While the definition of aparigraha might lead people to think first of worldly possessions in the context of non-attachment, consider the more lofty idea of non-attachment to moments in time.
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If we think about this a little more, we might recognize that we are often so attached to moments behind us or ahead of us, that we lose sight of the moment we are in. Most people can relate to being caught up in rumination over something that occurred yesterday, last month, or last year. We form an attachment to this memory—be it a good one or a bad one. We let it creep in and disrupt our present moment’s contentment and peace without even realizing it.

This same interruption of the present occurs when we become attached to future moments. While daydreaming, future aspirations, goal setting and planning are all positive—when we focus too much energy on moments ahead of us, we might start to feel anxious, antsy, depressed, unsettled or any of the above.

Practicing aparigraha and non-attachment allows us to rid ourselves (at least temporarily) of the pull within us to live in moments outside of the present. We recognize that attaching ourselves to thoughts of the past or future does nothing to serve us in the present moment.

With Valentine’s Day approaching next month, consider, as an example of this practice, how non-attachment to the past or future might positively impact your relationship.

Often times we hear couples speak of the ‘early days’ in the relationship—when the partner was more considerate, attentive, exciting, etc. Maybe this is something you experience when you think about the progression of your own relationship. But how often does this ‘past attachment’ serve us and make our relationship more whole? Feeling attachment to the past forces us to compare our partner and our relationship to mere memories of a different time. It sets an expectation for behavior that might be difficult to maintain after the novelty of a new love has worn off. Even further, as humans, we are growing and changing every day. Living in the memories of your partner from earlier days prevents you from recognizing and appreciating the person in front of you.

This is only one example of how rumination and attachment to the past might be impacting our relationships. The other, more obvious, example is when we become attached to actions of the past that might have hurt us. Even when we have ‘moved on’ from these actions, arguments, etc. we might still be feeling a sense of attachment to the memory. By choosing to let something go in our relationship—we are choosing to practice non-attachment to that memory. We are choosing to become more present oriented.

When we think about attachment to the future in the context of our romantic lives—we might realize the incredible expectations we put on ourselves, our partners and our relationships. Maybe when we think to the future and allow ourselves to live there in our minds, we become attached to the idea of having more money, a bigger house, well-behaved children, or a partner who works less (or more). We might even be placing negative expectations on the relationship without realizing it. Maybe when we think to the future we are expecting to feel disappointed or hurt by our partner—we are expecting to feel let down. Maybe we are waiting for the moment when the relationship falls apart. Any of this future thinking puts unnecessary pressure on the present moment and robs us, yet again, of the contentment and peace we can experience if we take life one present moment at a time.

So think about aparigraha over these next few weeks leading up to the holiday of love. Consider how this concept of non-attachment might serve you in enhancing the connection in your relationship.
 

Mindfulness extends far beyond the brain and the control of our thoughts. When we are being truly mindful, we also open ourselves up to be more in tune with every other aspect of our lives. Being mindful within our own bodies is one area that has amazing benefits.
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Physical mindfulness provides us with an opportunity to check in with our bodies on a regular basis. In doing so, we might notice where we are carrying tension, how we physically process our emotions, how we need to move our bodies to relieve tension and emotions, how our bodies can be a signal to our mental state and how our mental state greatly impacts the health of our bodies.

This acknowledgement moves us from a place of separation in these areas to one where we view ourselves as a unified whole. We realize the intimate connection of each part of ourselves. We develop the capacity to utilize our minds to benefit our bodies and our bodies to benefit our minds—rather than fighting our way out of the negative effects when the two are working against each other.

Here are the two major ways that mindfulness of our bodies can greatly serve us.

1. Using our minds to promote a healthier body
Stress. Enough said. This is a perfect example of how something that begins in our thoughts makes its way into our bodies and manifests itself in different forms. We can experience an increased heart rate, stomach issues, body tension—the list goes on. This only gets worse if we are ignoring our stress. Why? Because we are not allowing ourselves to deal with it, rid our minds of it, and therefore rid our bodies of its effects. Stress is the product of letting our thoughts run away from us. But, when we are practicing mindfulness, we have the opportunity to let go of these thoughts and to shed the attachment we feel to them.
First, though, we have to recognize they are there. When we slow down our busy routines enough to sit in stillness during our mindfulness practice—we give ourselves the space to notice how much stress might be in our thoughts. Once we notice it, we have the power to let it go. We can focus our attention on our breathing. We can visualize a peaceful place and keep coming back to it when our mind wanders. We can utilize a guided meditation. Whatever the method—taking the time to let those thoughts float away allows us to free our bodies as well. We might notice our heart rate coming back down with a few deep, intentional breaths. We might find that our stomach feels less jittery after a few moments letting go of our stressful thoughts. The long term impacts of this practice are transformational for our overall health.

