Strategies for taming the monkeymind?

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have suggestions for taming down the

most ferocious of monkey minds so I can actually get

through a series instead of running out of steam before I

finish standing postures?<br>Part of the problem is all

of my instruction has been in led classes, and I

never really learned anything about developing my own

practice - advice on that front consisted of "Try to do

sun saluations every day." It was a beginner

class.<br>Today I managed a little longer with a CD playing. I

would have liked to work with a CD of chanting,

Gregorian or yogic, for the long lines and calm of the

music not distracting me. Maybe I miss hearing the

ujjayi breath of everyone else in the room.<br>Part of

me feels slack just for using the CD instead of

truly listening to my breath.<br>Would an audio tape or

CD of the primary series be helpful (I "know" how to

get into pretty much every asana in the series,

although I'm still working in the early seated postures,

so a video isn't absolutely necessary)?<br>Do you

have any suggestions on thoughts I can use to keep the

monkey quiet?<br><br>Many thanks in

advance!<br>Namaste,<br>bodysings