| Do you suffer from stress? Do you ever feel | | | | low increases the blood flow to your brain and helps to |
| overworked, tired, exhausted or lack energy? Maybe | | | | clear and calm your mind. Start on your hands and |
| you are going through a particularly stressful period at | | | | knees with your knees directly under your hips and |
| home and lack support from your partner or family. | | | | your hands in line with your shoulders, fingers facing |
| Feelings of overwhelm can leave you feeling | | | | forward. Lift your hips and stretch the legs, heels |
| stretched, undervalued and struggling to meet all the | | | | down. Press the palms of your hands down. Relax |
| demands placed on you. When you feel like this, what | | | | and open and broaden your shoulders. Stay in this |
| do you? Do you come home and slump on the sofa | | | | pose for 5 - 10 breaths. |
| and snack on fast food? Or go for a drink with your | | | | 3. Mountain Pose / Tadasana. The mountain pose |
| colleagues and end up spending money you do not | | | | helps to ground your energy and teaches you correct |
| have and panic how you are going to make it through | | | | posture, balance and encourages you to be still, steady |
| the next few days? | | | | and strong - even when your mind is all over the place. |
| If you are a yoga beginner, you have probably heard | | | | The mountain pose helps to calm and steady your |
| that it is good to practice yoga as a way to cope with | | | | nerves. Stand with your feet together. If it is |
| stress and stressful situations. There are numerous | | | | comfortable for you, have the big toes, inner ankles |
| health benefits from practicing yoga as a form of | | | | and inner heels touching. Spread the weight evenly |
| stress relief, these include reduced feelings of anxiety | | | | over the feet. Tighten your kneecaps and pull up the |
| and worry, slower respiratory and heart rates and it | | | | thigh muscles and your lower abdomen. Breathe and |
| can also help soothe tension related headaches and | | | | feel your spine lengthening, let your tailbone sink and lift |
| eyestrain. | | | | in front of the body. Feel your chest opening. Allow |
| The following simple yoga sequence is ideal for you to | | | | your arms to hang down the sides of the body with |
| practice in the evenings to help you unwind from the | | | | the palms facing the legs, fingers gently extending |
| stresses of your day. As with all exercises, please | | | | towards the floor. Relax your shoulders and allow your |
| consult your doctor if you have any medical conditions | | | | shoulder blades to slide down. Relax your face, |
| and show respect and patience with your body. | | | | lengthen the back of your neck and look straight |
| 1. The Child Pose. A classic yoga pose which gently | | | | ahead. Stay steady in this pose for 3 - 10 rounds of |
| stretches the whole spine and calms and soothes your | | | | deep abdominal breathing. |
| mind. Kneel on the floor with your knees together and | | | | 4. Corpse Pose. Lie on the floor on your back, arms |
| sit back on your heels. Stretch your trunk forward | | | | stretched out a few inches from the sides of your |
| over your thighs and rest your forehead on the floor. | | | | body with the palms facing up. Have your feet slightly |
| Place your arms back beside your body with your | | | | wider apart than your hips and relax your ankles. |
| palms facing up so your hands are resting by your | | | | Gently close your eyes and allow your whole body to |
| feet. If this feels uncomfortable, spread your knees | | | | relax. Stay still for at least 5 - 10 minutes. Slowly |
| apart and rest a small cushion between your thighs | | | | stretch your body, roll over to your side and come up |
| and then sit on your heels and stretch your trunk | | | | to a comfortable sitting position. |
| forward as before. Breathe slowly and deeply for at | | | | This simple yoga sequence is ideal for yoga beginners |
| least 2 - 3 minutes. | | | | to help you to relax, release tension and relieve stress, |
| 2. Downward Facing Dog Pose. A beautiful pose | | | | especially at the end of a busy day. Enjoy! |
| which rejuvenates the whole spine. Bringing your head | | | | |