2. Using our bodies as a tool to clear our minds
The flip-side of this is that we can also use our bodies as a tool to clear our minds. Yoga is a perfect example of how we can do this. Another method is to practice a body scan or a progressive muscle relaxation exercise. In any of these examples, we are using our bodies as the avenue to take a break from our thoughts. In a yoga practice, we are focusing on our breathing, we are paying attention to the different muscle groups we should be working in every pose, we are trying to keep our balance and we are working to do each pose correctly.

In order to do all of this effectively, we need to come away from our steady stream of thoughts for a while. If we don’t, our practice suffers and we notice immediately. We might fall out of a pose, engage the wrong part of the body and feel the pose differently, etc. This practice allows us a physical way to approach mindfulness. We have to embrace the present moment more fully because it is the moment in which we are moving and engaging with our body. This same concept applies to body scans and progressive muscle relaxation. In both of these practices, we are shedding our attachment to our thoughts in an effort to tune into the body more fully. In body scans, we focus all of our attention on different parts of the body as we move through our scan. We send our mental energy into those body parts—maybe we visualize the energy in those parts or notice where we feel tight or loose. In progressive muscle relaxation, we move through each body part and consciously contract and release the muscles within. By doing so, we focus on each body part—one at a time—which allows us less mental space to overthink and become lost in our thoughts. Using the body as a tool to gain control of our minds might be the most tangible way to practice mindfulness for some.

All in all, the mind and body are incredibly linked in a mindfulness practice—focusing on one will ultimately benefit the other. Think about which approach feels like a more appropriate place to start for you. In a short while, you might see that choosing either approach brings you inner peace and relief from the effects of negative thoughts and emotions.

Balancing poses can be a continuous struggle in our yoga practice. Some of us have attended classes focusing on balance and tried the techniques for achieving better balance, but still feel like this is an area for growth in our practice. 
 
One thing might resonate with you about balance is to follow these steps: clear your mind, find a focal point in the room and breathe. 
 
Clearing the mind is always the hardest part. Standing still without the accompaniment of wandering thoughts can feel like an impossible feat. 
 
However, when the mind takes off on a train to a destination of distractions, you lose the connection to the body. When you lose that connection, you are more likely to ignore the simple adjustments, movements, or shifts that your body is subtly making to throw you off balance, causing you to fall out of the pose. 
This principle applies in our lives as well. When our minds are too cluttered to pay attention to the intricacies of the present moment, we lose our ability to stay tuned in-- to notice what is throwing us off balance and disrupting our equilibrium. 
 
Too much of anything isn't good for the soul (work, play, exercise, TV time, food, the list goes on). Life is a balancing act. When it tips too far in one direction, we need to be aware and bring it back by readjusting, inserting, or removing whatever threw us off in the first place. 
 
However, it is difficult to know and understand what adjustments need to be made if we aren't paying attention, if our awareness and our senses are overwhelmed with yesterday's events or tomorrow's to do lists. 
 
So on our mat we practice balance.  
Here are three balance poses to integrate into your practice as you work on clearing your mind, focusing on your dristi (gaze) and breathing. 
 
1. Tree Pose
From a comfortable and grounded standing position, rotate the right foot to the side and rest the heel of the foot on your left ankle. You can stay here to begin the practice of balance. If you would like more of a challenge, bring the sole of your right foot to your left calf. Finally, if you want the most challenging variation of the pose, you can bring the right sole of the foot to the left thigh, ensuring it is resting above the knee cap. Once you find the spot most comfortable to you, you have the option of bringing your hands into prayer, reaching them above your head, or out to the side in a 'T.' You can then repeat on the other side. 
 
