Covid-19 Update

Yoga Tips for Staying Calm

It’s that time of year again. After all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we are now faced with looming new years resolutions and more than likely, some anxiety. Here are some yoga tips for a yogi to stay calm, cool and collected to start 2016 off right!

1. Practice Pranayama

Pranayama, or breath work, is the practice of controlling the breath. It’s something many yogis are already doing as a part of their regular practice. But if you’re a newbie on the mat or just not familiar with pranayama, here are some reasons you should make it a habit — especially during periods of high stress:

Yogic breathing allows us to reduce stress instantly by activating the body’s natural relaxation response (parasympathetic response). The changes that happen in the body when you begin to control your breathing include reducing your heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. Nitric oxide levels increase, and you enter a state of “rest and digest.”

The best part about pranayama? You can do it whenever the mood strikes: in your pajamas when tomorrow’s to-do list won’t quit scrolling through your brain, in rush hour traffic, or when you’re sprawled out on your mat thirty minutes into your morning yoga session.

There are tons of tutorials on various pranayama techniques. Find one that works for you. And then do it!

2. Come Back to The Present

Have you been busy planning your new years resolutions? Have you stepped into the future, and forgotten where you are right now?

Don’t feel guilty if you find yourself wandering into the future. Just bring yourself back with some amazing mantra, such as:

  • “I am here now.”
  • “I am enough. I have enough. I am doing enough.”
  • “I have all I need.”
  • “I choose happiness.”

3. Take a Mindful Walk

Forget about zoning out in front of some Netflix special. Why not take a nature walk, and absorb the beauty around you? Grab your fur baby, a friend, or your sweetie and set off into the sunset. You might even go it alone, and just take in the scene.

Try to practice meditation as your trek down your path, through the park, or around your neighborhood.

Pay attention to the wind, and notice how it feels on your skin. Listen to the crackle of twigs and gravel beneath your feet — or the crunching of snow as your heels melt into the white matter. Really use your senses to experience your world… and then practice gratitude.

Now you have the tools you need to stay calm no matter the time of year. You’re a yogi. You got this! 🙂
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