Stress, anxiety and depression can cause an imbalance in our nervous system but thankfully practicing yoga can help re-program and re-balance the system. These Yin Yoga poses can help you let go of stress and anxiety by releasing negativity from the body and mind as well as tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for relaxation, digestion and healing.
Often when experiencing anxiety or being under stress our breath becomes shallow, which triggers the mind and body to tense up even more. By deepening your breath you can lower the stress hormones in the body and calm an anxious mind.
Before you begin find a calm space where you can relax, also find a timer to have by your side as the poses are held for three minutes. Allow yourself to give your mind a break from thoughts and from worrying, practicing acceptance of whatever arises.
Full Yogic Breath
Begin by taking a few deep breaths. First filling the belly like a balloon, then breathing into the ribcage, all the way up to the collarbones. Exhale to empty the lungs from the top down, lastly slightly sucking in the belly. If your mind is restless or anxious you can use the simple, yet effective technique of counting at the same time you breathe, to anchor yourself. Inhaling to count 1-2-3-4, exhaling 1-2-3-4.
1. Dragon pose. Begin on all four, hands under shoulders and knees under hips, step the right foot forwards between the hands. Option to move the foot to the outside of the right hand. Keep the foot beneath the knee and if you wish to deepen from here you can begin to move the back knee backwards. If the back knee is bothering you, place a blanket or pillow under the knee. You can remain here on the palms or lower down onto the forearms. Find your edge, the variation of dragon where you can remain for as long possible, 3 minutes recommended. However, if your body tells you to move out of the pose sooner, please listen to those signals. Breathe deeply.
2. Swan pose. From dragon pose, move slowly to lower down the right knee towards the ground. If the right hip is lifted you can place a pillow or blanket underneath the right sit bone. Either remain here with the hands on the ground or option to begin to lower down onto the forearms, maybe resting the forehead on the hands. After 3 minutes, slowly switch sides and step the left foot forwards for dragon.
3. Sfinx/Seal. Lower down to lie on the belly, place the elbows beneath the shoulders with the forearms resting on the ground, palms down. In this pose the muscles in the legs and buttox naturally tighten up and the more you relax them the deeper the sensations of this pose. This might not feel much in the beginning, but remain in the pose as relaxed as possible and experience the effect time has. If the sensations become too strong before your timer goes off you can walk the elbows further away from you. If you want to deepen the pose after 2 minutes, widen the distance between the hands and press the ground away with the palms, keeping a slight bend in the elbows to avoid hyper extension. Lower the shoulders away from the ears and breathe into the space you are creating along the spine.
4. Twist. Slowly lower down to lie on the belly and extend the arms out into a T shape. Lift the left leg of the ground, bend the knee and begin to roll over to lower down the left foot towards the ground on your right side. Remain in the twist 1-3 minutes before switching sides.
5. Childspose/Frog pose. From lying on the belly, place the hands under the shoulders, and press the ground away with the palms, sending the hips back towards the heels coming through childspose. Either remain here or begin to widen the distance between the knees to target the inner thighs. Either keep the feet together or bend the knees in a 90 degree angle (as shown in photo). Remain in your variation here for 3 minutes. If you've widened the distance between the knees, when your timer goes off begin to move your way gently back through a childspose.
6. Savasana. Find your way to lying on the back in Savasana, final relaxaion pose, allowing the legs to be apart and the feet to flop open to the sides. The arms are away from the body facing the palms up towards the sky in a state of receiving, total surrender and acceptance. Accepting whatever is present right now in this very moment, any sensations in the body or the mind, for in acceptance there is peace.
You are not alone - your breath is always with you.
Namaste
200 hour yoga teachers training in RishikeshSattva Yoga Academy offers 300 & 200 hour yoga teachers training in Rishikesh, through its team of master level yoga gurus in line with yoga alliance courses. The training in this yoga school in Rishikesh is about being able to teach a yoga class.
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