Yoga for Less Stress

8/6/2019 Yoga for Less Stress

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You probably have more to do and less time to do it.And that usuallyadds up to one thing: stress. Thats when your home practice can come to therescue especially if you tailor it to accommodate your changing moods andenergy levels. After all, stress doesnt manifest itself the same way every time youexperience it. Sometimes it leaves you exhausted and desperate for a nap; other

times it drives you to scour your kitchen from top to bottom until midnight.

If its any consolation, the ancient yogis experienced similar uctuations. Westill reference the categories they had for dierent kinds of energy. Called thethree gunasrajas, tamas, and sattvathese energetic qualities are found ineverything in nature.

Rajas is an active force often described as passion, desire, violence, determina-

tion, and drive; left unchecked, it can lead to feelings of restlessness and over-stimulation. Tamas is passivethe pull of dullness, inertia, and sleep. Sattva isthe quality of light, love, and peace. Although the gunas are always intertwined,once you tune in to them, youll notice how one or two are likely to be dominant(and perhaps out of balance) at any point in your day.

The key to nding that sweet spot of sattvic balance is to adjust your practiceappropriately. If youre anxious and jumpy, restorative poses might not be the way

to start. If youre feeling rajasic, try to occupy your mind by doing a good owsequence for 20 minutes or so, says Baxter Bell, a physician and yoga teacherin the San Francisco Bay Area. (To contact him, visit www.bellyoga.info.)Go into longer holds when your mind is quiet enough to handle them. Or dojust two or three restoratives for a shorter period of time. If youre feel-ing listless, Bell suggests taking a few minutes in a passive backbend beforeyou begin.

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ByAndrea Ferretti~ Sequences byBaxter Bell

Your home practice should be your

sanctuary from stress.Heres a sequence to ensure that it is.


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beore you beginOM Chant three times.

GO WITHIN Take a ew minutes to decompress by lying in constructive

rest. To make it easier to relax, set a timer or to 5 minutes, then lie back

on your mat. Bend your knees and place your eet on the oor, hip-width

apart and about a oot away rom your sitting bones. Cross your arms over

your chest and rest your orearms on your rib cage.

As you breathe deeply, try to become aware o the type o stress youre

eeling. Are you physically tired? Emotionally exhausted? Riled up with

nervous energy? Dont worry about fxing or changing the way you eel.

Simply witness the sensations and allow them to pass through you as you

continue to breathe.

WARM UP Come to your hands and knees in tabletop position with your

shoulders directly over your wrists, and your knees a ew inches behindyour hips. As you inhale, lit your sitting bones toward the ceiling. Allow the

gentle arch in your lower back to move up the spine until youre gazing at

the ceiling. As you exhale, tuck your tailbone and round your spine like a

cat. Do this several times, synchronizing the breath with the undulating

movement o your spine.

SUN SALUTATIONS The keys to staying grounded and calm during a busy

day are strength, exibility, and endurance. Sun Salutations help you buildall three. From Mountain Pose, inhale as you sweep your arms overhead

to Upward Salute with your palms acing each other. Exhale to Standing

Forward Bend, inhale back to Upward Salute, and exhale to Mountain Pose.

Repeat this pattern 6 to 8 times, keeping the breath slow and long. Just

because youre moving doesnt mean you have to rush.

This months sequence is organized so it can be tailored to meet your needs.

It starts with dynamic movement and gradually moves into tension-releasingstretches and restorative poses to stimulate deep relaxation. Try the wholeseries at once, or take it in pieces, depending on how youre feeling. Whicheverway you practice, if you nish feeling light, refreshed, and grounded, youllknow you picked the right moves.

beore you begin


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less stressyogafor

steady, stable, and strongFor these three standing poses, start with dynamic movement, moving in andout of the full pose to lubricate your joints and warm up your muscles. Then holdthe full poses for a few breaths to develop your strength and stamina.

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1 Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I)

Stand in the middle o your mat with your eet to eet apart. Turn your right legout 90 degrees and the let leg in about 60 degrees. Relax your arms at your sidesas you turn your hips toward your right oot. Inhale and bend your right knee to 90degrees. At the same time, sweep your arms up overhead, palms acing each other.Exhale and straighten the ront leg as you bring your arms back to your sides. Repeatthe pattern 6 to 8 times, moving at a comortable pace. As you move into Warrior Ior the last time, stay there or 6 to 8 even, smooth breaths.

