Yoga For Anxiety

I've been asked what I'm doing to stay calm in these trying times, so I thought I would share a few things that really help me when my stress level gets off the charts. And I will confess, they have a few times already. If you know me as an author, you may or may not know that I am also a certified yoga teacher. Everything that follows (breathing exercises, poses, meditations, etc) in this post can be done in the comfort of your home. I like to practice in a small space in the bedroom, as it is the only place I can close a door and not be disturbed other than by the dog. By the way, despite the photos, no dog is required. But if you have a dog or cat, try doing yoga alone! I dare you! *giggles* Everything can also be done with what you have. I will show in pictures how you can replace two bolsters and two blocks with pillows and books for a restorative pose.  Even if you don't have a mat, you can use a rug. Last, please bare with this unedited post. Felt more important to share than grab an editor.

Pranayama (breathing exercises)

Full Yogic Breath

1. In a comfortable position I prefer laying down, discover your breath by closing your eyes and taking notice of your body. Go within for a moment, leaving the world behind. Place your hands on your chest. See if your breath is short and shallow or long and deep. Our goal here is some nice light breathing, working toward even, normal, smooth breathing.

2. Begin to deepen the breath. Move your hands to your rib cage. Your goal here is to feel the rise and fall.

3. Deepen the breath a little more. Slide your hands to your stomach. Goal here is to feel the rise and fall of lower belly bringing as much air in as you can before letting it all out.

4. If you want to take this a step further toward calm, then count your inhale and exhale. You want to try for, not force or get dizzy, your exhale to be a bit longer than your inhale.  An example is 4/6 Breath - Inhale to a count of four, pause as feels comfortable, and then  exhale to a count of 6.

Asana (poses)

Tension causes us to be tight. I like to counter that body stress with unhurried, soothing, flowing movements. Keep movements mindful, turning inward by focusing on what the body is doing.  The goal here is to follow your breath with movement, as if your inhale and exhale are running the show. Also, big movements, in opposition, have been shown to reduce anxiety, help you calm the tough emotions.

1. A Seated Modification of Breath of Joy

Cues:

Take a comfortable seated position.

As you exhale, round your back (think seated cat pose), round your shoulders, let your gaze drop to the mat, and give yourself a big hug!

As you feel the need to inhale, arch your back (think seated cow pose), roll your shoulders back, let your gaze move toward the ceiling, and throw those arms out.

2. Knees to Chest (Exhale) to Supine Five-Pointed Star (Inhale)

Cues:

Move until you are resting comfortably on your back on your mat.

As you exhale, bring your knees into your chest. Take your hands to your lower legs, and hug them into your body as is comfortable. No pushing or forcing.

As you feel the need to inhale, move your arms out wide to your sides, and your legs out as well. Again, do what feels comfortable. We are more working with the extremes of the movements, but they need not be extreme, if you know what I mean. Be kind to your body. Be conscious of what feels good. What it wants to do. Modify as needed.

3. If you are familiar with yoga, and are wanting more movement, I suggest a simple sun salutation. Moving with breath, not to sweat, but to calm.

Meditation

While there are many Guided Meditations on YouTube or through Amazon, here is a simple one I like to do, as it not only grounds me, but also helps me send positive energy out into the world. I think we need it right now.

You can do this seated in a chair with your feet on the ground, or standing in a Mountain pose.

1. Feel your feet connected to the earth. Lift your toes, spread them out a little, and then gently lay them back down, making more of a triangle of support with your feet. Tune into your body. Wherever you feel stress, see it as a dark mass, and send it down to your feet into the ground. Literally let it run out of you. Keep breathing.

2. Imagine roots are sprouting from your feet, and connecting you to Mother Earth. Feel them move through whatever surface you are standing on, into the dirt, the rock, the underground rivers, all the way into the molten center of the earth. The heat doesn't burn, but warms the roots, gives them life, as they bring that warmth back up to your body. Relax. Notice where there is still stress, say your shoulders are raised, or your tongue is on the roof of your mouth. Relax. Keep breathing.

3. Now that you are rooted, take your attention to the space above you. Feel the wonderful energy of the universe there to support you. Breath it in. Imagine it as a white, warm light flowing from your lungs throughout your body.

4. Now, begin to concentrate this light into your heart. Don't worry about taking it in. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, so there is plenty for everyone, and the Universe is more than happy to fill you up with the energy you need.

5. Begin to let the light in your heart flow down you arms. Raise your arms out in front of you. Have your palms facing up, hands as close together as comfortable. Start to imagine that light forming into a ball in your palms. Let it fill and grow. You should still feel the warmth of it, all the positive energy that it has to offer. You are now going to offer it to the word around you.

6. Let the ball grow big enough to encompass your house, and all you love in it. Let it grow big enough to flow through your neighborhood, your town, your country, until you can imagine it covering the whole world.  Give your healing light to a world in need. Spend as much time here as you want. You can get more specific as to where it goes and what it does if you wish. I have been using it lately to heal the virus. I imagine that ball the media uses to represent it, and I soften and blur the imagine, weakening the virus with my energy, my love, as it came from my heart.

7. Last, start to bring the ball of light back to you. Let it get smaller and smaller, until again it fills your hands and can move back into your heart.

Remember, as above, so below. As within, so without. We are all connected, and your energy helped. You must believe that.

Two more possible mediation options I like to use:

Find a Safe Haven

Visualize a place you feel secure, safe, loved whether memory or creative imagining. Alone or with someone who loves you. Then, slowly create that image in your mind. Give it as many wonderful details as you can. Imagine with all five of your senses. I like to go to an underground cave that has a waterfall, crystal ceiling, and a large lily pad that I can float on in the pond in the middle of it.

Progressive Relaxation - Deep skeletal-muscular relaxation balances the nervous system. I do this lying down on my mat or sometimes in bed before falling asleep. You can prop your knees with bolsters or pillows.

Following instructions below, hold each body part tight for a few breaths and then relax for a few breaths. Add on one step at a time until entire body is tight and then relax. For example, do #1 and relax. Do #1 and #2, and then relax. And so on until you are doing 1 through 7. Then, you may do the full body several times.

1. curl toes and flex feet tightening muscles of lower legs

2. bring knees together tightening muscles in the legs

3. tighten stomach

4. make fists tightening lower arms

5. straighten arms tightening upper arm

6. shrug shoulders

7. scrunch face

Restorative Asana

Restorative Boat Pose

If using yoga props, then you place one end of a bolster up on 2 blocks. Scoot your hips up against the end of the bolster on the floor. Take another bolster and place it under your knees. Now, recline back against the bolster behind you.  As I said, and as you can see in the pictures, if you don't have blocks and bolsters, you can use a stack of books and two pillows.

Your goal here is to just focus in on your breath. Let your thoughts go, without judgment when they come. Try to stay for as long as you can. A few minutes will help, 15 to 20 minutes will do you wonders! I love to use a blanket too, but for picture purposes, left that off. I even incorporate essential oils here and hold crystals. Use what you have. Again, no dog required! Mine doesn't let me rest without him.

My wish for you is that you are calm, happy, and safe during this time.