How Yoga Can Release Stress and Tension

Now, more than ever, people are experiencing burnouts at work and increased rates of
illness due to the overwhelming pressure from society to have and do more. By
connecting more people with the science and teachings of yoga we can help to create a
better quality of life for individuals, communities, and the world. The purpose of this
essay is to share with you how living a yogic lifestyle can reduce stress and tension in
your body. My goal is to provide you with specific ways of incorporating yoga into your
everyday life.
People find their way to yoga for many different reasons, but in my experience, a
majority of students who attend my yoga asana classes are looking for ways to relax
their bodies and minds. Yoga allows you to find peace within yourself, and by
finding peace you will be able to realize yourself and thus let go of unnecessary stress
and tension.

Like many people, my journey with yoga began with asana practice. Only after some
time did I start to explore other dimensions of yoga such as pranayama and meditation
techniques. In the beginning, yoga was a chance for me to have one hour out of my week
to relax my mind and stretch my body. I only turned to yoga when I was feeling stressed
and overwhelmed with work or other everyday stresses that came my way. I saw yoga
as an opportunity to forget about my troubles and press pause on life.
Luckily, over time, yoga has come to mean so much more. As my experience with yoga
has developed I have been able to increase the number of techniques and tools to create
balance and stability in my day-to-day life. By adopting a yogic lifestyle, you will also be
able to find peace by releasing stress and tension that has been building up in the body.
The 8 limbs of yoga include yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana,
dhyana, and samadhi. Each of these steps will prepare your body and mind to progress
to the final stage of complete bliss. By introducing the 8 limbs into your daily life you
will receive the added benefit of reducing stress and tension while supporting your
overall well-being.
Yoga asana is one step that prepares the body for sitting in meditation. Once we have
reached a level of comfort with holding the yoga asanas we will be able to go deeper into
meditation and further let go of unnecessary stress that we consciously and
subconsciously hold onto.
There are many yoga asanas that are beneficial for relieving stress and tension,
however, I will highlight a few specific poses that create a short sequence which can be
incorporated into your day-to-day schedule that will support you in entering a state of
deep relaxation.

Utthita Lolasana

To warm up the body you can start with utthita lolasana to help increase circulation and
stretch the hamstrings and back while also loosening the hips. This pose will be very
beneficial for when you sit to practice pranayama later. To perform the pose you will
take a big step out separating your feet about one meter apart.
Relax the body and inhale to raise the arms up overhead bending the wrists. As you
exhale deeply through the nose bend forward and release the trunk while allowing the
hands to flow through the center of the legs. Inhale to rise back up and exhale to swing
through.
You can repeat this dynamic pose a few times before resting the crown of the head down
towards the mat and ensuring that the body is relaxed. This pose provides similar
benefits to an inversion by sending blood flow to the brain and helping to boost your
mood while removing tiredness from the body.
Akarna Dhanurasana
Now you can move on to akarna dhanurasana or bow and arrow pose. You will stay
standing with the feet apart but bringing the feet to about shoulder distance.
Step the right foot forward as you raise the arms up to just above eye level with both
hands clasped in fists - the left hand will be just slightly behind the right hand. Gazing
over the right hand, inhale to pull the left fist back towards your ear as if you were
pulling a bow and arrow, the head tilts back slightly. Exhale to release the arrow and
bring your fists back towards one another. Continue to move with the breath for about
10 rounds on each side.
This pose is beneficial in working the muscles of the neck and shoulders. The tensing
and relaxing flow of the pose will help to move stagnant energy through the body and
provide relaxation to your muscles.
To learn this asana in detail, I would recommend to complete a yoga teacher training in India.

