Treasured Yoga Poses: Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Introduced to yoga in 2001, it didn’t take long for me to develop a list of favorite poses. As I traveled through weight fluctuations, depression, & anxiety, these treasured yoga poses took on a whole new meaning.

Sometimes, you just want to curl up in a ball & relax, letting the world pass you by for a few brief moments. Yoga’s got a pose for that – child’s pose. A fantastic stretch for the knees, hips, thighs, ankles and back, child’s pose can make a bad day seem good & a good day seem great.

Child’s pose is first and foremost a relaxation & release pose. Your torso becomes nestled on top your legs, your knees hips-width apart. Your arms can rest at your sides or stretched out in front of you. Try both arm positions & notice the difference it can make (stretching your arms in front of you is often more invigorating & energizing). Rest your forehead on the mat or ground, making sure your neck is straight.

Often practiced for 1-3 minutes at a time, child’s pose is the perfect moment to connect with your breath, breathing into the very back of your lungs. This type of breath will help stretch the muscles around your spine as you relax even further into the pose. These deep, cleaning breaths also help relieve mental stress & can help you reframe the world around you.

Note: If you have knee issues, do not practice child’s pose without a professional yoga teacher.

I often practice this pose both at the beginning at the end of my regular yoga practice. Like legs-up-the-wall pose, child’s pose is also perfect for midday frustrations & just before bed relaxation. Indulge yourself, spare 3 minutes, and curl into child’s pose – you’ll be glad you did.

You Tell Me: When do you most want to curl up in a ball & escape for awhile?

(Me: When I look at my to-do list at 2pm & see it’s not even half done.)

[Images courtesy of Yoga Journal Magazine + Google Images]

Treasured Yoga Poses: Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Introduced to yoga in 2001, it didn’t take long for me to develop a list of favorite poses. As I traveled through weight fluctuations, depression, & anxiety, these treasured yoga poses took on a whole new meaning.

At first glance, half lord of the fishes pose may seem complex, what with all the bending limbs and such. Take a step back & what do you see? Twisting – the heart of this pose. Practiced with both knees bent or with one bent leg & one straight leg, this seated spinal twist melts the tension right out for your muscles & nerves.

When practicing this pose, keep your focus on two things: your spine & your shoulders. Your spine should be straight, not curving forward or backward. Before you begin the twist, pull your abs in, lift your chest slightly, and lengthen the crown of your head up up up as far as it will go. Exhale, then twist into the pose, keeping your shoulders level and away from your ears, resting your bent arm against your upright knee to maintain the twist (as seen in the photos above). Breath calmly in through your nose & out through your mouth.

Note: if you have a history of back or spinal injury, only practice this pose with the supervision of a professional yoga teacher.

Half lord of the fishes pose is another yoga pose that you can do anywhere - how convenient, no? You can even practice it while sitting in a chair, gripping the back of the chair to maintain the twist (easy relief for the cubicle-bound). Personally, I twist into half lord of the fishes pose at least twice a day on both sides, releasing the build-up of tension in my back & realigning my often-slouching posture.

You Tell Me: When do you most need to wring out tension?

[Images courtesy of Yoga Journal Magazine]

Treasured Yoga Poses: Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)

Introduced to yoga in 2001, it didn’t take long for me to develop a list of favorite poses. As I traveled through weight fluctuations, depression, & anxiety, these treasured yoga poses took on a whole new meaning.

It’s one of those days. With every click of my computer mouse, tension continues to build up in my body. Telling me to “relax” would be about as effective as telling a lion to brush his teeth – it’s just not that simple!

Instead of letting my frustrations get the best of me, I took a 10-minute break & settled into legs-up-the-wall pose. This has become my go-to choice when I need to let my worries fall away & bring my emotions back down to Earth. Though usually shown with a bolster under the lower back, all you really need to practice legs-up-the-wall is … a wall, naturally (the bolster does add a great extra stretch).

Almost instantaneously, my lower back starts to release & my legs feel as light as spaghetti. Getting into the pose can take some finagling, but once you are there, you’ll see its worth every wiggle and nudge. Even when the world around you isn’t quiet, you can create your own little piece of serenity in legs-up-the-wall pose. If anyone asks what you’re doing, just tell them, “I’m taking a sanity break.”

You Tell Me: Where’s the weirdest place you’ve practiced legs-up-the-wall pose?

(My answer: an art museum!)

[Images courtesy of Gaiam + Yoga Journal Magazine]

Treasured Yoga Poses: Tree (Vrksasana)

Introduced to yoga in 2001, it didn’t take long for me to develop a list of favorite poses. As I traveled through weight fluctuations, depression, & anxiety, these treasured yoga poses took on a whole new meaning.

When folks think of yoga, tree pose is often the first image to pop into their heads. For me, tree pose is the ultimate in sanity recovery. Cell phone, TV, laptop, e-mails, Twitter, Facebook … our ironically-named “connected lifestyle” has left many of us lonely, exhausted, & scatterbrained. The solution? Pause, breath, and become a tree.

Trees have strong roots but pliable branches. As a vital member of the natural world, trees are home to insects, birds, and some mammals. They provide food for creatures of all kinds & much-needed oxygen. Even if cut down, trees keep on giving through the use of their wood & the nutrients available in its remnants. Trees are the ultimate team players, using just what they need to thrive & sharing their ongoing vibrancy with others. When was the last time you felt that way?

The feeling tree pose creates is the best medicine against multitasking. Whenever I am trying to do too much at once or can’t even focus on a single task, I take a short break & practice tree pose. As an introductory balancing pose, you can’t afford wasting your mental energy on anything but practicing tree pose. After less than 5 minutes, my mind is sharp & my body feels strong.

When battling with depression & anxiety, not much could inspire me to get out of bed – except tree pose. When my body & mind work together in tree pose, my inner confidence get a nice boost. “If I can do tree pose, just think of what else I can do!” Thanks to its encouragement of mental & physical balance, you’ll often find me practicing tree pose … everywhere! Cooking in the kitchen, standing in line, swimming in a pool – tree pose is the quintessential go-anywhere, do-anywhere yoga pose.

You Tell Me: When could you use more mental focus or physical coordination?

(Have you tried practicing tree pose in those moments?)

[Images courtesy of My Yoga Online + Yoga Journal Magazine]