2. Balancing Table
Coming to all fours on your mat, move into a table top position—ensuring your shoulders are directly above your wrists and hips are directly above your knees. Once you find this comfortable, begin my lifting your back right leg up behind you, forming a straight line from torso to right foot. Flex the right foot and feel free to remain here. If you want more of a challenge, engage your core and lift your left arm up in front of you to challenge your balance further. This often seems less challenging than it is, and it requires many muscle groups to balance effectively. Once you have finished on one side, repeat on the other side. 
 
3. Warrior III
Warrior III is a more advanced balancing pose (for a les advanced version, follow the steps with a chair in front of you for support to assist with balance), but might be the one your body needs to truly put your balance to the test. You can access this pose most comfortably from a warrior I pose. From warrior I, rotate your back foot toward the front of the mat and walk it in a little closer to your front leg. From here, hinge at the hips, allowing the back foot to gently lift off of the mat as you find your balance. Ideally, you want your hips squared off and facing forward and your body in a straight line from your torso to your lifted back toes. Again, you can use whatever arm variation feels most comfortable to you. Then, you can repeat on the other side. 
 
As you grow in your practice, think about balancing poses. Think about how difficult it is for you to clear your mind and just be present. How might practicing balancing poses be helpful on and off the mat? Give thought to the areas of your life that need more balance and how this practice can serve you in clearing your mind enough to notice.  
 
Namaste  
 

As 2016 draws to a close, many people begin to buckle down with a list of New Year’s resolutions, often in the areas of self-growth, self-care and health.

We all know the January plight far too well, we begin the month with bright eyes and hopeful hearts—convincing ourselves that we will remain true to our resolutions. This will be the year that we put ourselves first and focus on growing in the areas we’ve set out to conquer. Maybe for some of us, it’s being more intentionally grateful in everyday life, for others it’s the conscious effort to integrate more exercise into our routines. We might aim to focus on our personal relationships with others—vowing to call more, send birthday cards or schedule in time for date nights.

Whatever the resolution might be, too many of us lose sight of it by February. We become swept away in our lives again, convince ourselves that everything is okay just the way it is—at least for now. We set a goal that we will pick up our resolution again when things slow down (and they often never do).

The thing about resolutions is that deep down we know the continuation of our plans will benefit us (assuming they are realistic and positive focused), but we lack the self-discipline to see it through.

This is where Tapas comes in. Tapas is the Niyama of yoga that encourages us to practice self-discipline and do something that we might not want to do—but that will ultimately benefit our health. Reflecting on this Niyama encourages us to be mindful of our intentions, to recognize where we can grow to be more moral, healthy and enlightened and then to see those intentions through.
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To that end, here are 3 ways that might assist in utilizing the self-discipline that exists within you to continue self-growth after the start of the New Year.

1. Clarify Your Priorities
Part of staying true to a goal is feeling so tied to it that the thought of stopping feels like you might lose a part of yourself in the process. The only way to tether yourself so tightly to your goal is to link it to your personal values, your priorities. Write a list of what you value most in your life. What really matters to you? Then, think about what self-growth areas might support these values, allowing you to become a better version of yourself. Doing this more in-depth exploratory work removes the shallow goal setting we sometimes do on December 28 and instead replaces it with meaningful, intentional, and deeply personal goals that you feel intimately attached to.
 
2. Work Your New Resolution List into Your Routine
Spend time turning your seemingly lofty resolutions into SMART goals. SMART stands for: Specific, Measureable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-Based. For each goal, run through these steps. If your growth-area is to connect more with your loved ones, your SMART version might look like this: Specific (Call friends and family more often), Measureable (Call each loved one once a week), Action-oriented (Use drive home from work to call one, two or three people every day), Realistic (Maybe only make calls 3 days a week instead of 5), Time-Based (starting January 1 and continuing indefinitely).
Doing this takes something more abstract and makes it concrete. You now have something in place that allows you to take your deeply personal resolution and turn it into an actionable plan.
 
3. Hold Yourself Accountable
This can happen in any way. You might want to journal about how your resolution is impacting your life, which might make you less likely to abandon it without giving it second thoughts. You could talk about your progress with a friend or significant other—because sometimes sharing our goals and progress with others makes us more accountable and proud. Maybe you reward yourself in some way for every week that you maintain your goals—making this specific to you and that will serve as a reason to keep going. Whatever holds you accountable, build that into your plan. This will again help you maintain your resolutions much longer.
 
