Mindfulness is a buzz term in all the health and wellness communities these days. Schools, coaches and therapists are all talking about it. With good reason, too. Our society keeps us so busy that if we aren’t mindful we can lose ourselves to the chaos. Thankfully there is an abundance of techniques and practices to keep us anchored in the moment. Among the most common practices are breathwork, meditation and yoga.
Can we pause just a moment to appreciate the not-so-visible challenges we all face from time to time?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t always stick to my yoga routine as well as I should. I’m sure you are familiar with the way life gets in the way of all those important self-care routines that we have the best of intentions to stick with. But this week I have done well to carve out 20 minutes each day to do a few poses and breathwork before I start my busy day. This morning I was struck by how deceptively complicated some of those poses (asanas) can be. Much like the way we can look at each other and not understand the struggles that someone is going through.
Take for example the Staff pose, known in Sanskrit as Dandasana. To the unknowing onlooker, someone in this position appears to be idly sitting with little to no effort exerted at all. However, as any yogi of any experience level may know, all asanas (poses) have a deeper purpose than just putting your body into an awkward position. Yoga is a mindfulness technique among other things. When done correctly, you force your mind to focus on the here and now. This simple pose, for example, keeps your mind so busy that it doesn’t have time to worry about what’s for supper, or what your coworker said, or any other every day stressors.
Take a look at some of the things you must focus on while in Staff Pose.
Staff Pose Proper Alignment
- Sit on mat with legs stretched forward.
- Feet flexed, toes pointing upward
- Spread toes without letting feet turn outward
- Keep head and torso perpendicular to the mat
- Evenly distribute weight between both sits bones as you sit up tall
- Firmly press thighs together
- Keep head in neutral position
- Work to pull abdominal muscles in closer to the spine
- Pelvis tilted slightly forward, keeping entire back in a straight line
- Press into the mat with your hands beside your hips
- Keep weight off wrists
- Shoulders relaxed away from ears
- Chest open
- Chin tucked back slightly to keep neck in line with spine
- Shoulders stacked over hips
- Strong arms and legs
- Breathing deeply while you focus on these details
Whew. That is a lot! Especially for a pose that looks like you are just sitting there!
But because there is so much involved, there are a lot of benefits to practicing just this one pose.
Yoga as a Mindfulness Practice
Yoga is one of those mindful practices that everyone can benefit from. Many people don’t want to attempt it because modern culture has painted an image in our heads of a flexible, lean person twisted into pretzel-like shapes that most ordinary people will never achieve. So we consider ourselves a failure before we even start. In reality, yoga is not only very adaptable to meet everyone where they are physically, but it really isn’t even about those fancy positions. It is about turning our focus inward, about discipline, and breath. “Yoga” translates to “union.” We can all benefit from uniting our body, mind and spirit. It doesn’t have to take hours at a time. Pick 3 or 4 poses that serve you and find time to work them in. If you don’t have time to practice before you start your day, find 10-15 minutes throughout the day. Perhaps choose poses that you can incorporate into your work day.
Yoga at work is an extremely beneficial way to improve your energy levels and relieve pain in your lower back or shoulders. When you’ve been sitting for too long and you’re ready for a stretch break, there are plenty of moves you can do right where you are.
- Desk Yoga Breathing
- Seated Cat Cow
- Seated Spinal Twist
- Standing Forward Fold
- Chair Pigeon Pose
- Seated Crescent Moon
- Wrist and Ankle Exercises
Desk Yoga Breathing
Before you enter into any of these yoga poses, whether it is at work, home, or the park, take a few seconds to focus on your breath. Sit at the front edge of your chair to create a straight line from your ears to your hips. Your knees should be even with your hip joints, and your feet should rest flat on the floor, directly under your knees. Close your eyes and do your best to tune out the noises around you. Engage your diaphragm as you take slow deep “belly breaths.” Focus on how your abdomen and ribs expand as you inhale. With each exhale concentrate on relaxing just a bit more.
There are many mindful breathing techniques out there that you can incorporate. But anytime you just take a few seconds to focus on deep breathing it switches your nervous system from “fight or flight” mode into “rest and digest.”
Seated Cat Cow
Sitting forward on the edge of your seat, rest your hands flat on top of your thighs. As you inhale slowly through your nose, arch your back forward and tilt your head slightly backward. As you exhale slowly through your mouth (like a cat hissing), draw your abdominal muscles in toward your back and tuck your chin toward your chest. Let your shoulders roll forward and concentrate on releasing your breath. This exercise helps release tension in your lower back.
Seated Spinal Twist
Start by sitting in your chair with your back against the backrest. As you inhale, lift your arms over your head. As you exhale, twist to your torso to the right. Place your right hand over the back of the seat and place your left hand on the arm or on your right thigh. Hold this position for several seconds as you breathe deeply. Allow your body to stretch deeper into the pose with each exhale. Repeat with the left side. This helps relieve tension in your back.
Standing Forward Fold
Start from a standing position. Move your feet a little wider than hip-distance apart. Rest your hands on your hips. As you exhale, fold forward from the hips, keeping your spine straight. It is ok to keep a slight bend in your knees. Hold this pose for a few seconds. If you can, rest your hands on the floor between your feet, but don’t sweat if you aren’t there yet! Find your sweet spot and hold the pose for about a minute. Then, hinging from the hips, return to standing position. After standing back up, grasp your hands behind your back and squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch your back muscles in the opposite direction. This will help relieve tension in your lower back from sitting for long periods of time.
Chair Pigeon Pose
Begin seated near the edge of your chair. Rest your left ankle on top of your right thigh. Holding your left ankle with your right hand and placing your left hand on your left knee, exhale slowly. As you do, fold forward from your hip joints as far as you comfortably can, remembering to keep your back straight. Hold for about a minute, then switch sides. This pose will help loosen tight hips.
Seated Crescent Moon
Sitting in your chair, inhale as you lift your arms over your head, and place your palms together. Lean to the right as you exhale. Hold this pose for two to three more breaths before switching sides. Stretching the sides of the body like this supports healthy neck and shoulders.
Wrist and Ankle Exercises
This exercise can be performed seated or standing. Draw 10-12 circles with each wrist and ankle clock-wise and then 10-12 circles counter clockwise. Then point/flex your toes/hands toward the floor and then to the ceiling for another 10-12 times per side. To remove any extra built-up tension, spread your fingers and toes wide and close them into a quick fist, repeating this move 10-12 times on each side
In conclusion
Yoga proves to be a perfect option when it comes to improving the focus, productivity, and performance as well as dealing with those inner challenges that weigh on our minds and rob us of vital life force and energy. These mindful poses are only a few of the many options out there to keep you centered in the moment and better equipped to handle the daily challenges you face.
