The Gentle Return: Why Reminders Matter in Yoga and Life
- Steph Cole
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
There’s a quiet truth that every seasoned yoga practitioner comes to understand:
We’re not here to master yoga. We’re here to remember it.
Yoga, at its core, isn’t about achieving a perfect pose or checking off a posture checklist—it’s a lifelong process of returning. Again, and again. To the breath. To the body. To presence. To purpose.
And in that return, we come to treasure something sacred and essential: Reminders.
🧘♀️Reminders Are the Heartbeat of the Practice
In yoga, reminders are not interruptions. They are invitations.
“Relax your shoulders.”
“Come back to your breath.”
“Let go of effort in the face.”
“Feel your feet on the ground.”
These may sound simple, even repetitive. But within each gentle cue lies the opportunity to wake up—to stop rushing, gripping, bracing, and return to what’s true.
And the truth is this: We forget.
We forget to breathe deeply.
We forget to soften.
We forget that we’re already enough.
We forget to feel instead of perform.
So, we come back. Not with shame—but with reverence.
🌿Yoga Is the Practice of Remembering
Yoga philosophy reminds us that we’re not trying to become something else. We’re trying to remember our true nature—one of clarity, compassion, courage, and calm. But life pulls us in a thousand directions. And we forget.
Reminders are bridges between forgetting and remembering.
They’re not signs of failure. They’re evidence that we’re still in relationship with ourselves. That we’re still listening. Still willing to return.
This is especially important in modern yoga, where we’re often encouraged to strive, push, and “progress” in visible ways. But the most profound growth happens internally, often in the quietest moments:
The breath we return to after a spiral of thoughts
The kindness we offer ourselves when we wobble in Tree Pose
The awareness that we were holding our jaw or clenching our hands—and we choose to release
Each of these moments is a reminder—and each one brings us closer to the heart of yoga.
🌀Why Reminders Matter in Daily Life
It’s not just on the mat. Life, too, demands reminders.
We need reminders that rest is productive.
That healing isn’t linear.
That we are not defined by our productivity, appearance, or status.
That we can begin again—at any moment.
In the SOF lifestyle, for example—where change is constant, stress is high, and the invisible emotional labor of spouses is immense—reminders can be a lifeline:
“I don’t have to carry everything alone.”
“It’s okay to ask for help.”
“I deserve care, too.”
“I can’t control everything—and that’s okay.”
Yoga becomes more than a movement practice—it becomes the place where we remember our value. Our boundaries. Our breath. Our truth.
✨Types of Reminders in Yoga
There are many ways reminders show up in a yoga practice, both spoken and unspoken. Let’s explore a few:
Physical Reminders
These include alignment cues or adjustments that guide the body safely and mindfully. Rather than perfection, they aim to bring awareness:
“Draw the shoulder blades down.”
“Root down to rise up.”
Each cue isn’t just biomechanical—it’s metaphorical.
Mental Reminders
These are invitations to bring the mind back to presence:
“If the mind wanders, that’s okay. Just come back.”
“This moment is enough.”
They help us release the need to achieve and instead embody the present moment.
Emotional Reminders
Yoga often reminds us it’s okay to feel. It’s okay to cry. To soften. To be vulnerable.
“Notice what’s rising. You don’t have to fix it.”
“This practice meets you exactly as you are.”
Emotional reminders are vital for healing—they gently affirm: You don’t have to armor up here.
Spiritual Reminders
Whether or not yoga is your spiritual practice, it invites connection:
To something greater
To your inner knowing
To peace that exists beneath the noise
Spiritual reminders in yoga are subtle, but powerful:
“Come home to yourself.”
“You are already whole.”
🌸A Practice of Personal Reminders
Want to start integrating more personal reminders into your yoga and daily life? Here’s a ritual you can try: The Reminder Ritual
At the start of your practice, place one hand on your heart and ask:
“What do I need to remember today?”
Choose one phrase or affirmation. Write it down. Speak it aloud. Keep it simple.
(Examples: “I am safe.” “My breath is my anchor.” “Softness is strength.”)
Repeat this phrase throughout your practice—especially when the mind wanders or the body resists.
After practice, sit in stillness. Whisper the phrase again. Let it echo through your day.
This gentle repetition builds a relationship between the yoga mat and your real life. Your reminder becomes a companion—one that helps you return to yourself again and again.
💖A Final Thought from The Zen Den
You don’t need to remember everything all at once. You just need the willingness to return.
The truth is: we all forget.
We forget to breathe.
We forget our worth.
We forget to pause.
But the power of yoga lies not in never forgetting—it lies in having the courage to remember.
Again.
And again.
And again.
So, the next time your teacher says, “Come back to your breath,” know that it is not a correction.
It is a blessing.
A reminder.
A homecoming.
“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness. The soul? It thrives on reminders.”
Comments