Balance Your Life with Yoga

I had a new client who arrived frazzled, and stressed out. When I suggested that we do yoga to relieve her anxiety, she stated anxiously, “but I’m not flexible!” I reassured her that 99.9% of my clients felt the same way when they were first asked to try yoga. What’s great about yoga is the postures are performed at your own level of ability. There’s no competition in yoga, the focus is within. Much of the class you’ll have your eyes closed with the focus placed on your breath.

A simple posture I often begin class with is called Mountain pose. To do Mountain pose begin standing with your feet shoulder width a part. Keep your spine straight, tuck your pelvis under and tighten your upper thigh muscles. Close your eyes and inhale a deep breath in through your nose. As you inhale imagine the breath going to the top of your head. Exhale out through your nose with your mouth closed. As you exhale imagine the breath sinking to your toes. As the breath sinks to your toes imagine all the tension of your day exiting your body sinking into the ground.

The same breathing principles apply with each posture. For example, in the posture “Forward Fold” you begin standing. Bend over and reach your hands towards the floor. Bend your knees as much as you need to touch the ground then straighten your legs as much as possible. In this posture, focus on releasing the tension in the back of your legs through your breath. Close your eyes and with each exhale imagine the back of your legs lengthening and the tension leaving your body.

The simple act of deep yoga breathing relieves tension and anxiety in your body, evokes mental clarity, balance, and a sense of inner peace. At the end of a good yoga session you will leave feeling relaxed with a deeper awareness that when you feel tense or anxious all you need to do is breathe.

Sara Holliday is licensed marriage-family therapist, certified personal trainer, life and fitness coach and proud mom of two boys Kaden 2 and Ty 5. For more info visit: www.fitbysara.com