How well do you look after yourself? When we get busy it can be easy to neglect ourselves; we eat badly, put off exercise, don’t get enough sleep, and spend too long in front of the computer screen. Taking a few minutes of ‘me time’ each day is not a treat, it’s vital for your physical health and your mental and emotional wellbeing. It really does make you happier, more focussed and more productive. In a series of weekly posts throughout March we will share some simple tools and techniques which we hope will inspire you to take better care of yourself.
“Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.” ~ Max Ehrmann
5 simple yoga poses for busy people
Relaxation, weight loss, greater flexibility, glowing skin, a calm mind, improved health and a more positive outlook… yoga can give you all this and much more besides.
If you’ve never tried it before, you might just assume that you need to be ‘good’ at folding, twisting, standing on your head or bending like a pretzel but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Yoga is an art of personal discovery and growth. It combines mind (focus, concentration and meditation), energy (life-force cultivation through breathing practices) and body (physical movement and postures) to create complete wellbeing – not just physical but mental, and spiritual as well. This results in a powerful all-round practice that restores health, mental balance and vitality.
When you lead a hectic life finding time to nurture your mind, body and soul can be a challenge. But the great news is that you don’t have to take a 90-minute class to start feeling the amazing benefits of yoga. When your energy levels are waning it’s incredible how a little deep breathing and muscle movement can completely re-invent your mood. These simple techniques and poses are suitable for all ages and levels of fitness and you can do them as a series, or mix them one by one into your hectic schedule to help you feel relaxed, refreshed and re-invigorated.
This is one of the key elements of a successful yoga practice. It is essential that your breathing is slow, deep, relaxed and even so that your body can be at peace. In yoga a special form of breathing, ujjayi, is utilised to achieve mental and physical peace. As well as helping you to relax, proper breathing sets the rhythm for your routine. For example, when you inhale you move into a pose, and when you exhaled you move out. Note that the breath is drawn evenly in and out through the nose. Proper breathing is considered to be one of the most important factors to master when practicing yoga.
1. Sphinx Pose
- First, lie on your stomach face down with the legs straight and extending backwards.
- Set your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms on the flow parallel to each other. Then inhale and lift your torso away from the floor creating a mild bend in your back.
- Utilizing your abdominal muscles lightly draw your lower stomach away from the floor to complete the arch in the lower back.
- Hold this pose for 3-7 breaths, and then exhale and gradually lower your torso back to the floor.
2. Warrior II
- To begin stand with your feet together. Then move the left foot in front and point forward. The right foot should then be twisted sideways to be parallel to the left heel bone.
- Lunge onto the front foot and slightly bend the left leg while keeping the back leg completely straight
- Open the arms so they are parallel to the floor. Reach out through both sets of fingertips.
- Look forward over the left hand, hold for five breaths.
- Repeat on the left side.
- From the Warrior II position straighten the left, or front leg, forward.
- With the left arm reach forward and then drop that arm onto the left shin area.
- The right arm should be rooted in its socket while reaching towards the ceiling.
- Shift your gaze up towards the arm extended to the ceiling.
- Slightly bend your left knee and hold the pose for ten breaths.
- Repeat with the right leg forward.
4. Downward Dog
- Begin on all fours with your hands shoulder width apart and your knees right under your hips, while keeping the spine long.
- While on all fours tuck your toes under and then curl them against the floor.
- Press your hands into the floor push up and lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body has crate an inverted “V.”
- Press your chest toward your knees, keep your eyes focused on your toes, and press your heels toward the floor.
- Hold for five breaths.
5. Tree Pose
- Stand up straight, with your legs less than shoulder width apart.
- Shift your weight onto the left foot, and slightly bend your other leg. Reach down with your right hand and grab the right ankle.
- Gradually and gently pull the right foot up and place the sole against the inner left thigh with the toes pointing to the floor.
- Once you have found your balance move your hands in front of your body in a prayer like pose.
- Gaze forward and hold for approximately 30 seconds.
Don’t be intimated by the feats of other yogis, the time constraints in your life, or even your lack of flexibility. Yoga is a unique form of exercise in that it can be tailored to fit your exact needs and capabilities. Try out these five yoga poses today and slowly incorporate more challenging poses as your abilities improve.
These tips are courtesy of Meghan Greene at The Marketing Zen Group and Samahita Retreat. Meghan attends Elon University and double majors in Marketing and International Business.