When youve fnished the frst side, bring both eet parallel and stay or a momentso that your body and mind can absorb what youve just done. Then switch to theother side.


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steady, stable, and strong

Trikonasana(Triangle Pose)Taking the same stance (rightleg out, let leg in), place a blockbehind your right ankle.

Inhale as you bring your armsout to a T position. Exhale asyou move your hips to the letand reach out to the right. Keep

your arms in the same plane asyou reach your right fngertipsdown onto the block and yourlet hand up to the sky. Exhaleas you bring weight into the

outer edge o your back ootand rise to standing. Repeat 6to 8 times, then hold or severalbreaths beore repeating on theother side.

Parsvottanasana(Intense Side Stretch)

I you use blocks or this pose, startwith one in each hand. Take thesame stance as in Warrior I, with yourright leg out and your let leg in. Turn

your hips toward the right oot tosquare them, then place the blockson either side o your ankle. Inhale

as you sweep your arms overheadand, while exhaling, bend at the hipsas you stretch the torso and armsorward, until your fngers reach the

blocks. Then, keeping your fngertipson the blocks, inhale and lengthen

your spine as you come halway up.Exhale and old orward. Repeat thispattern 6 to 8 times, then hold or 6to 8 breaths.


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keep a cool headBalancing poses build steadiness and focustwo helpful traits to call uponwhen stress strikes. These postures also allow you to experience a bit of fearin a controlled environment. If you can stay cool and concentrated as youreabout to fall out of Tree pose, you can call upon that skill when the trials oflife make you feel unsteady.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)From Tadasana (Mountain Pose),bring your weight onto your letoot, bend your right knee and draw

your right oot up the let leg. (Youmay need to reach down with yourright hand and clasp your right an-

kle.) Press frmly through your letbig toe and your let heel. Imagineroots growing out o that oot andinto the ground. Now press yourright heel and your let inner thightoward each other. Lengthen your

tailbone toward the oor as youfrm your belly.

Place your hands in Anjali Mu-

dra (Prayer Position). Gaze sotlyat a fxed point. Breathe or 6 to8 breaths. Release the right ootdown as you exhale and come backto Tadasana. Repeat on the otherside or the same length o time.


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6 Ardha Chandrasana (Hal Moon Pose)Come into Triangle Pose on the right side with your let hand resting on your lethip. Inhale, bend your right knee, and drag your let oot about 6 to 1 inches or-ward along the oor. At the same time, reach your right hand a oot beyond thelittle-toe side o the right oot and onto a block. Exhale and straighten your rightleg, simultaneously liting the let leg parallel to the oor. Lengthen the tailbonetoward the heels, and frm your shoulder blades toward each other. Keep your headin a neutral position, and gaze orward. With an exhalation, lower your leg to theoor and return to Triangle Pose.

keep a cool head

55 Virabhadrasana III

(Warrior Pose III)Step your let oot backinto a high lunge. Lay yourtorso down on the midlineo the right thigh and bring

your arms into a T shape.Exhale and press the heado the right thighbone backto straighten the standing

leg. Lit your back leg o theground and actively pressthrough the back oot. Inhale

into the back o your body asyour torso hovers parallel tothe oor. I you eel steady,reach your arms toward thewall behind you. Bring yourhead up slightly and lookorward, without compress-ing your neck. Ater 6 to 8breaths, step back to thelunge, bring your hands tothe oor, and step your letoot into a orward bend. Staythere or a ew breaths, thenrepeat on the other side.

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Garudasana Arms (Eagle Arms)This is a great pose or releasing tightness between the shoulder blades. Sitin Virasana (Hero Pose); i youre at your desk, any upright seated position will

do. Inhale as you reach both arms out to a T position, exhale as you bend bothelbows, and cross your right elbow over your let.

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tension tamersThese poses, which target the upper back, neck, and hip exors, are perfectantidotes for stress that causes muscle tension, shallow breathing, and afoggy mind.

Spiral your orearms aroundeach other until your let fnger-tips press into your right palm.Move in and out o the armposition to warm up beore you hold it: Inhale and bringyour arms back out to a T, then

exhale and cross your letelbow over the right and spiral your arms around each otheruntil the hands press together.Do this or times.

