Tuesday 09 August, 2016.
Try these yoga positions for beginners to relieve stress and tension.
You don’t have to be especially supple or even familiar with yoga to benefit from my favorite yoga poses and yoga breathing techniques.
One of the benefits of yoga that I really enjoy is that it brings you to a state of stillness…
Exactly what you need to cope with anxiety and panic attacks!
Anyone can use yoga poses to manage stress!
How does it work? …
As you combine breathing with your relaxing yoga posture, your thoughts shift away from your concerns and from the cause of panic attacks and bring you right back into the present moment…
Worries drop away and, for the moment at least, there are no more ‘should’ or ‘musts’…
Just the refreshing reality of the present moment…
Each time you come to the present moment, you drop a certain amount of baggage. You may pick it up again shortly afterwards, but the point is that you have practiced letting it go.
Eventually you will be able to reduce stress, cope with anxiety and control panic attacks more often and for longer periods of time.
I have chosen 4 yoga positions for beginners that can be used especially for relaxation.
So, grab a few quiet minutes during the day, make yourself comfortable, switch off your phone, put your pets outside, open a window and BE KIND TO YOURSELF…
Yoga Positions For Beginners
1. CHILD POSE
Effect
Centering
Restores balance and harmony to the body and puts the mind in an open and receptive state.
How To
- Sit on your heels with your knees together.
- Fold forward to lay your torso on your thighs.
- Bring your forehead to the floor and rest the backs of your arms on the floor.
- Soften your shoulders, relax your elbows, close your eyes and follow your breath.
A variation is to keep your big toes together as you spread your knees apart and stretch your arms forwards along the floor.
If you have high blood pressure, or if your buttocks don’t release down close to your heels, modify the pose. You shouldn’t feel any tension in your body. Stack two fists up and rest your forehead on them.
2. CROCODILE POSE (makrasana)
Effect
Soothing
Gentle pressure on the forehead relaxes the frontal lobe of the brain which helps quieten and soothe.
How To
- Lie on your front with your feet comfortably wide apart.
- Take your elbows to the floor about 15cm (6 inches) in front of your shoulders.
- And rest your forehead down on your forearms, neck soft and relaxed.
- With your chest on the floor, your upper body is in a gentle back bend. If necessary, adjust your elbows forward or back to find the most comfortable position.
- Tune into the soothing sensation of your abdomen expanding and pressing into the floor with each breath.
Simple, soothing and real DIY yoga positions for beginners!
3. LEGS-UP-THE-WALL (viparita karani)
Effect
Restorative
Relaxing, re-energizing. Relieves the effects of stress by soothing the nervous system, increasing circulation and allowing the mind to calm.
How To
- Lie on the floor near a wall and swing your legs up onto the wall so that your heels are on the wall and your hips are supported against the wall. If you have any low back discomfort, move your body back away from the wall so that only your heels are on the wall and your hips are now off the wall.
- Lie back so that your head is lined up directly on top of your spine. Bend your knees slightly so that you are not “locking” out the kneecaps.
- Adjust your legs so they are straight up the wall, spread in a V-shape, or place your feet together and knees apart as in cobbler’s pose. Experiment to see what feels best.
- Close your eyes and relax for as long as you can, aiming for 1- 5 minutes and increasing as you are able.
- When you are ready, slowly lower your legs and roll to your side, bringing yourself up slowly.
Note: If your legs become numb it is a sign you should come out of the pose immediately.
You can do Legs-Up-The-Wall yoga positions for beginners to minimize the effects of hot flashes.
4. CORPSE POSE (savasana)
Effect
Complete relaxation
How To
- Lie on your back with your legs a little apart and feet out to the sides. Take your hands a little away from the hips, palms facing upwards, fingers softly curling. Raise your head and look down your body to check the symmetry between your left and right sides. Lower your head and close your eyes.
- Allow five to ten minutes to soften each part of your body. In other words, do a body scan.
- Sweep your mind over your entire body and relax and release any tension that you find.
- Finally, bring your awareness to your face and scalp. Relax your mouth by separating your bottom lip from the top. Take your tongue away from the roof of your mouth and let it float in the center. Feel your jaw muscles release. As your eyes relax, your eyeballs will seem to sink deeper into their sockets. Soften the skin on your face.
- Now that every part of your body is relaxed, mentally commit yourself to staying perfectly still until your relaxation is complete. Keep your mind alert. Observe the sensations in your body.
- Give permission for your emotional body to let go as well. Focus on your breath. Should your mind wander, bring your attention back to your breathing.
When you are ready to come out of corpse pose, deepen your breathing. Roll over onto one side and slowly sit up.
Yoga positions for beginners are so simple and deeply relaxing!
Useful Tip
Use visualization to fill your body with positive energy while doing yoga positions for beginners…
- Choose a color which represents healing energy.
- With each breath, inhale this colored light into your center. Each inhalation brightens this light whilst each exhalation increases its density at your core, until it begins to expand outwards to fill the rest of your body.
- Pay particular attention to fill up any weaker areas with this positive energy.
- Inhale your body full of light.
Remember that when you come out of any of the yoga positions for beginners, you will always have your breath as a tool, any time you need it.
