Be miracle-minded.
xo, b
Anxiety to Zen |
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Everything that happens in our lives is neutral until we give it a meaning. We have the power through our thoughts and interpretations to create challenges or blessings. We can create our world through how we CHOOSE to see it.
Be miracle-minded. xo, b
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I'm often asked by students and clients what I personally do to work through my stress and anxiety.
I have a few practices (tools in my kit!) that I rely on heavily- and daily- to keep me cool, calm and collected and I'm very excited to share them with you! My Go-To Stress Busters: 1) Yoga- of any kind! Any movement, whether a sweaty vinyasa or a chill yin class helps me untangle the knots of stress that I hold in my body. Moving my body takes me out of my mind and keeps me focused on the present. 2) Meditation- A quick 5-10 minute mini-meditation is usually all it takes. I practice a visualization meditation where I relax every muscle in my body and picture myself strong, capable and overcoming whatever challenge I'm facing. I also vividly picture my desired outcome. This helps plant the seeds in my subconscious of what I want and need to happen. 3) Morning Ritual- I literally wake up 2 hours before I need to be out the door. Whether to teach a class, run an errand or workout, I'm always up 2 hours (if not earlier!) beforehand. A lot of people laugh at this, but it ensures I always start my day in a relaxed way. I read, write, meditate, listen to my favorite tunes in the shower, have a filling breakfast, enjoy some coffee, walk my dog... and then i'm on my way. If I start my day rushed and chaotic, it usually stays that way! And I get very stressed when I'm rushed. 4) Sleep/Bedroom Tranquility- I have worked my schedule out so that I do not teach late evenings anymore. I make sure to always get my rest when I need it. It keeps me centered. I have made my bedroom an oasis that I love to unwind in. Having this tranquil room to escape to at the end of a long, busy day helps me rejuvenate. It is a phone-free/work-free zone. 5) EFT/Tapping- I LOVE to tap! I have experiened monumental shifts in my perception and energy since I started tapping. I tap in my car, before class, during stressful times and sometimes even when I first wake up in the morning. I am in love with how I feel after I work through a tapping session. It's quick, easy and powerful! Those are some of my stress-busters I practice in my daily life. I also like to sprinkle in workouts, journaling and deep belly breathing when needed. While many of my tools in this kit ebb and flow (such is life!) those top 5 are my everyday essentials. And every now and again, a glass of wine doesn't hurt either! xo, b My class theme this week has been the intention of love. There are so many different types of love we offer out every day. However, the one person that always seems to be standing at the back of that line is... US! Ever notice how you're often hardest on yourself? People with anxiety are naturally type-a and have perfectionistic tendencies. Those two traits sometimes lead us to be even harder on ourselves than we even realize. Here are some heart-opening poses that will help alleviate depression and ease anxiety. These poses also focus on the intention of love by expressing our hearts outward and allow us to share this intention with the universe. COBRA/UPWARD FACING DOG -Start on your belly, press your palms down underneath your shoulders and hug your arms into your rib cage with elbows up -Begin to press into your hands and curl yourself up. Lift up to full upward facing dog pose by straightening the arms gently, looking up to the sky and lifting your knees off the ground (toes stay down, pointed). If your back is tight or injured, only lift halfway up into Cobra. Lift only up to your ribcage and focus the lift from your back rather than your hands. -Practice a few rounds of this, inhaling up and exhaling back down onto your stomach. *keep your shoulders back and spread open through your collarbones to keep your heart open and shining! BOW POSE -Start lying face down with your hands resting by your hips. -Bend your knees and reach back to hold your ankles or the tops of your feet. -Press your feet against your hands and begin to lift up off the ground. Take your time lifting. Use the energy between your hands and feet to lift deeper into your backbend. **before you lift up, roll your shoulders back. as you deepen your backbend here over time, begin to roll into your belly and feel a lift through your thighs.you can roll forward and backward if you have that available to you. FISH POSE
