#yogainfo

a yoga teacher once said that an inversion is any pose where the heart is above the head - she said down dog was the simplest of inversions! Yay!

Yoga for Stress

Yay! So I have had a bunch of these written down and now I am finally going around doing my guides and flows. I arranged it so it would somehow flow, it's not perfect.

Also, yes, we all know yoga is pretty darn not stressful but these are some great poses to do when your stressed out and just need to find your breath and wind down.

Downward Dog - Ground your hands into the floor and engage your inner feet. Imagine a string at your tailbone, pulling it up and back. Take a few breaths here. Feel free to pedal your feet out and feel the stretch in your calves. This pose helps calm your brain.

Cobra - Spread your hands onto your mat close to your shoulders. Push up and elbows in. Press the top of your feet and your pelvic bone into the floor. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Child's Pose - There are a few variations. I like to touch my big toes together, with knees open and stretch arms out. You can also keep your knees together and lay onto your thighs. Find what feels yummy to you.

Cat/Cow - Make sure your shoulders are directly above your wrists and your knees are right below your hips. Inhale on cow, lift your tailbone and your chest toward the ceiling. Exhale on cat, round your spine, head looking down. Do a few cycles of this. Do them slow and take deep breaths.

Sitting Forward Bend - Sit on the floor, if it is uncomfortable, sit on a pillow, lifting your tailbone up about an inch. Stretch forward, head down. Do not force this stretch. Reach to a comfortable place.

Plow - Roll onto your back, slowly bringing your legs up and over your head, with your toes touching the ground. Soften your throat. Stretch your arms onto the floor.

Happy Baby - Lie on your back, bend your knees to your belly. Reach to grab your toes. I like to wrap my arms around my legs and hold onto my feet. If it is difficult to reach your toes, grab a strap or a belt around your feet to help you reach. Rock side to side, close your eyes, breathe.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose - Bring the soles of your feet together, forming a diamond with your legs. Lay down carefully, arms out. Close your eyes and breathe. If it is uncomfortable, find a yummy position. Move your feet away from you until you are comfy.

I hope this helps you destress! They are very simple poses. You can easily do these when you wake up or if you need to wind down and want to sleep.  You can do a few cycles of this. I like to take each pose with three deep breaths before moving on. If you find a pose particularly yummy, feel free to hang out there! (:

One large misconception about yoga is that you have to be flexible. The truth is, you don’t! Over time, you will build that flexibility but it’s not important. 

First, check out a bunch of people on youtube like the 30 Day Yoga Challenge with Erin Motts. Or type in slow flow or restorative yoga because they’re real easy and it can give you a feel on what your body feels like in those poses.

A few yoga poses: (links lead to yoga journal. it has step by step on how to do the poses safely without hurting yourself!)

Downward dog Chaturanga Bound Angle PoseCobraWarrior IWarrior II

and my personal favorite: Savasana. I like to end all my practices with 10-15 minutes of savasana as meditation. It is a very good way to close your practice.