, body, and closing/dedication
• Skillful use of silence and stillness, including trauma‑sensitive considerations
• Gentle strategies for inviting movement‑oriented students into formal meditation
• How therapists and yoga teachers can collaborate with the body when the mind is “too busy to sit”
• Why self‑compassion and non‑judgment are essential anytime we invite people into their bodies

Highlights:

Practices Inside the Session

You’ll be guided through:

• A short settling meditation on space, breath, and creative life force

• A body‑and‑senses awareness practice (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling)

• A 15‑second sensory journaling drill (one detail from each sense)

• A brief RAIN‑like reflection on emotions and how they move through

• A movement meditation where you let one tiny impulse spread through your body

• A mandala drawing exploration using color inside a circle

• A timed “I am…” free‑writing exercise inspired by the poem The Delight Song of Tsoai‑talee

Why Integrating Mindfulness, Meditation & Yoga Asana Matters

Many of us arrive at yoga for flexibility, strength or stress relief, not realizing that the practice was originally designed as a complete path of awakening. Modern research now confirms what these ancient traditions have long suggested: combining movement and meditation can reduce stress and anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and support overall wellbeing.

In this session, Sara‑Mai invites us to drop the idea that “yoga is over here and meditation is over there.” Instead, she suggests that:

Yoga is meditation, and meditation is yoga.

When we silo these practices apart, we unintentionally limit the benefits of both. When we unify them, our classes – and our lives – become a living, breathing practice of embodied awareness.

Yoga as Union: Outer & Inner Methods of Moving Energy

Yoga is often translated as “union” – body and mind, breath and movement, wisdom and compassion, form and emptiness. Traditionally, this union is described through the eight limbs of yoga:

1. Yama – Ethical guidelines (how we treat others)
2. Niyama – Personal observances (how we relate to ourselves)
3. Asana – Posture
4. Pranayama – Breath regulation
5. Pratyahara – Turning the senses inward
6. Dharana – Concentration
7. Dhyana – Meditation
8. Samadhi – Deep integration / absorption

In Sara‑Mai’s framing, each of these limbs is both:

• An outer method (how we move, act, breathe, behave), and
• An inner method (how we attend, feel, understand and relate).

Some examples she explores:

• Yama & Niyama (Ethics & Attitude)Acting honestly and kindly changes the energetic climate we sit down with. If we’re lying, harming or out of integrity, guilt and fear can dominate our meditation. When we live with more care, the mind naturally carries less agitation into practice.
• Asana (Posture)Asana isn’t just about shapes; it’s about learning stillness in the body, which supports stillness in the mind. When our physical posture is steady and easeful, concentration and open awareness become much more accessible.
• Pranayama (Breathwork)Breath is a bridge between outer and inner practice. Regulating the breath influences the nervous system, which in turn supports the quiet, receptive mind that meditation requires.
• Dharana & Dhyana (Concentration & Open Awareness)On the mat, these might appear as drishti (gaze focus) or sustained attention to sensation. In seated practice, they become our ability to rest with one object or rest in open awareness without clinging.
• Samadhi (Integration)At a certain point, the separation between “I am doing yoga” and “I am meditating” softens. There is just the experience of being – standing in Warrior II, washing dishes, listening to a friend, or sitting quietly. All of it becomes yoga.

“People Didn’t Just Come for a Workout”

If you teach yoga, you’ve probably felt the tension Sara‑Mai describes:

“I want to give people what I think they came for – a good workout – but I also want to be authentic to the deeper practice.”

Her gentle challenge to us is:

• Give students more credit: if they only wanted cardio, there are “a hundred other ways” to get it.
• Assume that at some level, they came to yoga because something deeper is calling – even if they don’t yet have those words.
• Trust that weaving in meditation and mindfulness is not an imposition; it’s honoring the full practice.

This doesn’t mean lecturing or overwhelming people with philosophy. Instead, it means quietly holding the view that:

Every yoga class is a chance to help people heal – not just stretch.

Avoiding the “Spiritual Sandwich”

One of the most helpful images from this talk is what Sara‑Mai calls the “spiritual sandwich.”

• A few minutes of centering or meditation at the start
• A long, busy sequence of poses with little mindful cueing in the middle
• Shavasana or a short meditation at the end

The bread is spiritual; the filling is just exercise.

