Slow The Heck Down Yoga!

When life and/or our minds feel busy, really slowing down can help to bring some balance. By moving slowly and with awareness on the yoga mat, it can help us to bring these qualities into our daily lives also. Using props such a blanket can help to give some support, in order to help us relax a little more.

Staying low to the mat, rather than standing up, helps us to become more grounded and this can help to soothe our nervous system, reducing anxiety and stress.

When we take the time to hold the pose for a few moment longer, rather than moving onto the next pose, as we pause, this moments the stillness and quiet can be just what we need. Particularly as we move towards winter, a time when nature slows down and animals begin to hibernate, it's important we also recognise the change in the energy of the season.

Below are some poses you can enjoy (taken from my Slow The Heck Down on-demand video, part of the Bronze & Gold memberships this December).

Our slow down and release poses include:

(For online class information go here - your first BB class Free, so why not give it a try)!

Happy Baby - laying on your back, hug both knees in towards the chest, flex the feet, extend the legs with soles of the feet facing the ceiling, bend the knees down towards the mat (wide towards the armpits), hold onto the outs of the legs or feet with the hands. Hold for 5 breaths. Bring knees back into chest to finish.

Great to: stretch the lower back, hips and glutes

Forward Fold - from seated, send the legs out long infront. Inhale as you sit up tall, exhale as you fold forward from the hips as you walking the hands out infant. Soften and surrender here for 5 breaths. To come out inhale and slowly walk the hands in as you bring the body upright.

Good for: lengthening the back of the legs and stretching the lower back - bit intense? keep a small bend in the knees!

Reclined Twist - Lying on your back, bend both knees and bring the feet flat on the mat, in towards the hips, feet together. Inhale to prepare and exhale gently lower the knees to the right (nose could turn to the left if comfortable for the neck). Try to keep both shoulders grounded down onto the mat. Take 5 breaths and inhale bring the knees back up to centre and exhale knees to the left side.

Good for: spinal health and achy lower backs

Reclined Butterfly - laying down on your back, bring the soles of both feet together to create a diamond shape with the legs. Have a play around bringing the heels further in towards the body or away and settle where feels good. Let the chest be open towards the ceiling and bring the arms out wide or place them onto the belly. The blanket here is supporting the hips, so you can relax here. Bit much for the hips? Bend one knee and have the other leg straight - then swap over!

Good for: opening out the hips, where we tend to store lots of tension.