Yoga practice for stress relief

Happy Friday everybody! Congratulations on making it to the end of another successful week. For some, this week may have been a breeze, but for others, I’m sure it has been a bit of a struggle, and that’s okay! We are all trying to adjust to a new normal which can cause us to feel a little unbalanced or overwhelmed. I’m in that boat of uncertainty and emotions this week, which is why I have decided to share with you a few yoga poses I have taught myself in order to manage my anxiety and destress.

The first pose that I really enjoy practicing is Bitilasana, also known as the cow pose, mixed with Marjaryasana, the cat pose. I personally have a really bad back, so by being able to warm up my back with this pose, it really opens me up for the rest of the practice. In order to complete this pose, follow these instructions:

  • Begin on all fours, and inhale slowly, allowing your stomach to fall towards the mat.
  • Gaze upwards by slightly lifting your chin.
  • Broaden your shoulders towards your ears, and then draw them away from your ears to create an opposite back arch, pulling your stomach into you, rounding your back.

Another pose that really helps me is one you probably have heard of, and is known as the Child’s Pose. This is my probably one of my favorite resting poses, and really helps me visualize what I want my day to look like, and to reflect towards the end of my practice. In order to complete this pose, follow these instructions:

  • Kneel with your legs together, and sit back onto your heels.
  • Move your body forward until your chest is resting on your thighs and forehead is resting on your mat or yoga block.
  • Let your hands rest upward and really focusing on your breathing here.

The final pose that I am going to break down for you is the Supported Bridge pose. This pose is my absolute FAVORITE and has down wonders in regards to relieving my stress. Before practicing this, I really didn’t realize how much tension is stored in my back. To complete this pose, follow these instructions below:

  • Begin on your back with arms extended and palms facing the mat.
  • Plant your feet about a hips distant apart and bend those knees!
  • Press your hands into the mat and lift your hips up towards the ceiling.
  • Take a yoga block and place it under your lower back at whatever level you choose, then rest your weight on it.

These are just a couple basic and quick beginner poses that are super easy to learn and have really worked wonders to helping me relax, and I hope they are able to do the same for all of you. For more poses on stress relief, visit https://thoughtcloud.net/5-common-yoga-poses-to-relieve-stress/.

Have an amazing week!

2 thoughts on “Yoga practice for stress relief”

  1. This blog post is very insightful! Between school, work, and everything going on in the world managing my stress is something I really strive to do. After reading this post I was excited and am going to try incorporating this into my morning routine! So thank you!

  2. This post was very helpful! I really liked that you included photos to help show and explain the poses. Stress relief is always something I am interested in trying!

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