Breaking The Pattern: A Gentle Return to Presence

A playful reflection for the end of the year that will only take a few minutes of your time...

As we drift towards the final weeks of the year, we often find ourselves swept up in the spiral of busyness, expectations and familiar rituals. There's a certain kind of dizzying yet familiar momentum that creeps in, with the 'To-Do' lists making an appearance more than ever right now. There seem to be so many unfinished tasks that suddenly become more urgent, as though time is running out to complete everything before the Christmas close-down. 

I’ve been reflecting on how easily we can slip into autopilot in our quest for getting all those boxes ticked in time for...what?

Although running on autopilot has historically earnt its own badge of efficiency and honour, mindfulness reminds us that sometimes when we break the habitual pattern of doing something in a certain way, we can awaken to a refreshing newness that seems to arise out of the simple joy of presence, rather than the satisfaction of completing the goal.

A cheeky little game I like to play, especially with everyday mundane chores, is the pattern-interruptor. We are creatures of habit, and when we do the same things repeatedly, our brain loves to stay in that familiar groove, and it can get boring. No wonder we zone out!

We sleep on the same side of the bed.

We wake up the same way.

We drink our tea or coffee the same way.

We brush our teeth in the same way.

We drive along the same routes.

We react in the same patterns.

We complain about the same things.

We laugh at the same things.

We even practise yoga in the same sequences, expecting our bodies to feel exactly as they did last time.

There’s definitely comfort in the familiar… but there’s also a quiet kind of forgetting.

We stop really seeing what’s in front of us. We stop feeling what’s beneath the surface. We move through days and sometimes whole weeks or months without being fully awake to the life that's unfolding in real time right under our noses.

This week in our classes, I’ll be inviting my students (and myself) to try something playful and quite profound, to reverse the usual, interrupt the patterns and wake up to the moment.

Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift, like rolling out your mat in a different part of the room,

starting the practice with Savasana instead of ending with it, or beginning on the opposite side of the body to what habit dictates.

I always have a little chuckle when someone arrives to class, only to find someone else has claimed their regular spot in the corner. The look of surprise and momentary confusion on their face is almost enough for them to turn around and walk right back out the door, to try again next time!

By sprinkling in a few small, intentional disruptions into our routine, something quite beautiful arises.

They remind us that we are alive, not mechanical, that life is never boring or the same if we are present, not pre-programmed with assumption and expectation.

We are reminded that we are beings of awareness, not repetition. We are alive, not robots.

So, as the Christmas season approaches, along with its to-do lists, traditions, gatherings and pressures, this teaching becomes even more precious.

What if we met the silly season a little differently this year?

What if instead of rushing, we paused?

Instead of saying “yes” automatically, we responded consciously?

Instead of repeating old emotional patterns, we softened to what’s actually here?

Presence changes everything. It brings sweetness back to simple moments. It allows us to feel joy without forcing it.

It opens space for genuine connection instead of obligation.

And it gently dissolves the stress and overstimulation that often accompany December.

By slowing down, pausing and breathing into the raw simplicity of now, your rituals, practices and indeed your life, both on and off the mat can be both your anchor and your meditation.

So maybe this week, try reversing something small in your daily life.

Take a different path on your walk.

Sit at a new spot at the dinner table.

Swap sides of the bed.

Drink your tea with the other hand or better still, do everything with your other hand.

If that's too much then at least break one tiny habit of mindless doing.

Catch yourself when you're snoozing on cruise control, and let the unfamiliar wake you up.

Let it be a reminder that every moment is fresh, and that you are free to meet this season with open eyes, open breath and open heart.

We hope to see you on the mat in Kin Kin & Pomona if you are in the Noosa hinterland...at the usual times, but maybe not in the usual way!

Remember, every breath is an invitation to begin again, and move in the direction of peace.

With love & peaceful blessings,

Sundãri & Shivatree✨️🙏🏼✨️

(Danielle & Tony)

Ps. If you'd like to explore Yoga, Mindfulness, Ayurveda, Qigong, Sound therapy or energy healing with us, please reach out by replying to this email. We work individually or in groups, both in person or remotely from anywhere in the world.