Yoga For Your Inner Calm

If you ask most people, they associate yoga with posing like a tree...am I right?  

Here are some suggestions of how you might use some of these different limbs to activate your parasympathetic nervous system....cue that memory from your high school science classes! Let's take a moment to refresh. Most people have heard the term "fight or flight" which is linked to our sympathetic nervous system. Most of us spend our time with an active sympathetic nervous system. Things that contribute to this are stress, constant multitasking, and overstimulation. Our parasympathetic nervous system is our "rest and digest" and is our other system that allows us to relax and restore.  

Who knew yoga was science?! Now that our lesson is over, back to practices we can use to activate that parasympathetic system and find our inner calm! 

Breath Work 

Did you know that yoga refers to much more than just the physical poses?! In fact, there are 8 limbs of yoga 🤯 and all are designed to help you find that inner peace. Pranayama is the limb that focuses on breath. The word Prana refers to ‘energy’ or ‘life source’. It is often described as the very essence that keeps us alive, as well as the energy in the universe around us.  

Deep breathing technique: Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. You want to feel the hand on your stomach move in and out more than the hand on your chest. You will take a deep breath in through your nose. As you inhale count in your mind 1…2…3…4 and imagine using the air you breathe in to push against your hand on your stomach. Hold for a count of 2. Then exhale through your mouth like you are blowing out a candle. Exhale for a count of 1…2…3…4 and pause before starting again.  

Physical Poses  

The physical practice of yoga is called Asana. Their true purpose is to prepare you for breath work and meditation, allowing you to sit without being mentally "pulled" away by aches and pains in the body. Here are a few you might try!  

Balasana (Child's Pose): Come to kneeling position with the big toes together. Lower the buttock towards the heels, placing the knees in a comfortable position as you begin to slowly hinge the body forward from the hips. Lead with the chest and come down as far as comfortable. Work towards lying the belly and torso on the thighs and touching the forehead to the floor. Let the arms relax alongside the body.  

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend): Starting from a standing position, on the inhale, extend the spine. On the exhale, hinge from the hips and sweep the arms down. Stop when the fingers reach the floor (or block) on either side of the feet. Let the head hang heavy, neck relaxed, eyes soft or closed. Bend the knees if needed.  

Ado Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog): Come on all fours with the knees below the hips. Bring the palms slightly forward of the shoulders. Spread the fingers wide with the middle finger pointing straight ahead. Curl the toes under and push the hips toward the sky. Walk the feet back until the body looks like and inverted "V" position from the side. Gently press the heels towards the floor without straining. Press the thighbones back toward the wall behind you. Open the chest by bringing the shoulder blades back and together. Rotate the biceps toward each other. Allow the head to release down. Try to find a balance between the weight on the hands and feet. 

Paschimottanasana (Forward Bending Pose): Start sitting with your legs out in front of you. Place hands next to hips. Inhale, lengthen the spine reaching the heart forward. Come forward with as long as a spine as possible. Exhale, hinge at the hips and fold forward as far as comfortable. When the lower back begins to round, release the hands to the floor, legs or feet. Allow the spin to release.  

Next time you're feeling anxious or you just want to take some time to be grounded and focused, try these yoga moves!