-Lie on your back and reach your hands by your hips -Tuck your hands under your hips, palms facing down -Lift onto your forearms and gently begin to ease your head down -Some might stay here for awhile. If you have more range of motion, release the top of your head down onto the ground/mat, crown of your head to the floor. -Keep your legs pressed together. Lift up through your chest and feel your heart expand. **focus on the lower back here as you create this pose. If your back doesn't support this alone, keep your forearms on the ground to help give you lift Another super quick heart opener you can do is interlace your hands behind your back and pull your knuckles towards the ground. Feel your shoulders roll back, begin to backbend and look towards the sky. Make sure your back is warmed up and stretched before moving through any backbends! Set your intention today to create self love. Be mindful of your thoughts. Be aware of your energy. Notice how you're showing up for yourself on a daily basis. Shift your perspective and be first on line to receive your love and acceptance! with LOVE, xo b It's funny how the thought of inversions tend to conjure up images of handstands and balancing on one's head. Inversions are actually very calming poses, but the initial thoughts about them cause anxiety and stress to plenty of people! So let's shine the spotlight on INVERSIONS today. Why do inversions? From just a general health perspective, inversions reverse blood flow and improve circulation, they increase our immunity, prevent illness and even energize us! From our perspective of being over-stressed and anxious, inversions calm our nervous systems. Inversions trigger our parasympathetic nervous system which enables us to feel calm and balanced. Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our stress response, so the more we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the more grounded and stable we'll feel! Now, not every inversion is built the same. Yes, you can pop into headstand for a couple of minutes and enjoy the benefits of flippng your world upside down, but what if that's not in your practice yet? Are you out of luck? Nope! Here are some beginner-friendly inversions that you can try today: These are all gentle inversions that most of us feel comfortable trying! Next time you're stressed, literally flip yourself (and your world!) upside down! Change your perspective, change your life.
**contraindications: unmedicated high blood pressure, some heart conditions, neck injuries, recent stroke, detached retina, glaucoma, and epilepsy are common issues that should be addressed before inverting. Always talk with your doc if you're unsure before adding something new into your practice and life! xo b Panic attacks suck. That's the only way I can describe them. And I've definitely had my share of them. I used to have one almost every other day at the peak of my anxiety. Let's break down these TIPS on how to handle a panic attack in yoga terms, shall we? 1- Practice TAPAS (self discipline). Panic attacks are mentally draining and physically stressful on our bodies, but they cannot hurt us. When panic attacks happen, we often spend time trying to 'fight' against it or push it away. Once an attack happens, the best thing to do is ride it out. Just sit with it. It's not easy, but there's no sense in fighting it. Our bodies are already in 'fight' mode. You know what anxiety is, you know it's causing this attack, so sit and move through it. Be present with what is happening. Tapas teaches us that sometimes "burning" through something is the only way to get through it. 2- ASANA. Do some yoga. Move your body. Stretch, vinyasa a bit or do some restorative yoga. Stay present with what you're doing and how you're moving your body. Become aware in subtle shifts in energy and return your focus to your breath. Legs Up the Wall and Forward Bend are great places to start! 3- Remember SATYA (truthfulness). You know what anxiety is. You are, on some level, probably aware that what you are experiencing is indeed a panic attack and not an actual heart attack or stroke. You know it will pass. You know what is happening to your body and you know you will live through it. So literally talk yourself through it. Keep focusing on these TRUTHS. If you can, let someone close to you know what is going on. Shine light on what is happening to you. The more light you cast on anxiety from speaking the truth about it, the less darkness it can bring to your life. You have the knowledge to talk yourself off the edge. Or at the very least, talk yourself through the symptoms you experience from a panic attack. 4- PRANAYAMA (breath work). Breathe it out! Deep belly breaths, alternate nostril breathing, equal breathing... All of these are yogic breathing practices that help alleviate anxiety and either stop, or significantly shorten, a panic attack. 5- Let go with ISHVARA PRANIDHANA (surrender). Have trust that you can heal from this. Anxiety can make us feel helpless and unable to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Stay dedicated to your journey and trust in the universe. Have faith in your practice and strength. Believe in yourself. And lastly, surrender your struggles. xo b One of the questions I get asked most frequently is 'what breathing do YOU do when you're stressed?'
