I'd tried traditional meditation, but struggled to find quiet while sitting. With yoga, I found that as I moved and breathed into the asana that my mind started to slow down.

In the early days I was spending eight to 10 hours a day writing software, and I noticed that the focus I'd achieved in my morning yoga practice would carry over into the office.

When practised with proper breath control, all asanas can bring about a quiet mind. But certain poses are designed to bring about quiet directly.

Balasana - the child's pose - and Viparita Karani - legs up the wall - place the body in a comfortable, restorative position that can be held for extended periods of time.

For the first, as shown in the first picture, kneel down, then sit on your feet and drop your head to the mat. Your hands can be either in front of you or at your sides.

In Viparita Karani, seen in the second picture, slowly slide your buttocks toward the wall - you don't need to touch it - and straighten your legs up the wall, resting your arms at your side.

With both asanas, breathe slowly in and out through the nose, keeping inhalations and exhalations the same length. Stay in the pose as long as you like, but for at least two minutes.

The writer works for Absolute Yoga Bangkok. Call (02) 252 4400 or visit www.Absolute

YogaBangkok.com.

By Luke Cassady-Dorion

Special to Daily Xpress