Instead, she invites us to keep the thread of mindfulness and intention alive through the entire practice. That starts by structuring a yoga class as if it were a guided meditation.

Structuring a Yoga Class Like a Guided Meditation

Think of your asana class as having the same basic bones as a meditation:

1. Preliminaries & Intention
2. The Body of the Practice
3. Closing & Dedication

1. Begin with a Clear, Simple Intention

Just as in meditation, the intention defines the practice:

• If the intention is mindfulness of breath, then we know when we’re “in” and “out” of the meditation.
• If the intention is gratitude, we know what to return to when the mind wanders.

In asana, intentions might be:

• Staying with the breath as we move
• Exploring grounding and connection to the earth
• Practicing non‑harming and self‑compassion
• Noticing how the mind labels sensations as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral

This intention then guides:

• The poses you choose
• The language you use
• Which cues you include – and which you leave out

Practical tip: Keep the intention simple enough that you can repeat it often without it feeling forced. A single phrase – “coming back to the breath” or “moving with kindness” – can hold an entire class.

For more inspiration around intentions and themes, explore our article, How to Teach Mindfulness: A Beginner’s Guide, which includes six practical mindfulness exercises specifically for teachers.

2. Let Intention Shape the Asana Itself

Once intention is clear, we can design the physical sequence to support it:

• If the intention is breath awareness:
  • Use repetitive, rhythmic movements (e.g., half sun salutations, arm lifts with inhale/exhale)
  • Cue the breath consistently: “Inhale, lift; exhale, lower.”
  • Keep choreography simple so attention can rest on breath rather than complex instructions
• If the intention is gratitude:
  • Emphasize bowing, forward folds and humble postures
  • Invite phrases like “thank you, body” or “thank you, breath” during transitions
  • Consider integrating a body‑scan‑for‑gratitude in Shavasana or closing; you can adapt our Body Scan for Gratitude or Mindfulness Body Scan for Stress Relief scripts for this. 
• If the intention is non‑harming or self‑compassion:
  • Offer a challenging but optional peak pose
  • Invite students to notice inner dialogue around “success” or “failure”
  • Normalize choosing gentler options as a valid – even wise – expression of practice
  • You might draw from our Self‑Compassion Through the Body script to support this theme.
• If the intention is grounding:
  • Choose more floor‑based, supported shapes
  • Frequently bring attention to points of contact with the mat
  • Use language that emphasizes weight, support and stability

Here, asana becomes a vehicle for mindfulness, not something separate from it.

3. Cue Like a Meditation Teacher

With intention as your compass, ask yourself before each cue:

“Does this help hold students close to the intention, or does it distract them from it?”

Some practical shifts:

• Say less, more slowly. Leave space for students to feel their own bodies.
• Balance guidance with silence. After placing students in a pose safely, offer a few simple cues, then fall quiet.
• Release the need to fix. If your intention is breath awareness, you may choose not to micromanage the angle of each foot in Warrior II – especially if doing so pulls attention away from felt experience.
• Encourage autonomy. Remind students: “You are always welcome to modify, rest, or ignore my suggestion if something else feels wiser for your body.”

If you’d like structured language to practice with, our 7 Guided Meditation Scripts for Yoga Teachers offer ready‑to‑use scripts you can weave directly into your classes.

Inviting Formal Meditation into Your Yoga Classes

Yoga students often say, “I can’t sit still,” or “My mind is too busy to meditate.” Because yoga already satisfies their love of movement, asana can be a beautiful doorway into seated practice.

Sara‑Mai suggests sprinkling short, formal meditations:

• At the very beginning, before any movement
• After vigorous sequences or peak poses, when energy is high and the body is awake
• In long, stable holds like Child’s Pose, Pigeon, or supported forward folds
• In Shavasana, either guided or in complete silence

These pauses might be as simple as:

• “Let’s pause here for a few breaths, eyes open or closed. Notice what’s happening in your body right now. Notice how the mind wants to label it. Could you be curious instead of reactive?"

Over time, students learn that meditation doesn’t have to look perfect. It can be a minute in Child’s Pose, a three‑breath pause between sequences, or a body scan halfway through class. From there, some will naturally become curious about formal seated practice.