I don't even need to think about it anymore. The answer is always clear: Alternate Nostril Breathing, or Nadi Shodhana. If you've never tried it, it can be quite powerful. This pranayama practice slows your breathing down, it lowers your heart rate, it syncs both hemispheres of the brain and it purifies the energy channels in your body. And, most importantly, it REDUCES stress and anxiety! Sound amazing? It is! But it is definitely a practice. Before you try this at home kids, start with some deep breaths through your nose. Then for 30 seconds at a time practice the alternate nostril breathing. Eventually build yourself up to 5 minutes. You'll feel instantly blissed out! Once you're comfortable with the belly breathing, you can give this a go. Here's how to start: Sit upright in a comfortable seated position, begin deep belly breathing through your nose. Allow your brain to quiet down and rest your attention on the breath Press your right nostril closed with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Once you've taken a full inhale, gently exhale through your left nostril After your exhale, close the left nostril with your ring and pinky finger. Inhale through your right nostril. The exhale through the right nostril. That's one cycle. You can repeat for 30 seconds, and again, work your way up from there! Once you've completed a few cycles of breath, release the nose completely and enjoy breathing normally. Begin to notice any subtle changes. This will be one of your most powerful 'stress-less' tools! Have it handy in times of challenge and when you feel anxiety creep up! xo b My class theme this week has been Totally Tapas. I created a flow that focused, quite literally, on heat. The heat we create physically AND mentally. I felt it was appropriate after talking with someone about her journey with anxiety. I think the most important thing I've ever shared with my students and clients is that we don't lose our anxious tendencies overnight. We weren't born anxious. We didn't come into this world with OCD and phobias. It took time for us to create them through our perceptions and experiences. The same is true for us to heal from anxiety. It takes time. There are so many times I see people have monumental breakthroughs, only to feel they are "cured" and then they slide right back into old patterns- which in turn cause the same anxieties to arise. I know it gets frustrating when we find relief through yoga, breathing, EFT, etc. and it doesn't stick around that long. Healing from anxiety is literally a practice, just like yoga. There's no such thing as a "cure" because anxiety is an emotion. Just like happiness and anger. We don't just eliminate it. We learn how to work through it. Similar to when we step on the mat in yoga. Perhaps you're being challenged with a tough sequence full of poses that you struggle through. You don't just step off your mat and leave, right? At least I hope you don't! You find a way to make the pose work for you! Maybe you modify it or even just sit it out and take a child's pose. Whatever it is, you figure it out. And you go back again the next day, or the day after that. You keep working, practicing, and opening up new experiences. I remember when I used to find headstand traumatizingly scary! Now I love it! It took patience, perserverence and commitment to get to that place. Same with anxiety. We will constantly be challenged along the way. We just have to remember to stick through it and find a way to cope. So a tapas themed practice really called to my soul this week. Tapas is the Sanskrit word for heat. In yogic philosophy it is the fire that burns within us. It is our self control, our focus, our drive, our discipline. It is the discipline that we need to obtain a goal when we are faced with struggles along the way. So tap into your Tapas this week. Identify your challenges and open up the space within you to have the discipline and mindfulness to keep pushing through. Whether kicking into handstand or conquering a fear, you have the power within you to make it through! xo b photo cred https://www.google.com/search?q=handstand&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uSqAUe-WHqaT0QGgnYDQDg&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#imgrc=BynKu219vE0doM%3A%3BGnUIE-hqXBinFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.yogirose.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2010%252F07%252Fhandstand.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.yogirose.com%252F%253Fp%253D30%3B333%3B500 Have you ever stopped to wonder where your breath goes after your inhale? Do you take short breaths? Long breaths? Are they even breaths? Do you ever think about your breath? I never used to. I never realized how powerfully connected our breath is to our anxiety. When we're anxious, we take short, rapid breaths. These breaths usually reside in our chests. When we engage in belly breathing, we can stop almost any panic attack in its tracks- it's that powerful! So, how do we belly breathe? I'm glad you asked! Belly Breathing I wanted to start with this because, while there are more advanced breathing practices, they don't do us a lot of good if we aren't already engaging in diaphragmatic breathing. Why belly breathing? Deep breaths are proven to stop almost all panic attacks and immediately reduce