Self-discipline requires practice. But, it is not as difficult as we might think. Following these steps might allow you to make your New Year’s resolutions last all year long (or longer). While self-disiciple is hard, reaping the benefits is far reaching.

For the month of December, the fourth yama of yoga, Brahmacharya, will be explored. Brahmacharya reminds us to regain control over our impulses and desire for excess so that we may instead lead lives of moderation. A fitting moral testament for the holiday season of over-eating, over-buying, and over-indulging, brahmacharya encourages us to break any bonds that attach us to our need for abundance and rather, to use our inner strength and will to find balance in our wants and needs.

Accepting moderation (brahmacharya) in each aspect of our lives can be a bit more difficult than we might presume. There is this seemingly innate human quality to constantly desire more: more money, more space, more possessions, more personal freedom, more control over life, more abundance, more appreciation from others; the list goes on. However, this drive to accomplish, possess and acquire more only pulls us away from the gratitude we can be experiencing for the abundance we already possess. Even further, we might realize, upon reflection, that the acquisition of ‘more’ never seems to make us as happy as we thought. Because once we receive what we want, we immediately start planning and desiring the next thing.
This places us in a never ending pursuit of happiness—because we are attaching our happiness to something outside of ourselves.

When we recognize this innate pursuit, we take control back over our lives and our happiness. We begin to understand that this desire for excess is only crippling our ability to enjoy life in the present moment.

And instead, we aim for moderation. We begin looking within; we begin to understand that self-growth, self-reflection, relationships and gratitude are more tied to happiness and true life abundance than any of the things we had been chasing before. We seek more opportunities to expose ourselves to these things and spend less time worrying about the things that occupied so much of our mental space previously.

So, this holiday season, be reflective of the areas in your life where you are always striving for, or desiring, more. Pay attention to how this relentless pursuit of excess impacts your life. Notice if the acquisition of what you’re chasing brings you lasting happiness.

Do any of us feel good after over-eating? Do we feel fulfilled and enlightened after buying a new gadget or object? Are we better people after binge watching 10 episodes of a show on Netflix? Does that promotion bring us the appreciation and happiness we were searching for?
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Once you find your answer, begin to think about how moderation might better serve you. Exercise your will power and inner strength to turn down the desire for excess and to turn your attention inward instead.

​Learning and achieving flexibility in yoga is about more than gracefully sliding our hands under our feet after bowing forward in a sun salutation. It is not just in our ability to get our head down to our knees in a seated pose, but also in our approach to handling the unpredictability of life. 
 
In yoga we learn that we need to breathe through discomfort to see progress. We learn that our goals and plans for ourselves are not met the first time we step onto our mat. 
 
But we also learn to be okay with that. In that acceptance, we are taught flexibility of the mind. We are taught that flexibility is patience. It is breathing in and letting the exhalation push us just a touch closer to what we envisioned and hoped for and to wait until our bodies are ready to take us the rest of the way. 
 
Try breathing through these 3 flexibility promoting asanas to practice your patience in acceptance, your ability to be flexible. 

​1. Forward Fold Standing in mountain pose, take a deep inhale and let your arms reach up above your head. On the exhale, hinge at the hips, adding a slight bend to your knees and forward fold. Depending on your current level of flexibility, your hands might rest on your shins with your knees bent, your shins with your knees straight, or the mat with your knees straight. Wherever you are, notice any tension you might be feeling in the back of your thighs. Breathe. This is a simple pose, but often one that brings up emotions for us if we cannot touch our toes, touch the mat, or straighten our legs completely. Be patient here. 

2. Triangle Pose Returning to mountain pose, step your right leg back on your mat in a 90 degree angle, coming into a warrior 2 position. Then, straighten your bent front leg and reach your left arm down your left leg, resting it against your shin or on the mat if that is accessible for you. Your right arm reaches above your head, forming a straight line with your left arm. The goal here is to keep your back straight and your chest forward. If you notice you are starting to fall into your chest, it is probably because your ego has forced your hand further down your leg than the pose warrants for your level of flexibility. Again, breathe here and notice your posture, notice your hand placement, and notice any emotions that bubble up if you cannot go as far into the pose as you would like. Then, switch sides. 

