4 Ways to Quickly Restore Body and Mind Using Yoga
You have a packed schedule and you have to keep going. But have you ever said to yourself, If I could just rest for a minute, I could be so much more effective. Whether poised for an audition or interview, in a heavy competitive schedule, meeting a deadline, or making a weighty decision, feeling calm and clear is key to effective action. A balanced mind can convert apprehensiveness into courage, indecision into positive decision-making skills, and emotional instability into calm and clarity. When you have an intense schedule, you need to find a way to quickly restore body and mind in order to be effective.
Here are 4 easy ways to quickly restore mind and body from exhaustion to equilibrium.
1. The mind rides on the breath. Therefore, balancing the breath rebalances the mind. Lie on your back, arms resting comfortably at your sides. Or, sit in a chair with your back straight and feet flat on the floor, hands resting in your lap. Close your eyes and begin to observe your breath as it comes in and out through the nose. Breathing through the nose is easier on the physiological heart. Allow your breath to become regular and even. Observe the natural flow of the breath for a few minutes. If your mind wanders, keep bringing your attention back to the breath. Even five minutes will offer profound benefit. Notice how you feel after practicing this simple technique.
2. Deepening your exhalation more deeply relaxes both mind and other bodily systems. Lie on your back or sit in a chair; keep your spine straight. Begin to watch your breathing. You may find your breath slowing down and becoming more relaxed as you observe. When your breathing is relaxed, begin the following cycle: Breathe in as you have been—or you can count to four. Then exhale twice as long—you can count to eight. Be aware that you don’t extend the breath so long that you are straining. If so, stop and breathe normally; when you start again, lessen the extension of the breath. Practice slow exhalation breath up to five minutes. Notice what happens to your emotional state.
3. Practice a forward bend to rest the brain. When you feel mentally exhausted or anxious one thing that helps is bending forward, resting the forehead on a comfortable surface or on your folded arms. Stand or sit if you want to do this at your desk. Keep your feet hip width apart and aligned straight ahead if you are standing. Inhale and gently lengthening the spine. Let your shoulder relax back and down. Keep your spine straight as you exhale, bending forward from the hips, and rest your head on your crossed arms on the top of a chair back, desk or counter; if you are yogi, you can fold all the way forward and rest your hands on the floor and the crown of your head on a couple of sturdy yoga blocks. If you are seated in a chair, rest your head on the prop in front of you. Keep your spine straight and allow your abdomen, eyes, jaw and tongue to completely let go and hang loosely. Stay in this forward resting position for 5 minutes or longer while focusing on normal breathing. Inhale as you slowly return to an upright position.
4. For the ultimate recuperation, meditate. The quickest and deepest relaxation and returning mind and body to equilibrium occurs in meditation. Sit or lie down with a straight spine. Watch your breathing for a few minutes, allowing it to relax and even out. Begin to notice the very slight pause at the end of the inhalation and at the end of the exhalation. Continue to breathe normally while focusing on this space. Let this focus take you into its stillness. Then let go and allow yourself to go deep into meditation. When you fix your mind on this pause between breaths, allowing your awareness of it to expand into a greater space, you will receive complete restoration and a return to equilibrium. All the systems of the body receive rest. Meditation, the complete stillness of the mind, gives the deepest and quickest relaxation I know. If you practice before bed, it will take you easily into sleep.
