I don’t know about you, but my mood can be greatly impacted by the weather and even how much sun is poking through the clouds on certain days.
On warm and sunny days, it’s easy to feel energized and excited about life. When it’s rainy and cold I find myself tired and just a little down. I find myself trying to make up for it by having an extra coffee or somehow spending way too much at Target, but I’ve found recently there’s a much healthier solution that benefits both my internal well-being as well as my physical well-being – Yoga!
There are so many yoga poses out there that help you to feel renewed and energized, but here are a few of my favorites!
Savasana
While this pose puts little emphasis on building your physicality, it does WONDERS for your spirit and mindfulness.
- You perform Savasana by lying flat on your back on your mat.
- Allow your feet to relax into an open position and have the palms of your hand facing up.
Initially Savasana seems simple to do because you’re essentially just laying on your yoga mat. However, the whole point is to “actively relax” and really pay attention to what your body is doing so that you can pinpoint areas and relax them. Since our culture thrives on activity and busyness doing this can be challenging but the benefits can be fantastic. I know when I’ve done a proper Savasana I come away from my practice feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose is another posture that I love, but I think people tend to just by-pass it on the way to their next downward facing dog.
- Move into Child’s pose by starting on your hands and knees.
- Spread your knees to the edges of your mat while keeping your toes together.
- Sit up straight then bow forward on an exhale.
- Your arms can be in a variety of positions but I like mine to be at my sides with the palms facing up.
This pose is meant to bring about an attitude of surrender and is great when you’re feeling anxious or stressed. As I mentioned before we live in a very busy society and it can be overwhelming. Child’s Pose is a great way to reconnect with yourself and remind yourself to not take on more than you can handle.
Revolved chair pose
Revolved chair pose is often cited as a detoxifying pose and great for building up the flexibility in your back and shoulders. When I think of detox I generally think of detoxing my body of something I’ve eaten or drank that isn’t the healthiest, but it can also detox the mind. You must focus to make sure you are doing the pose properly and it forces you to “wring out” the negativity in your life. That’s why I think it’s a great rejuvenating pose.
- You can perform Revolved chair pose by starting out in Mountain pose.
- Lift your arms up on either side of your head.
- Bend your knees, and then place your hands in a prayer position right in front of your heart.
- Once you’ve achieved this pose, start twisting your torso to the right.
- Place your left hand on your mat and raise your hand to the sky.
Yoga should be used for so much more than just as a form of exercise. It’s incredibly easy to walk into a class and just expect to focus on the physical benefits, but yoga is so much more than that. It’s about combining your physical well-being to your mental well-being, and building mental and spiritual strength as well. It focuses on your whole well-being so that you can handle life’s physical challenges but also its mental challenges.
When done properly it is amazing what Yoga can do, particularly for renewing and rejuvenating our spirits. I hope you enjoy adding these poses to your practice when you feel like you need an extra boost! What are your favorite poses for rejuvenation?
