RELIEVE STRESS WITH YOGA

YOGA for STRESS

Headaches, stiff neck, tight shoulders, poor posture, shortness of breath, clenched teeth, fatigue. What do all these things have in common? They are all symptoms of stress and tension. How can we eliminate them? YOGA! YOGA! YOGA!

YOGA is for every body, mind and spirit. It does not differentiate between male or female, young or old, fit or inactive. It does not ask of you what you cannot give. Yoga , from the Sanskrit word YUG, means to join or unite. A union not only within our own mind, body, spirit, and breath, but with our surroundings and our universe. The word HATHA comes from the Sanskrit root HA meaning sun and THA meaning moon, equalizing and balancing our body.

One of the benefits of HATHA YOGA is the elimination of tension and stress. These postures (asana) can be practiced anywhere, anytime. When practicing them remember to move slowly and never move beyond what is comfortable for you. You should NEVER feel pain. Pain is your body’s way of saying “STOP.” Remember to respect it. Do only what you are comfortable with. No one knows your body as well as you.

The COMPLETE YOGA BREATH is an excellent way to begin to reduce tension. It can be performed on its own or along with an asana. Sit comfortably with your shoulders relaxed and your chin level with the floor. Inhale through your nose letting your abdomen expand. Continue to inhale and expand your rib cage and then fill your chest. Begin to exhale by contracting your abdomen, then squeeze your ribs together and lastly, relax your chest. Continue to breathe in this fashion. Along with reducing stress, the Complete Breath improves the quantity and quality of oxygen that enters your body. It helps to combat shortness of breath, calm the nervous system and the mind, and improves digestion. It increases our pain threshold, so those with chronic or acute pain benefit greatly.

Combine the Complete Breath while doing the following tension relieving postures. The NECK SERIES also helps to relieve headaches and insomnia, as well as relaxing, stretching and strengthening the upper back, neck and shoulders.

1. Sit in any comfortable position, hands relaxed on knees, spine erect, shoulders relaxed and open.

2. Repeat each set of exercises slowly 3-10 times without moving your shoulders.

3. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your spine straight throughout the entire sequence.

i) Lower your head, bringing the chin toward your chest. Hold for a breath. Raise your head bringing the chin up just slightly more than level with the floor. Do not take your head back too far. Hold for a breath. Bring your head back to center;

ii) Turn your head to the right to bring the chin over the shoulder. Hold for a breath. Turn your head to the left to bring the chin over the other shoulder. Keep your chin level with the floor. Hold for a breath. Bring your head back to center;

iii) Lower your right ear toward the right shoulder. Hold for a breath. Bring your head to the other side so your left ear is over the left shoulder. Keep your nose pointing forward. Hold for a breath. Bring your head back to center;

iv) Lower your chin to your chest. Hold for a breath. Slowly rotate your head in a circle in a clockwise direction. Then slowly rotate your head in a counter clockwise direction. Remember not to take the head backward too far. Breathe comfortably throughout the movement.

The SHOULDER ROLLS help to limber the joints in the shoulders and release tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back.

1. Sit in any comfortable position or stand with your hands relaxed at the sides of your body.

2. Inhaling, shrug your shoulders up underneath your ears and then roll them back, squeezing the shoulder blades together.

3. Exhaling, pull your shoulders down away from your ears and then roll them forward, squeezing them toward each other across the chest.

4. Repeat as many times as you want.

5. Reverse roll, inhaling back and up, exhaling forward and down, repeating as many times as you did in the first direction.

The ARM ROTATIONS also improve flexibility in the shoulder joints and release tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back, while strengthening and toning these areas as well as the arms.

1. Sit in any comfortable position or stand with your legs slightly parted. Stretch your arms out at right angles to the body, parallel to the ceiling, palms facing down.

2. Inhaling, rotate your shoulders backward turning your palms upward. Keep the arms parallel to the floor.

3. Exhaling, rotate your shoulders forward turning your palms downward, keeping the arms parallel to the floor.

4. Repeat the rotation several times each way.

5. Lower your arms and relax.

The arm action in the CHEST EXPANDER strengthens the upper back while opening the chest for better breathing. Taking this posture into a forward bend stimulates the kidneys, liver and pancreas, stretches and strengthens the back, arms and legs and increases flexibility in the spine. It removes fat from the abdomen and waist areas along with strengthening the surrounding muscles. The Chest Expander also improves digestion and circulation.

1. Stand erect with your feet slightly parted, hands clasped behind your back, and arms straight.

2. Inhaling, pull your shoulders down away from your ears as you raise your arms toward the ceiling, keeping your hands clasped.

3. Exhaling, slowly bend forward from the lower part of the pelvis, lengthening through the spine. Think of trying to make as much room between each vertebra as possible as the torso folds forward. Continue to pull upward on the arms and hands. Bring the torso in as close as comfortable to the legs, keeping them straight. There should be no strain on the back. If there is, release the stretch until it is gone, or slightly bend the knees. Relax your neck. Hold this position and breathe.

4. Inhale, then exhaling, bend your knees slightly and slowly roll up to a vertical position. Release your hands.