What Is Calm — and How the Mind Works in Yoga and Ayurveda

Yoga Wisdom Off the MatYoga Teacher Development

5 Nov

Written By Katja Patel

🎧 Show Notes

Keywords:

calm, yoga, Ayurveda, mindfulness, resilience, daily rituals, mental clarity, rhythm, awareness, self-care

Summary:

In this episode, Katja Patel explores what calm really means — beyond quiet moments or still surroundings. Through the lenses of Yoga and Ayurveda, she unpacks how calm is a strength that grows through rhythm, awareness, and simple daily rituals. Katja explains how the mind’s constant movement shapes our experience of calm and how steady, nourishing rhythms can help us cultivate resilience and stability in the midst of life’s unpredictability.

Takeaways:

Calm is a strength that develops through rhythm, awareness, and practice.
We each experience calm differently, depending on our nature and stress levels.
Calm isn’t about shutting off the mind but understanding how it moves.
The mind often creates stories from small fragments of thought.
Yoga teaches that calm is acceptance, not complacency.
Consistent daily rhythms help the body and mind feel supported and safe.
Regular nourishment and rest build long-term resilience.
Even small self-care acts send the body the message: you can relax.
Deep calm is cultivated moment by moment — it’s something we grow, not chase.

Sound Bites:

“Calm isn’t just a quiet moment.”
“What does calm look like for you?”
“Rhythm slowly builds resilience.”

Chapters:

00:00 Exploring the Essence of Calm
03:16 Understanding Mental Activity and Calm
08:46 The Dualistic Mind and Contentment
11:41 Rhythm, Resilience, and Daily Practice
14:35 Recap: Building Deeper Calm Through Awareness

📖 Prefer to read instead?
You can read the full blog post here.

calm-mindayurvedaemotinal-resilienceseasonal livingstress-reliefcontentmentsantoshaNervous System Balanceyoga-philosophyawareness

Katja Patel

Katja Patel is a yoga teacher, teacher mentor, and Ayurveda consultant with over 25 years of experience helping women come back into rhythm — in their bodies, their days, and their lives.

Her work focuses on restoring steadiness through daily rhythms that support digestion, sleep, energy, and the nervous system — rather than chasing quick fixes or wellness trends.

After navigating scoliosis and chronic pain herself, Katja understands what it means to live in a body that feels out of sync — and how yoga and Ayurveda, when taught simply and applied wisely, can rebuild resilience, confidence, and trust in the body again.

Through her courses, workshops, and writing, she helps women stop trying to “do everything right” and instead learn how to listen, adjust, and return the rhythms their body has been asking for all along.

You can begin with her free guide, 5 Ayurvedic Shifts from Scattered to Steady, or explore her signature workshop Stress Less, Live More, where she teaches the rhythm-based approach to restoring sleep, digestion, and nervous system balance.

https://www.zestforyoga.com/