When the body gets stressed the heart races, the breath becomes shallow and the mind jumps from place to place, making it difficult to focus. The practice of yoga helps by slowing down the breath and bringing the mind back to a focused place. Overtime, a regular yoga practice helps to reduce stress, keeping the mind and body calm and collected.
Begin the Practice by Focusing on the Breath
The first and most important aspect of the yoga practice is slowing down the breath. Start by simply lying on your back (knees bent or straight, whatever is most comfortable) and bringing the hands to the belly. For one or two minutes simply listen and feel the breath. As you listen to the breath it will begin to slow down. Allow the inhales and exhales to move towards being even in length. It is important to take time to take this step, slow steady breathing communicates with the brain which communicates with the rest of the body, allowing the body to begin to relax.
A Simple Sequence to Practice at Home
Once the breathing is slow and steady poses can be practiced to further focus and calm the mind. These five poses are simple enough to practice at home with yoga mat or towel rolled out on the floor.
Start from hands and knees to move into Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Tuck your toes and take your hips up and back. Press your hands down evenly from the base of your thumb to the base of your pinky finger and firm your arms, especially your triceps (outer, upper arm). As your triceps firm soften the sides of your neck to find some release. Firm and lift the fronts of the thighs and extend down through the heels. Think of making long straight lines from the outer wrists to the outer hips and from the hips down through the heels. This pose will help you focus, get grounded and strengthen the arms and the legs. Stay here for at least five even, steady breaths. To come down, bring the knees to the floor hip distance apart, bring toes together and drop the hips to the heels and rest a few breathes in child's pose.
For increase focus and balance, move into Tree pose (Vrksasana) next. Start standing, both feet on the ground, even weight from left to right, from the heels to the toes. Move your weight onto one foot and bring the other foot to the inner thigh of the standing leg. Press the sole of the foot and the inner thigh into each other and firm and lift the thigh of the standing leg. Take the arms up over head, spin the palms to face each other so you can soften the back of your neck. Focus your gaze on one point that isn't going to move. Take slow, easy breaths. Come back to standing on both feet before switching sides.
To move into Warrior II (Viribhadrasana II) step your feet three to four feet apart. Turn your right leg out 90 degrees from your hip and put your back foot on a diagonal with your toes just forward from the heel. Take the arms straight out from the shoulders to to either side of you. Look over your right finger tips, focus your gaze and bend your right knee until it is right on top of your ankle. Have your front knee pointing the same direction as your middle toe. Stay here five breaths. Press evenly through both feet. Firm the thighs to come out of it and change sides.
After a day being hunched over a desk or a steering wheel, Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana) can help to reopen the front of the body and bring renewed sense of well being. Lie down on your back, feet four to six inches away from your sitting bones, flat on the floor, and hip distance apart and parallel. You should be able to just touch your heels with the fingertips with the arms down along your sides. Pressing evenly through your feet start to lift your hips away from the floor. Interlace your fingers underneath you and draw the tops of your shoulders onto the floor so the chest is open. Let your breathing be easy. Relax the muscles of your face and neck. Hold for five to eight breaths and then release the hands and come down. Repeat up to to three times. When you are finished hug your knees into your chest and rock gently side to side to release your lower back.
No yoga practice would be complete without at least a few minutes in Savasana, final resting pose. Lie on your back, let your feet fall apart, arms along your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes, let your shoulders release back, belly soften and breath be natural. Take about five minutes here. Allow every muscle in your body to release and relax. When you are ready to come out first take a few deep breaths. Start with small movements, wiggle your fingers and toes and then stretch through your arms and legs. In your own time, bend your knees and roll onto your right side, eyes closed, body still heavy. Press into your hands to come to a comfortable seated position and take a few deep breaths here, eyes still closed, bringing your awareness back into your body, back into the room. Slowly open your eyes.
Try to repeat this practice two to three times per week. Over time the tension in the body will begin to melt away as the muscles get stronger and more flexible. Sleep may become easier, stress will decrease and feelings of well being will increase, as well as the ability to focus and get grounded.
Kaitlyn McConnell - Hi! I am a yoga teacher, world traveler, artist and cook currently living in Seattle, WA. I keep a regular blog of all things yoga related ...
