Sequencing a yoga practice: body. breath. mind
Yoga practice is structured in a special way; We work from gross → subtle: vitarka → vicāra.
BODY
We begin with āsana - connecting the movements of the breath with the movements of the spine and body. These are our main tools in postural practice. Linking breath and movements involves the mind. We have to pay attention to what we are doing and remain present as we practice. Through this, we can become comfortable and stable and more attentive in the mind.The main tool is breath and spine
BREATH
Next, we move into seated prāṇāyāma - the body and spine are stable and comfortable, and our attention is applied to develop the breath in a special way and increase the stability of mind and attention, anchoring that attention within. The main tool is breath.
MIND
The crown of practice is meditation - the breath takes a back seat to the attention and the mental link it makes with something. That object of attention could be a bhāvana, concept or intention, but the mind remains the main subtle tool to create and maintain the link.
The body is tangible – we can see it, move it, feel it and it offers plenty of sensations and information.
The breath can happen automatically or be voluntarily shaped. It doesn’t have a visible form (though we can see shape changes in the body that result from breathing.) The breath is more subtle than the body.
The mind is more subtle yet. It has its own patterns and can be influenced, but not as directly as with the body or even the breath. We may have the intention of focusing on a work assignment, but the mind may or may not be able to stay with the task.
The movements of the mind are greatly influenced by the state we are in, so preparing vitarka → vicāra is very helpful. When the body is stable and comfortable, when the breath is long and smooth, the mind can be attentive and peaceful. When the mind is in this sattvic state, attention can be applied to anything (vitarka or vicāra), revealing many kinds of special states.