How To Stay Holiday Calm With Very Easy Yoga

Relax, renew and energize with these simple moves anyone can do.

Nov 20, 2008

You do not have to twist yourself into a pretzel to enjoy the benefits of yoga. You can experience peace, calm and vitality with the following simple postures.

To get the most out of these exercises, read them through first before you attempt them.

Warming Up

Warming up the muscles before you engage in any exercise program is important. Think of your body as a fine painter's canvas and you have to put primer on before you apply the paint.

Shoulder Rolls

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your legs relaxed. Roll your shoulders back 10 times. Repeat. Take it on the slow side, breath as you move, feel your chest open as you roll your shoulders back.

The "No Jumping" Jack

From your standing position, widen your stance slightly and toe out comfortably. Start with your arms down by your sides and bend your knees. Inhale, straighten your legs and raise your arms up from your sides until you touch your fingers touch. You'll look like the letter "A". Exhale and lower your arms back down to your sides and bend your knees; you will be at the starting position. Repeat 10 times, rest and repeat 10 more times.

Swing From Side To Side

From your standing position, knees relaxed, gently swing your arms and torso to the left and right. Look over each shoulder. If you can, bring your arms up to chest height, keeping your shoulders relaxed. Count looking over each shoulder as "1", "2", "3", etc., up to 10. Repeat.

The Strong Mountain

Put your feet together evenly and gently straighten your legs. Gently pull your belly in and lift your chest gently up. Let your shoulders relax by your sides. Feel your shoulders pulled slightly back. Feel very tall, lifted very strong. Stand and breathe for 3-to-5-to-10 deep breaths as you feel you can handle. Relax out of the posture slowly, then resume for another set.

The Strong Mountain With Arm Movement

Stand in the Strong Mountain. Inhale and lift your arms up from your sides with your shoulders down. Look up and raise your chest gently as you bring your fingers or hands together at the top. Exhale, bring your eyes and chest to center as you bring your arms down to the starting position. Repeat slowly, three more times.

The Up and Over

Separate your feet so you are standing shoulder width plus one-third of that width. Raise your arms up from your sides, bend your knees and slowly lower your upper body and arms over your legs. Put your hands on your thighs if you cannot lower very far. Your goal is to increase flexibility, not necessarily to touch the floor. Breathe easily and hang for two or three seconds. To come back up, keep your knees bent, gently pull in your abdominal muscles and roll up vertebrae by vertebrae, your head being the last thing to come up. As you arrive up, roll your shoulders back. Repeat 2-3 times.

The Diver

For this one, make sure you are laying down on a carpet or yoga mat to protect your spine. Lay down on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. This is called "neutral position". Bring your knees up to your chest, one at a time. Extend your legs up in the air, hold the back of your legs gently and bring your upper body up. If your neck gets tired, you may just keep your legs in the air and keep your upper body down so you look like an "L". Breathe and hold this posture for two or three breaths. To get back to the starting position, release your upper body, bend your knees and lower your legs back in the"neutral position".

The Low Bridge

From the "neutral position", inhale, gently push the soles of your feet down into the ground and raise your hips up. Hold the position and breathe in and out 2-3 times. Slowly lower your hips down and repeat.

Getting Up From The Floor Safely

From the "neutral position", roll over completely to one side, then use your hands to assist and push yourself onto your legs and up.

Enjoy these moves to help you ease your way through the holidays. Peace and blessings to all!

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