3. Wide-Angled Seated Forward Bend Returning again to your mountain pose, gently come to a seated position on your mat. Extend your legs out to either side of you, coming into a split. Again, notice how far apart your legs can stretch in this pose, be patient with your body and learn how to judge the difference between discomfort and pain in yoga, especially in poses that push our flexibility limits. You can push yourself to discomfort, but pull back if you begin to feel pain. Once your legs are at a distance that supports this idea, start to hinge forward at the hips by walking your hands out in front of you. Try to round your back, but keep it straight so that the inner thighs are really put to work. This pose will likely start to bring up emotions as well. You might begin clenching your jaw as you push forward or stopping your deep breathing. Notice these things and correct them, returning to a peaceful place in an uncomfortable pose. Breathe here for as long as you would like. 
 
As we work on these poses, we have the ability to take this lesson of flexibility off of our mats and remember that when loved ones, friends, our jobs, or life in its many forms are not going as we planned, are not following the expectations we set, we must be flexible. We must come back to our breath and remember that flexibility is patience. Just as we cannot rush our bodies in an effort to get our hands to touch our toes, we cannot hold stringent to the expectations we have for others or for ourselves. 
 
Let the mantra for flexibility poses such as this one be 'flexibility is patience' and use the inhalations and exhalations to reflect on how you can become a more flexible person off of your mat.
 

This is the topic that has the ability to immediately send us into a state of stress. The peak of the holiday season often does not help this stressful association we have linked to our finances. So, as this time of year might be about giving, it is okay to admit that while giving and spending can elicit many positive emotions within us, it can also bring about some negative emotions as well.
Using mindfulness can help us to become more in tune with the financial pillar of our holistic wellness. How? By allowing us to better understand how our financial choices are linked to our overall wellness and happiness. Some people spend when they feel sad, others spend when they feel happy. Some people feel like they are on an emotional high after shopping or spending money, others feel guilty and overwhelmed. Some of us spend frivolously and some of us are much more frugal.
There is value in taking some time to understand where you fall on this spectrum so that you can make stronger decisions moving forward. Here are three ways to incorporate mindfulness into your financial choices and wellness.
 
1. Pay close attention to your motives for spending
Sometimes we head to a store for a day out, not quite needing anything—but open to the possibility of spending. Sometimes we make an intentional trip because we are lacking something and see value in purchasing it. Regardless of the motivation, be mindful of it. Take note of whether or not you need or want what you are purchasing. The answer might not change your decision, but this extra level of reflection has merit. We spend so much of our lives running on autopilot—so our financial choices sometimes fall right in line with this habit of mindless existence. When we are mindfully intentional in our actions, in whatever area of our lives/wellness we are working on—we allow ourselves to feel more connected to and secure about the decisions that we make.
 
2. Reflect on how your choices make you feel
This is both an in-the-moment and after-the-fact reflection. In the moment, consider how reaching for that item makes you feel. Are you excited about it? Are you pretty neutral? Are you feeling slightly stressed even looking at the price tag? What emotions drove you to pick up the item in the first place? Are you in a good place today or are you feeling a bit down? Then, after you make a purchase, think about how you feel in the hours, days or weeks after. Do you still love your item when you bring it home? Are you still happy about your spending during an evening out after the night is over? How do you feel when it’s time to pay off your credit card? Do you feel validated, knowing that your statement is manageable and a reflection of things that make you happy? Are you feeling guilty, knowing that your spending was out of range and slightly unnecessary? These are all important emotions to consider as you spend this time in a reflective state. Again, you might not be making any changes yet—but awareness is the first step to change. Right now, just bring awareness to something you might have otherwise neglected to acknowledge.
 
3. Be mindful of your priorities
When we spend in line with our priorities, the purchases always seem slightly more acceptable. Do you value traveling? Then maybe spending $___on a shopping trip isn’t the best use of your resources. Are you a fan of collectors’ items? Then maybe a larger purchase in this category is exactly what brings you joy. Do you love to be charitable or buy for others? Then this might shift some of your decisions on personal spending. The point is to be mindful of the priorities you have in life and to allocate your resources appropriately. Without this mindful attention to what you value—you lack the helpful guidance in knowing if your purchases are in line with who you are and what makes you happy.
 