Kati Chakrasana

Next, you will move to kati chakrasana. Keep the feet at shoulder width apart and raise
your arms up to shoulder level. Begin to twist the body to the right while you bring the
right hand behind you and the left hand to your right shoulder. As you twist you will
look back over your right shoulder keeping the neck straight and hold for a few seconds.
Come back to center and switch to the other side.
Returning to the center you can start to move rhythmically and incorporate the breath
as the body remains relaxed. Inhale to raise the arms and exhale to twist, the inhale
brings you back to center and the exhale allows you to twist to the other side.
By marrying the breath and the movement and keeping your body relaxed you will be
able to release stiffness in the back, neck, shoulders, waist, and hips. This asana will help
to release any physical or mental tension you are carrying.

Padadhirasana

From here, you can come to sit on your mat in padadhirasana or breath balancing pose.
This pose will balance the breath and help to prepare you for the next stage on your
journey through the 8 limbs of yoga – pranayama. To practice Padadhirasana you can
start by sitting in vajrasana or thunderbolt pose. If you experience any discomfort be
sure to use some cushions under the knees or a bolster between the feet.
Once you have found a comfortable seat you can cross the arms and place the hands
under the opposite armpit. Close your eyes and start to focus on slow, deep inhales and
exhales allowing the belly to be soft. To increase the posture you can take the hands and
make fists before placing them under your armpits. Notice the breath flowing in and out
through each nostril for 5-10 minutes.

Pranayama

You are now ready to begin a short pranayama practice. Take any comfortable seated
posture that allows the spine to be straight and the shoulders relaxed down. You will
practice bhramari pranayama or humming bee breath. Bring your lips together but the
teeth will be slightly apart you will place your index finger into the ears to close the ear.
Take a deep inhale in through the nose and as you exhale make the sound of „Mmmmm“
similar to a bee. Continue to inhale and exhale for 5-10 rounds according to your own
breaths rhythm. Be sure not to strain the lungs but maintain nice long, smooth deep
inhales and exhales. If you are suffering from a severe ear infection this practice should
be avoided.

Brahmari pranayama is beneficial for anyone at any time of day. It helps to ease mental
and physical tension which will boost your mood. As you finish this practice you can
take a few moments to sit and notice the sensations in your body.

Meditation
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You will finish your practice with a smiling meditation. Start by sitting comfortably in a
meditative posture. Tune into the breath watching the breath flowing in and out like a
cloud. As you relax bring a gentle smile to lips. Feel happiness and joy spreading
throughout the body as you smile.
Bring your smile down to your heart and fill your heart with your smile. Once you have
expanded your heart with bliss start to spread your smile throughout the inside of your
body. Share your smile with all of your internal organs down to your fingertips and the
tips of your toes. Slowly bring your smile back up filling each and every cell with peace.
Bring your smile all the way to your 3rd eye and fill your 3rd eye completely with the
happiness that is extending out from your smile. Start to draw your smile up to the
crown of the head and feel your smile activate your crown chakra. Once your crown has
been completely filled with bliss image your smile rising up out of the crown of the head
and raining down all over your physical body.
Take a few moments to sit with the breath and notice any sensations that are arising in
the body. Allow the body to sense peace and harmony. On your own time, you can bring
your hands to heart center bowing the head slightly and sealing your practice.

To ensure that you are receiving the full benefits of this practice it is important to
embrace a sattvic or yogic diet. This diet includes most cooked vegetables, fruits,
legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, honey, and small amounts of milk products. These foods are
easy to digest and provide the required nutrients to keep the body balanced. You should
avoid harsh foods such as coffee, alcohol, meat, and eggs.
You will also want to seek a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor so that you can learn
about your dosha constitution. There are three doshas Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each
person typically has one or two dominant doshas that can impact your digestion and
overall health. It is important to eat foods that support your individual dosha
constitution in order to ensure optimal mental and physical well-being.
I hope that these tips will support you in your daily life by providing a clear path for
allowing yoga to support you in removing stress and tension from the body and mind.
Your yoga journey may be long, and you can not expect an instant cure, but I am certain
that with time and dedication you will see the long-term benefits of pursuing a yogic
lifestyle.