Return to the pose on thefrst side and hold or 6 to8 breaths. During the hold,lit your elbows but release

your shoulders down yourback. Direct your inhalationsinto the space between theshoulder blades to create amassage rom the inside out.Take a moment ater you re-lease to notice i any tensionhas eased. Then repeat on theother side.


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9 Chair Lunge

I you sit in a chair or much o the day, your hip exorsthe muscles alongthe ront o your hipbonesare probably tight rom being in a compressed

position. Your co-workers might fnd it odd to see you lunging at your desk, but

once they see you walking tall, they might just try it, too.

tension tamers

88 Neck ReleaseSit in a chair with your back sup-ported and both eet planted frmly

on the oor. Hook the fngers o

your let hand under the chair

and drop your right ear toward

your right shoulder. Notice a nice

stretch along the let side o your

neck. To deepen the intensity, pullup against the chair with your let

hand. Stay here or 8 to 10 breaths.

To come out, bring your right hand

to the right side o your head and

gently guide your head back to

center. Repeat on the other side.

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Place the back o your chair against a wall

(or your desk) so that its stable. Stand a

ew eet in ront o the chair, acing it,

with your hands on your hips. Place the

sole o your right oot on the seat othe chair and begin to lunge orward,

keeping the back oot on the oor. I

you need to, grab the sides or the

back o the chair or support. Keep

your right knee over your right

ankle and your let leg back ar

enough that you eel a stretch

along the ront o your letleg. Be sure to ully engage

the muscles o the back leg

by pressing the thighbone

frmly back and reaching

through the back heel.


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less stressyogafor

recharge and rereshRestorative poses require little or no eort to maintain. They take some aware-ness and eort to get into, but the payo is worth it. These two oer a uniquetype of restoration that allows you to practice conscious relaxation: While yourest, you also notice where youre holding tension. Once you notice those places,try letting them go. Youll learn where you unconsciously hold tension, which canthen help you recognize and let go of damaging patterns in your day-to-day life.

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10 Supta Baddha Konasana(Reclining Bound Angle Pose)This pose requires props, but its worth the eort. Place a bolster over a blockso the block is centered underneath the top hal o the bolster. Sit in ront o thebolster with your sacrum touching its edge. Using your hands or support, lie back,then place olded blankets under each o your outer thighs. Press the soles o youreet together and let your knees drop open onto the blankets. Avoid turning thispose into a groin opener; have enough height underneath the legs to relax your in-

ner thighs. Place an eye bag over your eyes and enjoy or up to 0 minutes.


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recharge and reresh

fnishing sequenceKNEES TO CHESTLie back and, placing one hand on each shin, draw your

knees in toward your chest. Feel your lower back release as you press itinto the oor. I it eels good to you, roll around on your sacrum. Circle the

knees clockwise or a ew breaths, then counterclockwise.

GENTLE TWIST With your knees tucked in toward your chest, bring your

arms out to a T shape, palms acing up. Keeping your knees bent and your

shins at a 90-degree angle to your thighs, drop both legs to the right and

look to the let. Then bring the knees back through the center, drop the

legs to the let, and look to the right.

CORPSE POSE Do Savasana or 10 minutes.

(Set a timer so you dont create more stress worrying about the time.)

Look or a gentle rise and all in your bellydeep, even breathing is the

clearest indicator that youve reduced at least some o your stress.

11 Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose)

Inversions like this can help return blood rom the legs to theheart more efciently. They also tend to lower your heart rate

and blood pressure. All o these things calm your nervoussystem, promoting the relaxation response, a term coined byHerbert Benson, M.D., in the 190s.

Place a bolster or two olded blankets parallel to a wall andabout to 6 inches rom it. Sit in the middle o the bolsterwith your let side to the wall, and use your hands to lie backon the oor and swing your eet up onto the wall. Move your

buttocks as close to the wall as you can and rest the backs oyour legs on the wall. The bolster should support the back oyour pelvis. Allow your upper chest to open as you release yourlower ribs toward your spine. Rest your arms on the oor with

your elbows bent, in a saguaro cactus position. Stay here or5 to 10 minutes, keeping yourmind ocused on your breath

and the sensations that arise inyour body. To come out, press

your eet into the wall and slideback o the bolster. Roll to yourright side and rest or a momentbeore coming up.

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Yoga for Less Stress