anxiety! And you can do it anywhere! How to belly breathe: -start lying down (it's easiest to feel here) -Place one palm on your chest and one on your belly, slightly below the belly button -take one breath in and focus on taking that inhale into the palm on your belly. Try to have your inhale lift that hand -try to keep the hand on the chest relatively still. It will move, but the hand on the belly is really where we are breathing into -continue this deep belly breathing until it feels comfortable, take it literally one breath at a time! -when you find a good flow to the breath, count the length of your inhale. Then aim to match your exhale to that length -this practice is called equal breathing! it is a grounding and stabilizing breath. (*there is another breath to add on here to ease anxiety, but it's important to start from this grounded state) -once you get the hang of it, try it sitting up or standing. Hand to belly! Breathe into that palm! Tips: *inhale/exhale through your nose *this breath may feel odd and slow at first. If you feel lightheaded or like you aren't getting enough air (which you are! Don't worry) stop the breath and return to it at a later time. *work your way up to 2-5mins of practicing this breath a day *eventually this breath will become the normal breathing pattern and you'll be more aware of panic/chest breathing and be able to return it to the belly quickly! Try this breath on for size and start to watch your stress melt away! I like to practice my belly breathing in the AM right before I get out of bed and right before I fall asleep at night. The more you practice, the more natural this will feel! So get breathing!
xo b image cred: https://www.google.com/search?q=belly+breathing&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=QhVoUeKzEo-o4APv4IGIAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#imgrc=DYEnZsKLF1v-NM%3A%3BPuBuuE2Oks2OGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.puddlesandriversyoga.com.au%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F10%252FIMG_1695.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.puddlesandriversyoga.com.au%252Fchest-breath-belly-breath%252F%3B1936%3B1936 A few days ago I took a road trip with my husband. For most people, this scenario is rather uneventful, but for me it's always been a sort of milestone. Back when I was battling anxiety, traveling often caused me to soar off the deep end. I would constantly cancel plans with people, avoid driving out of my way and shun trips just so I wouldn't have to face the travel. Even if it was a half hour away, it used to cause me to launch into panic attack mode.
I was creative in finding ways to cope (before I actually took time to find a healthy way to handle things). I OD'd on immodium and pepto pills 'just in case' my stomach acted up. I would change my diet to basic light carbs and eliminate anything out of the ordinary - and I definitely wouldn't eat out for at least 3 days before the trip so I was in full control of what went into my stomach. I also developed another unhealthy obsession that I was convinced would help... I practically eliminated all liquids from my diet. I dehydrated myself just so I wouldn't have to use the bathroom. I also eliminated coffee and caffeine to avoid possible stomach issues, even though I drank those things nearly every day and never had a problem. If I was traveling in the morning, I stopped eating and drinking the afternoon prior. And no food or drinks would pass my lips if I was traveling at night. I used to drive people nuts with my rules. But, I believed it would help me. And even if it didn't physically make a difference, it mentally made a difference in my anxiety. So as I was traveling on this last trip, I realized that I was looking forward to grabbing a cup of java on the road. I also no longer worry about medicine or bathroom pit stops. I drank two full glasses of water that morning to stay hydrated and we even left super early in the AM- which used to be a big NO NO for me because early mornings were my most anxious and I never did ANYTHING in early mornings that could potentially cause me more stress. Right before we were heading back home, we had dinner with friends. At a restaurant. I smiled to myself reflecting on my journey and how far I've really come. It definitely wasn't a quick trip to get here, but it was absolutely worth it. I know sometimes when we're in the middle of this struggle it feels like we'll never see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes we don't even remember what it feels like to have our stressors become neutral. But they do. And I fully believe in celebrating each and every step along the way. Just like traveling... it's all about the journey! xo b I am so excited to share my yoga journey with Gaiam Life this month! Learn how yoga helped me heal from anxiety and what I learned about myself on the mat
http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/anxiety-to-zen-an-open-letter-to-yoga/ |
AuthorI'm a formerly anxious chick that found my zen on the mat. I used yoga, pranayama and yogic philosophies to alleviate my debilitating anxiety and get my life back on track. Now, I spend my time teaching yoga, coaching others and helping people find a more peaceful path in life. Archives
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