It’s that time of year when there is pressure to feel SO MUCH JOY, and gratitude and all of the things.
But let’s be honest, we’ll be seeing family we haven’t seen in SO long. We’ll be putting so much pressure on ourselves to make up for lost time, to have the BEST Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas. We could well be stressed AF.
I am here to help! I am here to help you come back to your most authentic self, and walk away from the old family relationship dynamics. You honestly don’t need much space, time or even a yoga mat to do these poses - find a quiet space (even a bathroom!), and peace out for 10 minutes. Believe me, it is worth it.
Sukasana
Start to feel grounded in this easy pose. Make it even easier by sitting on a couple of cushions. Hands on thighs, palms facing down to ground. Close your eyes. Take a couple of big sighs to reset your nervous system, and release any tension. Check in with the energy in the body. Are you tense? Are you relaxed? No judgement here, just notice. Notice where you feel tense in your body, and breathe into that area.
Cat/Cow
Start to connect the breath with movement. Inhale as your arch your back, and exhale as you flex your spine. This helps you start to initiate the parasympathetic nervous system, and move away from the fight or flight response that being in a stressful situation often creates.
Childs pose
One of the most supportive & nourishing yoga poses we can gift ourselves with is Childs pose. It creates a moment of rest & respite, and mimics the position of the baby in the womb. Linger in this pose, and enjoy the opportunity for surrender & tranquility.
Pigeon
Pigeon pose is a beautiful hip opener, and according to Ayurvedic medicine, stress, sadness, and fear are stored in your hips. This seems like the perfect opportunity to release all of those pent up emotions, so you can leave them here on the yoga mat (or bathroom floor!) and not release them on your family.
Legs up the wall
And finally, let’s finish with a beautiful pose the both relaxes & energizes at the same time. Move over to a wall, and swivel your legs up the wall as you lower your torso down to the ground. Place a cushion under your sacrum to maintain the natural curves of the spine. Take your hands to your belly, close your eyes and enjoy this beautiful pose for 3-5 minutes.
And remember, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.
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