To safely introduce short meditations (on or off the mat), you might explore:

• Mindfulness Breathing Exercises – six science‑backed practices for working with the breath
• Guided Group Meditation Scripts – to support you in leading short practices verbally to a room of movers or meditators

Silence, Safety & Trauma Sensitivity

Many teachers worry about leaving students in silence, especially those with trauma histories. Sara‑Mai acknowledges this concern and offers a few principles that came up in dialogue with participants:

1. Name the silence and give it edges.
   • “We’ll rest here together in silence for about three minutes. I’ll ring the bell when it’s time to move.”
   • Knowing how long something will last can make it feel much safer.
2. Reassure students that you’re still there.
   • Let people know you’ll remain seated or standing, watching the space, so they don’t feel abandoned.
3. Frame silence as supportive, not empty.
   • Phrases like, “Allow the silence to hold you,” or “Let silence be a soft place to rest,” help reframe quiet as comforting rather than threatening.
4. Offer options.
   • Shavasana doesn’t have to be flat on the back. Students might curl on their side, place a bolster over the torso, cover the eyes, or sit upright against the wall.
   • Emphasize that any restful shape counts as Shavasana.
5. Ask and listen when you can.
   • When appropriate, checking in with students one‑on‑one about how they experience silence can help you fine‑tune your approach.

Trauma‑sensitive work is nuanced, and no single list replaces proper training, but these practices echo trauma‑informed guidelines that emphasize choice, transparency and predictability.

For Meditators: Remember Your Body

This session wasn’t only for yoga teachers. Many people who identify primarily as meditators neglect the body side of their practice.

Sara‑Mai encourages dedicated meditators to:

• Remember that sitting is also a physical posture with its own alignment, comfort and challenges
• Consider bringing in gentle asana, walking meditation, or mindful movement before or after sitting
• Let everyday activities – gardening, surfing, walking the dog – become opportunities to explore union of body and mind, not “breaks” from mindfulness

If you’re mostly a sitter, you might enjoy our Morning Yoga Stretches Routine, which emphasizes mindful movement and breath over performance or flexibility.

Carrying the Practice Off the Mat

key theme that runs through Sara‑Mai’s teaching is integration:

• Notice the benefits you feel after practice – more ease, clarity, presence, or simple okay‑ness
• Name them consciously: “I feel calmer,” “I feel more spacious in my body,” “I feel kinder toward myself”
• Then ask: “How might I carry this into the rest of my day?”

This reflection is a form of dedication of practice. You might guide students to:

• Offer a silent wish that others might also feel this ease
• Imagine bringing this presence into one relationship, one conversation, or one challenging task
• Remember that their practice benefits not only themselves, but everyone they touch

This simple step helps reinforce new neural pathways that link mindfulness, embodiment and wellbeing

About the Speaker: Sara‑Mai Conway

Sara‑Mai Conway is a writer, yoga and meditation instructor living and teaching in Baja Sur, Mexico. She leads donation‑based community classes in her off‑grid coastal hometown and offers retreats and online programs through Baja Surf Yoga, where yoga, surfing and inner inquiry meet against the backdrop of desert and ocean.

She is a certified 500‑hour Remedial Yoga and Applied Mindfulness Advanced Teacher with Bodhi Yoga Spain under the Independent Yoga Network (UK). Her writings and teachings are featured across Mindfulness Exercises, including:

• Mindfulness Body Scan for Stress Relief – a guided script that blends progressive relaxation with mindful awareness
• Self‑Compassion Through the Body – a loving body‑scan script for cultivating kindness toward ourselves
• Finding the Breath: A Breath Awareness Meditation Script - supporting teachers and practitioners in gently returning to the anchor of the breath. 

Bringing It All Together

Whether you identify more as a yoga teacher, therapist, meditation guide, or curious practitioner, the heart of this session is simple:

• Let your yoga be more than exercise.
• Let your meditation be more than sitting still.
• Let body and mind meet in everything you do.

As Sara‑Mai reminds us, our students didn’t come to yoga by accident. Something in them is already reaching for union. Our role is to meet them where they are – sweaty, distracted, hopeful – and gently guide them toward the fullness of practice: a life in which mindfulness, meditation and movement are no longer separate activities, but one continuous, compassionate way of being.

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