| Many of us spend most of our working hours sitting at | | | | calmer, more productive employee. It also facilitates |
| a desk, trapped within the confines of cubicle walls, | | | | focus and concentration, allowing you to get things |
| typing on a keyboard. While this might not seem like | | | | done one task at a time. |
| the most ideal spot for exercise - with no treadmill or | | | | Practicing yoga at work gives you a well deserved |
| elliptical in sight - you might be surprised to find that | | | | break - even if you are just sneaking in an asana here |
| practicing yoga at work is catching on, quickly climbing | | | | or there as an excuse to take a much needed, and |
| up the ladder of Corporate America. | | | | necessary, rest. Because sitting at a desk can be |
| It may take some getting used to, this idea of yoga at | | | | monotonous, it's easy for your body to adapt to the |
| the office. But, for those who are zealous yoga | | | | monotony in the form of a cramp or an ache. |
| students, or just hoping to ease their stiff bodies from | | | | Sometimes we get caught up in what we are doing |
| that dreadful sitting position, it's possible to greatly | | | | that we forget to take a conscious breath, to open the |
| benefit from yoga while at work. Through specific | | | | body through a stretch, to get fresh air, or to take a |
| asanas, or yoga poses, you will find that your body | | | | moment for ourselves. Purposefully performing yoga, |
| relaxes the rigidness that sitting in a chair for eight | | | | however, allows us to be more in tune with when our |
| hours a day can cause. These asanas, in addition, also | | | | body needs a break. This rest is not only important to |
| help you mentally, with inverted poses increasing blood | | | | your muscular structure and physical functions, but it is |
| supply and feeding your brain. Whether performed at | | | | also vital to your eyes, your mind, and your work |
| work or a studio, yoga isn't aimed just at toning the | | | | morale. |
| muscles of the physical body; it's aimed at moving your | | | | Some companies, in fact, have found that advocating |
| energy in a way that discharges stagnation and allows | | | | yoga at the office helps employees get along easier, |
| for rejuvenation and restoration. One of the places we | | | | and generates a team building atmosphere. Some |
| may be prone to accumulating an excess of stagnant | | | | research shows that employees who perform yoga |
| energy is at the office. Because of this, moving this | | | | routinely, on average, are more relaxed, in a state that |
| stagnant energy during working hours can be most | | | | helps them to be better at listening and better at |
| beneficial, making yoga at work particularly conducive | | | | cooperation, two things fundamental to a smooth |
| to employment practices. | | | | office environment. |
| You don't need a yoga mat, block, blanket, or a strap | | | | Yoga, in addition, can help to relieve some of the |
| to perform yoga at work: all you need is what is in | | | | problems that office work can cause. An example of |
| front of you (your desk) and what is underneath you | | | | this is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the wrist affliction that |
| (your chair). | | | | often affects those who spend hours on a computer. |
| To being, start with a chair twist, then a forward bend, | | | | Yoga asanas, practiced with proper shoulder, elbow, |
| clasp your hands and arch your back to open your | | | | and wrist alignment can help relieve the pain of Carpal |
| shoulders, chair twist again, stand up and move your | | | | Tunnel Syndrome. A specific yoga sequence to free |
| chair out of the way so you can place your hands on | | | | up your contracted hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower |
| your desk and walk back into L-pose to elongate your | | | | back can also help alleviate the back pain an office |
| spine, wiggle your tail, don't forget to breath, and have | | | | chair sometimes facilitates. |
| fun as your stagnant energy starts to move, making | | | | When it comes down to it, no matter where you |
| more space for vitality to support rejuvenation and | | | | practice yoga - at the office, at home, at astudio - you |
| restore your spirit. | | | | will be very grateful for the benefits. Yoga is rich in |
| FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC | | | | what it does for your mind and your body. While some |
| OFFICE YOGA SEQUENCES TO DO AT YOUR | | | | people may find that yoga at the office is particularly |
| DESK - CHECK OUT OUR SPECIALITY | | | | helpful to their busy schedule, others may enjoy the |
| WORKSHOP CALLED "YOGA AT THE OFFICE" - | | | | time spent in the solace of a studio. Wherever you |
| SIGN UP AND BRING YOUR BOSS! | | | | practice it, just make certain one thing: practice it |
| Work can be a stressful situation - people yelling, | | | | regularly. Your mind, your body, and your spirit will all |
| people running around, people refusing to put more | | | | thank you. |
| paper in the copier - and it can be rather easy to get | | | | TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for |
| caught up in the stress: stress generates more stress. | | | | Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted |
| However, practicing yoga at work helps to keep you | | | | integrates osteopathic medicine, hatha yoga and |
| calm, helping you to rise above the stress rather than | | | | mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance |
| be piled under it. This is because yoga, through | | | | between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims |
| breathing and mindful practices, teaches you to take | | | | to educate and help people to live a healthy life from |
| one moment at a time, with little concern for the issues | | | | the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a |
| - a presentation, a disgruntled employee, a computer | | | | comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being, |
| crash -that may arise later in the day. Yoga helps to | | | | empowering each person one breath at a time to |
| center you, and to focus on positive emotions - | | | | stimulate the body's natural healing potential. |
| bringing you into balance. This, ultimately, makes you a | | | | |