Are you feeling joyous and peaceful or off-balance and fatigued? Even though you might be busier than usual or traveling for the holidays, it’s more important than ever to carve out some time to relax and recharge with yoga. And for some of us, this time of year might be tough and not feel festive at all. Yoga can help you build a sense of happiness and calm from the inside out.
This week’s classes will help you replenish your energy, no matter what’s going on in your life.
Here are a few ways relaxing yoga benefits you:
Soothes Your Nervous System: Slower-paced styles of yoga like slow flow, Yin, and restorative all encourage your parasympathetic nervous system to kick in and lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. Cooling postures like forward folds (Pascimottanasana) and supported inversions like Vipariti Karani (Legs up the Wall) calm you down naturally. Even a few minutes in this restorative pose can make a big difference for your state of mind.
Balance Your Perspective: When we make time to truly relax and restore our body, mind, and spirit we create more energy for the times we need it. Whether you’re in hectic holiday mode or hibernation mode, give yourself permission to unwind and refill your well. When you move into a state of stillness where your focus is on deep breathing and relaxing, you are free to feel all the feelings in a safe space.
Encourages a Meditative State of Mind: We hold our emotions in our tissues and yoga gently helps us release feelings that may be weighing us down. This time of year, it’s especially important to deepen our awareness and balance our feelings. All the classes for this week promote equanimity and stress relief. The last few weeks of the year are the perfect time to wind down and focus on your meditation practice.
Remember to give yourself the gift of taking time for yourself. Try these classes and see how much more chill you feel!
Jeanie Manchester - Guided Dharana: Visualization on the Elements
Kylie Larson - Yin Yoga: Finding Your Center
Claire Petretti Marti - Chill Out Slow Flow
Shy Sayar - Yoga Nidra for Self-Healing