Yoga is powerful. Yoga is healing. Yoga is also intimidating if you’ve never done it or have never had it explained to you; this is about to change.
For starters, it’s important to note that yoga is relaxing because it addresses the needs of the body, the mind and the spirit.
Through the practice of pranayama (controlled breath work), asanas (poses) and meditation, we can calm some of the feelings associated with grief, including depression, anxiety, fear, helplessness, anger and sadness.
When coping with grief, it’s important to listen to what you need and when. This post will focus on opening and balancing your third and fourth chakras, or energy points.
In super simple terms, the third chakra will help boost your self esteem, while opening the fourth chakra will be an added way to cope with depression and do away with pessimism.
Here’s a step by step guide of poses and controlled breath work that will help open up your chakras:
- Start off in a comfortable seated position (this can be a cross-legged or straight leg position.)
2. 10 rounds of yoga breaths: breathing slowly through the nose, expanding the belly/ribs/upper chest. Make sure you’re inhaling for as long as you’re exhaling. (You can use a five second count for each.)
3. Seated twist pose: Inhale your arms straight up overhead, with your palms facing each other. Twist your torso to the right and place your right hand behind you, palm to the mat. Take a few yoga breaths and repeat on the opposite side.
4. Seated lateral bend position: Walk your right hand out six inches or so from your body. Next, inhale your left arm up straight overhead and slightly bend your torso to the right. Have your left-side ribs reaching for the sky and take three slow breaths. Once you’ve completed the three rounds of yoga breath, inhale your left hand back to mat and repeat the process on the other side.
5. Engage your body in Staff Pose: Put your legs straight out in front of you and place your palms on either side of your hips. Engage your thigh muscles and press your hands firmly into the floor.
6. Move swiftly from staff pose into a seated spinal twist: Bend your left knee and draw it close into your body. Place the sole of your left foot on the outside of your right knee and grab the outside of that knee with your left hand. Next, place your right hand behind you for support, take a deep breath and look over your right shoulder. Take several breaths in this position. Return to staff pose and repeat on the opposite side.
7. Achieve the Cat-Cow poses: Start on your hands and knees. Inhale, curl your toes, drop and soften your belly, and gaze just off your mat (this is Cow Pose.) Next, exhale, uncurl toes and arch your back like an angry cat (this is Cat Pose.) Do three rounds of this series while continuing your strong yoga breath.
8. Engage in the Downward Facing Dog position: Starting on your hands and knees again, lift your knees up off mat putting your weight onto your feet. Push your hips backward and raise your hips to sky. Keep your back and legs straight, and put some pressure on your heels to find the mat – it is okay if your heels do not touch the mat. Hold this position for 3 – 6 deep yoga breaths.
9. From the Downward Facing Dog pose, move swiftly into Cobra Pose: First, drop your knees and then your belly to floor. Keep your hands under your shoulders and spread your fingers. Press your pelvic bone to floor and use your arms to raise your chest and upper body off of the mat. Slightly bend your back (make sure you don’t over do it .. this should feel good not painful) and gaze upward.
10. Finish the series with the restorative Balasana, or Child’s Pose: Place your knees about hip width apart on the mat, touch your big toes together and sit on your heels. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck. You may keep your arms stretched out in front of you or place them at your sides with your palms facing up. Finally, find your yoga breath.
Yoga has a way of improving circulation, strength and flexibility. All work together to help you control stress in the most natural of ways, while also creating a sense of well being and calmness.
Comment below or tweet at us to let us know if you use yoga to alleviate stress.
Image: WeHeartIt
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