Dear PKIA and Yoga Momma Michelle:

Help! I’m feeling blue lately. Is there a pose that can lift my spirits?

Sincerely,
Down and Out in Beverly Hills

Dear Down and Out:

Fo’Sho I here you on the blues side of things, for me I love fall – and no matter how ready I am for a change I get a bit melancholy with the realization that a time has passed and a new one is beginning…YOGA is the answer!!!  The funny thing with Mee and Yoga is that we aren’t always an automatic match..I’ve been to plenty of Yoga classes where I spend my time grumbling to myself about the instructor and resisting all the poses, moves and directions.  This is all very funny considering that yoga is meant to calm me down and inspire inner peace.  What I do know is if I have a comprehension of the benefit of the pose than I’m able to block out the resisting chatter inside my mind and move forward with the pose.  Here are some easy poses to try out and please let me know if they help!!

Yes! Back-bends! When you go into a back-bend you stimulate the adrenal glands, which excrete adrenaline, a natural energizer! If you are feeling blue and you need a pick me up…do a backbend. Camel Pose (Ustrasana) is extremely effective for a mental and physical boost. Camel pose is done by standing on your knees, drop your head back and put your hands on your lower back. stop here if this is enough. If you feel that you can move on, reach your hands to get hold of your heels (left hand to the left heel, right hand to right heel), and press your shins toward the ground. This will press your hips forward. To make the pose easier, tuck your toes to raise your heels. For a more challenging version of the pose, flatten the tops of your feet to the floor.

For a simpler back-bend try Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana). This is also very effective for helping your mood. Lay on your stomach and put your hands flat on the floor in line with your chest elbows towards the sky. Slowly, as you inhale, paying attention to your body, lift your chest toward the sky using your arm strength. Do not straighten your arms all the way. Make sure you keep your stomach on the floor, pressing your belly button into the ground. This pressing action will deepen the back-bend from a more internal level. keep your feet on the ground. As you exhale, release slowly. Try it! It’s a great pick me up! Repeat the pose two or three times then go into Child’s Pose.

If you’re in the office or somewhere where you can’t get down on the ground, simply interlace your hands behind your back and then stretch your arms straight. This will automatically arch your back and give you a quick pick me up. (Feel familiar? Your body automatically does this when you are tired…no?)

You could also try meditating to help your mood. Here is a great meditation for when you are feeling blue, or anytime. Sit in a comfortable cross legged position and keep your spine as straight as you can. Close your eyes. As you inhale imagine a bright light spiraling up your spine. As you exhale feel your sit bones rooted into the ground. Repeat this image, connecting with the breath, for two minutes. What a difference 2 minutes can make!! You’ll be energized in no time.

Sincerely,
Princess Know It All and Yoga Momma Michelle