OM for the Holidays Part 4 and 5

*This article appeared in its entirety in a yoga newsletter over the holidays. This is the final installment. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

 

Holiday Scenario #4: You’re back in your childhood twin bed, at your in-laws, or bunking on the floor. Bottom line: Counting sheep just isn’t working. You’d kill to catch some Zs.
YA: Restorative yoga to the rescue! Try child’s pose and legs up the wall pose (described above). Start with 5-7 minutes each, extending your exhale, and stay as long as you like.

Holiday Scenario #5: You ate a tad too much turkey, a few too many latkes, or way too much stuffing. Now even your elastic-waisted pants are straining.

YA: Twisting poses are your friend. They stimulate and aid digestion. Try any of your favorites or the following: Modified Marichi’s Pose. Sit on the floor with both legs extended out and follow as described above. Let the left fingertips find the floor behind your hips. Switch sides.

Lay on your back with your arms out in a “T.” Inhale and draw your left knee into your chest. Exhale and let the knee cross the body, moving toward the floor on the right (it doesn’t have to reach the floor). Stay for a few deep breaths. Switch sides.

A final word of wisdom? Yoga travels, so don’t forget to take your OM hOMe or with you wherever the holidays take you!

OM for the Holidays Part 3

*This article will appear in its entirety in a yoga newsletter over the holidays. In advance, I'll be posting sneak peeks to provide you with yoga assists for your most common holiday scenarios.

The holidaze is upon us. How can your yoga practice support, ground, and boost you through the season? Here are five common scenarios and possible yoga assists.

Holiday Scenario #3: You’re heading home for a holiday bash via plane/train/automobile and your back is killing you.
 

First, roll up a jacket or blanket and place it above your waistband to support the natural lordotic curve of the lower spine. This works best as a preventative measure, but is helpful at any point.

Yoga Assist: Try modified marichyasana (Marichi’s Pose). Draw your left knee into your chest, wrap around the shin with your fingers and elongate the spine. Wrap your right arm around your left leg and gently twist toward the left. Modified standing ardha chandrasana (half moon pose) is a great release for the lower back muscles. If possible, stand in tadasana (mountain pose), feet shoulder width apart (or stay seated). Inhale the arms straight up. Exhale and drop the left hand to the hip as you up and over the head to the left with the extended right arm. For the upper back, try modified garudasana (eagle’s pose for the arms). Seated or standing, bring the arms in front of you at a 90-degree angle, elbows even with the shoulders. Stay here, or drop the left elbow below the right and twine the forearms, bringing the palms together. Take a few deep breaths and switch sides for each pose.

If you’re driving, pull over first. :)

 

OM for the Holidays Part 2

*This article will appear in its entirety in a yoga newsletter over the holidays. In advance, I'll be posting sneak peeks to provide you with yoga assists for your most common holiday scenarios.

The holidaze is upon us. How can your yoga practice support, ground, and boost you through the season? Here are five common scenarios and possible yoga assists.

Holiday Scenario #2: Between the holiday frenzy, your grandma’s “Why are you still single?/How’s the job search going?/When will I have grandkids?” and your mom’s “If only we saw you more…” the fam’s driving you crazy.
Yoga Assist: Try to get some time on your mat to re-center yourself. No classes available? Try a few sun salutations at home. In adha mukha svasasana (downward facing dog), a grounding, detoxifying inversion, let the accumulated negativity flow out with each exhale. For extra energetic detoxing, take a few rounds of lion’s breath. As you exhale through the mouth with the tongue out, consciously commit to releasing any tension or stress that needs to go. No room or time? Just sit quietly and try lion’s breath.