A Grounding Yoga Routine for Stressful Times

Many people turn to yoga when they are feeling stressed, overwhelmed and in need of grounding. Here is a yoga routine that can help to reduce tension and center the tired, stressed individual. Do the moves at your own pace, and remember to breathe deeply in and out through the nose as you hold each pose. Stay in each asana for three to five minutes before moving slowly to the next one. Have two blankets or towels available to use as props before you start this stress-relieving yoga routine. Always be gentle and immediately exit a pose if you should feel any pain.

Easy Sitting Pose (Sukhasana)

To begin this grounding yoga series, sit on the floor, loosely cross-legged. You may fold one of the blankets and sit on it if your hips hurt. Rest your hands, palm-down and relaxed, on your knees. Feel your hipbones relaxing into the floor. Imagine energy from the floor, flowing up your spine, one vertebra at a time. Breathe deeply, feeling yourself grounding and filling the belly and the chest with each in breath. Exhale completely, letting stress and tension out. Feel the crown of the head floating up as the spine lengthens. Close your eyes and continue to breathe deeply for a few minutes before continuing this yoga asana series.

Alternating Cat and Cow (Marjaryasana and Bitilasana)

Alternating Cat and Cow yoga poses can help to relieve tension and stress in the back and hips. Begin on hands and knees, tops of feet flat on the floor. Knees should be hip width apart and hands directly below the shoulders. Flatten and lengthen the back. Start with a deep inhale. As you exhale, round the back, lifting into a cat stretch. Hold for a breath or two. Then, on an inhale, drop the back, tilting the pelvis down and lifting the head. This is cow pose. Breathe here for a moment. Then, begin a ten-breath cycle of exhaling into cat, inhaling into cow. Feel warmth and stress relief in the lower part of your back and pelvis.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Mountain Pose is the most grounding of all the standing yoga poses. Stand, feet close together and barely touching each other. Feel the bottoms of your feet gripping the ground, balancing from pinkie to big toe and from toes to heel. Shift your weight until you feel even pressure on all four corners of your feet. Lift through your ankles, your knees and thighbones. Feel the pelvis gently tucked and relaxed. Allow the spine to lengthen and the heart to open. Shoulders should be loosely down. Release tension as the shoulder blades pull back slightly to reach for each other. Arms hang comfortably at the side, without tension. The neck lengthens and the head rises to your tallest. Breathe deeply, feeling energy rising from feet to the crown of the head.

To further relieve tension and energize, rotate the palms to face outwards. Breathe in deeply as you bring your arms up and overhead. Hold the breath for a brief moment, then turn the palms outward and slowly exhale as you bring your arms down. Continue the cycle of breath and arm movements until the shoulders, arms and upper body feel warm and energized.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Tree pose improves balance and hip flexibility, as well as being calming and tension relieving. Start by planting both feet firmly as for mountain pose. Shift all weight to the left foot and rotate the right knee outwards, touching the right heel to the inside of the left ankle. Stay here, or slide the bottom of the right foot up the left leg to settle on the curve of the calf, or with the toe just above the knee joint. Bring the hands, palm to palm, in front of your heart. Relax, continue deep yoga belly breathing and feel your supporting foot grounding as your head reaches to the sky. Repeat on the other leg.

Chair Pose(Utkatasana)

This yoga pose will bring warmth to your legs and energize your body from the ground up. Return to Mountain Pose, feet close together and firmly grounded. Bend the knees as if you were sitting in a chair, leading with the bottom and leaning back. Bring the arms up by the ears. The back should be straight and you should feel energy extending from the base of the spine in a straight line up to the fingertips. Keep the knees behind the toes. This is a challenging and energizing yoga asana, bringing benefit even if held for only a few breaths.

Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

This yoga pose requires a strong focus to maintain. Move to a very wide stance, left foot pointed straight to the left, right toes angled in at about 45 degrees. Feel both feet connecting firmly with the ground. Bend the left knee, keeping it behind the toes and sinking towards the ground. Feel the weight evenly distributed in the left foot and pushing on the outside of the right foot. Float the arms out to shoulder height, palms down and fingers spread. The legs should feel strong and grounded and the upper body weightlessly supported. Hold for a few breaths and repeat in the other direction.

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This may be the most well-known yoga pose. Start on hands and knees. Spread the hands, middle fingers pointing straight forward and weight spread from pinky to thumb, fingers to palm. Tuck the toes and straighten the legs, lifting the hips to the sky. "Walk the Dog" by bending one knee slightly, pushing the other heel to the ground, then switching legs. Once the calf muscles have released, push both heels to the ground. Lift the hips up and back. Push the creases of the elbow forwards and relax the shoulders away from the ears. Enjoy the connection to the ground and the excellent hamstring stretch.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Stretch the insides of the thighs in a relaxing manner with this yoga pose. Start in a seated position. Bring the soles of the feet together, knees to the side. If desired put a rolled up blanket under each thigh or knee for support. Slowly let the upper body down, first by reclining on your elbows, then descending fully to the ground. Feel your own body weight pulling your legs further open. Allow your body to melt and release all tension and stress.

Lunge with Spinal Twist (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

Begin in Mountain pose. Swan dive into a forward fold, bringing the chest to the thighs and hands just outside the feet. Step the right foot back and bend the left knee to hold a low lunge. Make sure the knee stays behind the toes and above the ankle. Lift the left arm, rotating the body so the chest faces the inner left thigh. Feel the body weight balanced and relaxed on the left foot, right toes and right hand as your left hand lifts into the air. Hold for a few breaths and enjoy the flexion of the spine. Return both hands to the ground, and bring the feet together into forward fold. Repeat to the right side.

Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Fish is a comfortable reclining yoga pose, useful for opening the chest area. Begin in Staff, seated erect with legs straight in front. Place a rolled up towel or blanket directly under the bottoms of the shoulder blades. Slowly roll down to allow the body to drape over the roll. Adjust the location or height as needed to keep weight off the neck and keep the back relaxed. Feel heaviness and relaxation in the body and breathe deeply as you allow your chest and heart to open.

Child's Pose (Balasana)

Child's pose is an excellent yoga counterpose to Fish. Begin on all fours. On an exhale, bend the knees and bring the bottom down to meet the heels as your body stretches over your thighs and the arms stretch forward. Feel the spine curving and extending, and the hips releasing.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Complete this relaxing and grounding yoga series with Savasana. Lie flat on your back, feet at least two feet apart and arms a foot away from the body, palms up. Allow the ankles to naturally flex, and tuck the shoulder blades as if you are folding your wings. Feel the entire body heavy, relaxed and melting into the floor as you breathe deeply and slowly in and out through the nose. Allow at least five minutes of this mediation time to finish your yoga time as you simply enjoy the feeling of relaxation in your body.

When you are ready to end your yoga session, wiggle your fingers and toes slowly to bring movement back to the body. Slowly move your arms overhead and stretch your whole body to its full extent. Bring your knees into your chest and hug them. Rock gently from side to side, massaging the lower back. Roll to your right side and spend a breath or two in fetal position, then use your arms to push yourself up to a comfortable seated position. On an exhale, bring the ear slowly to the left shoulder, feeling a gentle neck stretch. Repeat on the right. To conclude your yoga session, bring both arms overhead with a deep inhale. With hands palm to palm, exhale the hands to your heart center.

Namaste!

"Yoga Poses", Yogajournal.com