Post-Holiday Stress Releasing Yoga Poses

As we wrap up the holiday season, here are some of our favorite post-holiday stress releasing yoga poses put together for a simple 5 minute yoga flow. Please feel free to modify any poses and let your soul practice where you most feel comfortable. Invite a friend or family member to practice with to enter the New Year stress free!

*Please listen to the wisdom of your body while practicing some of these poses

1.Balasana: Child’s Pose

Sit up right on your legs bringing big toes to touch.  Open knees wide while reaching forward with finger tips stretched out in front of you. Place forehead to the floor, sinking hips down to deepen the stretch. Take one big inhale expanding your lungs, then slowly let your breath out as you exhale. Repeat 3 times.

2. Marjaryasana/Bitilasana: Cat/Cow Pose

Start in a table top position, knees directly below your hips, shoulder stacked over wrists, face pointed down for a neutral spine.

• Cow –  Take one big inhale and begin to lift your sitting bones and chest towards the ceiling. Let your belly sink to the floor, while gazing up towards the ceiling.
• Cat –  As you begin to exhale your breath slowly start rounding your spine to the ceiling, keeping shoulders away from ears.

3. Uttana Shishosana: Puppy Pose

Return to table top position shoulders stacked over wrists, hips directly above your knees. Walk hands forward, while keeping toes curled under. Inhale deeply and as you begin to exhale shift hips back towards heels, keeping arms active and reaching forward, not letting your elbows touch the ground. Let your forehead or chin gently rest on the ground, allowing your lower back to slightly curve. Press hands into the ground stretching your arms as you continue to pull your hips back. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds while maintaining your breath.

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: Bridge Pose

Lie supine (spine) on the floor, bending your knees with feet set on the floor, inch your heels back to your fingertips. Inhale deeply and as you begin to exhale slowly raise your hips to the ceiling keeping thighs parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep knees stacked above your heels. Firm your shoulder blades against your back pressing into the top of your sternum to your chin. Continue to breath as you firm your outer arms, broadening the shoulder blades, try to lift space between them at the base of the neck, holding for 30 seconds.

5. Savasana: Corpse Pose

After lowering your spine back to the ground from bridge pose, extend one leg out one at a time, pushing through the heels. Release both legs, softening your body down to the ground. Stay in this pose for however long your body needs. To exit, gently roll onto one side, pressing hands down lifting your torso up with head following after.

For more stress relieving yoga poses visit Yoga Journal.com

NAMASTE!