As we move through a time of year that is notoriously known for financial stress, be mindful of how your spending affects your wellness and your happiness. Understand your motives, your emotions and your priorities. Your knowledge of these areas will guide you to making healthier financial decisions that hopefully result in less stress and more positive feelings and wellness effects.

The Yamas of yoga, as noted in previous articles, are designed to be a moral compass and guide for our personal actions and behaviors. It seems only fitting that during this time of division that we are facing as a country, following the many months of rising tension that preceded the election, that practicing the Yamas of yoga can be especially helpful.

The Yama of Asteya presents itself as one of the most pivotal moral guides during this time. This Yama, most basically, means non-stealing. As with the other Yamas, the literal meaning of the word only scratches the surface of how deep the definition can extend into our lives. Non-stealing does not only mean that we should not steal the property of another—it also means that we should not steal others rights, happiness, ideas or safety/security.

It is important to remember during this difficult time that in an effort to promote what we love, we might also be outwardly bashing what we hate. While this may seem justified in the eyes of the individual making the claims—there are always people on the receiving end of these messages that may begin to feel attacked, robbed of their own ability to express their ideas, or in the worst case scenario—potentially begin to feel unsafe. When we make this transition, we are stealing from them in many senses of the word.  

There is a difference between promoting what we love and bashing what we hate. One can exist without the other. One, in fact, should exist without the other. It is completely plausible to spread the messages we want to spread in a positive light—i.e., promoting what we love. However, the moment this message takes a turn and begins to put down someone elses beliefs in an effort to give more leverage to our own—well that is when we are guilty of violating Asteya.

It is a fine line to walk, but one we need to be mindful of. This can be applied to times much less volatile than the current climate of our country (such as promoting yoga by bashing Pilates, as a simple example), but it seems applicable to address a situation everyone can relate to presently.  

Regardless of the political side we might resonate with currently, there is a lesson here in learning how to spread our messages through love, rather than through hate and anger. To remember that in times like these, we are granted no extra right to steal from others. We have no free pass to stop viewing other people as individuals and to view them instead as targets for our anger and hurt.  

​Asteya is a reminder that stealing, in any sense of the word, is harmful—but especially so when we rob others of their rights or feelings of security. Besides, much more can be accomplished toward our own agendas when we approach others with positive passion for our views rather than with negativity, anger and hostility. 

​Mindfulness, or becoming tuned into the present moment with complete awareness, has benefits for all aspects of holistic wellness. For November, the benefits of mindfulness on the ‘professional self’ will be explored.
 
The beauty of completely tuning into the present moment is that it allows us to let go of our thoughts. Removing our attachment to our thoughts means that we can begin to connect to other parts of ourselves more deeply. When our existence isn’t clouded by a racing mind, we feel more deeply, connect more with others, and reacquaint with ourselves.
 
One ‘side-effect’ of reacquainting with ourselves is that we might begin to recognize what brings us joy, what lights us up inside and what we are feeling pulled to do. This is a profound experience and when achieved, provides an opportunity to engage with our true sense of purpose.
 
Some people have already found this in their work. If that is the case, incorporating more mindfulness into your work can serve to invigorate your drive and your passion. It can spark new ideas or new projects. It can reignite that internal fire for something you already love.
 
Others, however, haven’t yet found their professional identity or their true sense of purpose. Even further, not everyone can give up their current lifestyle and career to simply pursue what sets their soul on fire. If either of these is the case, finding fulfilment through a process of trial and error (utilizing mindfulness) can be critical to truly connecting with your purpose.
 
One opportunity to incorporate mindful intentions into your professional identify is to seek out those opportunities that make you feel happy to be alive. This is where a hobby comes in. When we are being truly mindful, we realize with much more depth how certain activities make us feel. If painting, drawing, photography or art in general make you feel enthusiastic and energized, finding ways to bring this into your life through a hobby can be fulfilling and eye-opening.
 
Sometimes, hobbies can become a side-income. If physical fitness and spreading personal self-care is an area of passion, for example, maybe a certification in personal training is an option for some evening and/or weekend work.
 
Even further, hobbies can turn into meaningful volunteer work. If leading and teaching, counseling and mentoring, or supporting others is something that brings you great joy, for instance, there are opportunities abound to volunteer in service to others in these capacities.
 
