Yoga Flow To Detox Your Body And Release Tension
The morning air tastes sour and the frosty breeze bites. A cloud of gloom is looming overhead: the coronavirus in physical form. You're probably feeling tension from either the lack of social interaction, fear of getting sick/death, depletion of resources, or sudden drastic changes in your environment. As much as possible, we need to find ways to mentally and physically relax our minds and bodies from this stress.
That's why I decided to write up my yoga flow for detoxing my body and releasing tension/anxiety in my mind. Each pose has a unique benefit, which I listed out below this guide. So, if you're needing a pick-me-up go ahead and try out this light yoga routine (you don't even need a mat for this!):
1. Seated Pose
Starting position - opens up your body and improves your flexibility by giving a stretch to your legs, back and hips
Instructions:
Bring your hats to your knees (not too far forward or you'll hunch and not too far back or you'll get tight)
2. Seated Cat Cows
Massages and warms up your spinal column
Instructions:
Inhale as you press your chest outwards and tilt your head up
Exhale as you release your breath, scrunch your body inwards and curl your chin to your neck
Repeat 2 or 3 more times
3. Child's pose
Resting restorative posture
Instructions:
Bring your big toes together, spread your knees apart, and lower yourself down as you extend your arms out in front of you
Bring your forehead down to the mat
4. Downward Dog
Relieves stress by calming the brain and helps prevent osteoporosis
Instructions:
Lift your hips up to the ceiling, spread your palms out wide, and pedal out your legs if you'd like
Take a few deep breaths in and out
5. Extended Puppy Pose
Releases tightness in the shoulders and neck
Instructions:
As you exhale bring your knees down to the ground, drop your forehead to the floor, slide your arms forward, and push your butt into the air
Relax your neck and let your heart sink into the ground
6. Sphinx
Opens up your chest, massages your abdomen, and stretches your upper back. This posture invigorates your body so is therapeutic for fatigue.
Instructions:
Lie down onto your belly
Slowly bring your chin forward, lift up onto your forearms (they should be parallel to one another), lengthen your neck, and push your ears away from your shoulders
7. Reclining Bound Angle
Increases vitality of digestive and reproductive organs
Instructions:
Flip onto your back
Bring the outer edges of your feet together letting your knees and hips open as they may
Bring your hands out to your sides
8. Happy Baby Pose
Releases tension in the lower back and helps calm the brain & mind
Instructions:
Inhale and bring your knees to your chest
Stretch your arms onto the inside of your legs and grab onto your big toes
Gently open up your hips and widen your legs to deepen the stretch
Stack each ankle directly above your knees so that your feet are perpendicular to the ground
Keep your spine flat on the floor
9. Reclined Twist
Relieves tension in your lower back and is good for digestion
Instructions:
Exhale as you lay your hands straight out to your left and right
Inhale in, and then on the exhale slowly melt your knees to your right side
Look to your left to deepen the pose
To come out, take a deep breath in and unravel back into center
Inhale in and melt your knees to your left side
Look to your right to deepen the pose
10. Corpse
Deep resting position
Instructions:
On your inhale bring your knees back to center and on your exhale extend your legs out long onto the ground
Make your body as comfortable and free as possible
Close your eyes, bring your arms to your sides with palms facing up