Image Credit: Natasha Spencer of Totalshape.com
Everyone wants a perfect wedding day but all of that planning, organizing and people pleasing can result in a lot of emotional pressure and stress. How can we look after ourselves leading up to our big day? We can work on bringing balance and emotional stability into our lives with some simple yet effective yoga techniques.
Yoga is an ancient science developed thousands of years ago in India for regular people (that’s us!) to find a way to connect the mind and body through various practices such as yoga poses (asana), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation to name a few.
By practicing yoga when stressed we connect to our bodies and move out of our “head space” giving ourselves a break from the mental chatter and seemingly endless to do lists! Here are two yoga poses that can help you stay balanced & emotionally grounded when stress starts to creep in.
Downward Dog
This asana activates the root chakra which is responsible for grounding and because it is an inversion it brings blood flow to the brain relieving fatigue, stimulating the pituitary gland and increasing concentration. Excellent for mental and hormonal balance! Stay in this pose for 5-10 breaths and repeat 4 times. Ensure your spine is straight and weight is evenly grounded into the palms of the hands to protect the wrist.
Baddhakonasana
This asana is one of the most grounding yoga postures that we can practice regularly with ease. It brings blood flow to the perineum stimulating the root chakra and it also opens the hips which helps us release stored emotions. Excellent for calming the mind and connecting to the inner self! You can hold this pose for as long as you feel comfortable up to two minutes. Try to keep your eyes closed for this posture. If you have knee issues you can place a rolled up blanket under each knee. If you have tight hips you can sit on a cushion or bolster.
{Images from Flickr and Himalaya Yoga Valley Centre}
What do you think? Would you try Yoga to relax yourself before the big day?
Himalaya Yoga Valley Centre is an international training school established in India over a decade ago by Yogachraya Lalit Kumar. Their centre on Academy Street Cork is open 7 days a week with up to 6 classes a day for absolutely all levels! They have a free class every Saturday at 12.30 for complete beginners if you would like to try yoga. Find out more at Yoga Ireland or 021-4279696