These are but a few examples; the true goal is to connect with what lights YOU up inside through a process of intentional mindfulness. Once you identify what this is, find a way to do it! Whether it be in your career, or through some version of a hobby—introduce it into your life with a renewed sense of passion and internal light. Sometimes these hobbies lead to career changes, sometimes they don’t. The point is to make room for your life purpose and meaning to grow—because having this is one of the most energizing and fulfilling parts of being human. 

​Winding down at the end of the day can be difficult both mentally and physically. Preparing to clear our minds of thoughts and free our bodies of tension can be intimidating, especially for those who have a difficult time falling and staying asleep. Yoga, however, can be a wonderful outlet for this calming effort. Below are 5 simple yoga poses to consider moving through and building into your evening routine.
 
1.Mountain Pose
Finding stillness and grounding energy in this position is a great place to begin your evening practice. Getting into this pose is simple. Simply stand with both feet together, arms down at your sides and palms facing forward. As you inhale, raise your shoulders up toward your ears and the exhale guide them down and back to improve your posture. Feel your feet grounding into your mat and send energy up your legs. While this pose looks simple from the outside, there are many places in your body you can be sending your attention to. Everything in your body is working in this pose, which allows you to leave your head for a little while to focus your energy on your mind.
 
2.Forward Fold
From your mountain pose position, take a big inhale and let your arms rise up above your head (you can even add in a gentle backbend at this point to stretch your abdomen and chest). On the exhale, fold down your center channel and let your hands come down to the mat. If your hands cannot reach your mat, let them find your shins or knees, wherever feels most comfortable to you. Take a few seconds here to breathe. Feel your hamstrings releasing tension. Observe how your lower back feels. These are two places where we tend to carry a lot of stress and negative energy. If you would like, feel free to cross your arms here and swing from side to side.
 
3.Child’s Pose
As you hang in forward fold, take your last few breaths before transitioning into your child’s pose. On the inhale from your forward fold position, allow yourself to rise up halfway and on the exhale, release back into your fold. From here, bend your knees (if needed) and place your hands on the mat in front of you. Bring your right foot followed by your left into the plank position. Take a deep inhale. On the exhale, bring your knees down to the mat and sit back into your child’s pose by resting on your heels as your hands stretch out in front of you and the tops of your feet ground into the mat. Take a few deep breaths in this position. Notice how your back stretches in this pose; pay attention to the release of your shoulders. Let your head rest comfortably on your mat and simply be still.
 
4.Reclined Spinal Twist
When you feel like you have remained in child’s pose long enough, inhale as you lift your chest and head off the mat and come into a kneeling position with your spine straight. From here, exhale as you bring both of your legs out in front of you as you make your way down to a reclined position on your mat. Take a deep inhale in this reclined position and bring your knees into your chest. On the next exhale, grab your right knee with your left hand and allow your legs to fall gently to the left side as your gaze looks to the right. Remain here for a few breaths feeling the stretch throughout your body. Inhale deeply and bring your knees back into your chest. On the next exhale, grab your left knee with your right hand and allow your legs to fall gently to your right side as your gaze looks to the left. Remain here for a few breaths. Take a big inhale and on the exhale, bring your knees back into your chest. You can repeat this sequence as many times as you like or remain here with your knees tucked into your chest as a way to continue stretching your lower back.
 
5.Corpse Pose
From your reclined position with your knees tucked into your chest, move into a fully reclined position with your feet stretched out in front of you. This is your final pose, your resting pose, or savasana. You want to be comfortable in this pose so make whatever adjustments you need to remain relaxed in this pose for about 2-3 uninterrupted minutes. Focus on your breath in this pose and bring your attention back to the breath whenever your mind begins to wander. Find stillness and relaxation in this posture. Remain here until you are done with your practice and are ready to head to bed.
 
An added breathing technique to enhance the calm feeling.   Start out by using a breath count of six seconds on the inhale and six seconds on the exhale, repeat two times, then progressively lengthen your exhale, so inhale for six seconds and exhale seven seconds and do this for 2X’s, then inhale six seconds and exhale 8, do this 2Xs.   By progressively lengthening your exhale you activate the parasympathetic nervous system and increase your feeling of calmness thus allowing you to get a more restful night sleep.
 
 
Wishing you a restful night’s sleep,
Yoga-CIse