There never seems to be enough time. Each day starts with a schedule, an inbox, a calendar filled with obligations. It’s no wonder we lie awake worrying about our to-do list or leave work at lunch (if we’re lucky) with a brain mumbling random tasks and frustrations. There is not enough quiet.
There’s no easy fix for a busy life, but there are ways to escape it, to master it, and to balance it out with calm. Yoga teaches a great deal on this concept, which is perhaps why it has become so popular. To those less familiar, yoga might appear to be another workout fad. In fact, the teachings of yoga become most fruitful when they exercise the mind. It doesn’t take becoming a complete yogi or keeping a rigid schedule of classes to learn some of the tricks. There are a few simple exercises, inspired by yoga, that help mellow out even the most torturous, active mind.
Breathing
Breathing is something we do all the time. Breathing consciously is not. Thinking about taking slow, deep breaths means we are not thinking about all the other things that normally occupy our mind. Yoga breath, called pranayma, is done typically through the nose, breathing in slowly and out with a throaty, audible sound. Deep breathing consumes our entire body and its calming effects are immediate. Learning to breathe consciously can transform our state of mind, which is a handy tool for everything from placating petty fights at work to simply falling asleep.
Forward Fold
Another simple tactic to help calm the mind is a standing pose common in yoga. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend at the waist, taking hold of opposite elbows and letting the weight of the arms and the head draw you forward and down. You can keep your knees slightly bent, and simply hang for a few minutes.
Legs up the Wall
This is a great one to pull out on nights you can’t sleep. Sometimes laying in this position and breathing for a little while will do the trick. Simply lie on your back and extend both legs up the wall. Keep your spine flat to the floor and your arms by your side. Keep breathing slowly and consciously.
Tree Pose
Tree pose helps shut our mind chatter off because it forces us to balance (or fall over). Stand on one leg and bend the knee of the opposite leg and hold it for a second until you feel you have your balance. Concentrate on keeping the standing foot solid. Move the foot of the bent leg to rest on the inside of the thigh of the standing leg and keep the bent knee out to the side. Pause again, and when you feel balanced, lift your arms above your head, palms together. Hold this one for a few minutes and let yourself fall out and come back in to it until you can keep it long enough to forget what you wanted to forget.
