Grounding Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

There are several "grounding" poses which will help increase your focus and calm you during your day. You don't have to be an experienced yoga practitioner to reap the benefits of these poses. Remember to focus your energy downwards. Be conscious of the earth beneath you, in all its rhythms.

1) Mountain Pose - Stand with your feet no more than shoulder width apart, hands loose by your side. Relax your shoulders and neck. Your knees should be slightly bent, not locked. Close your eyes, and let gravity take hold. Focus on the feeling of the floor beneath your feet as your weight sinks downwards, and braces you. As with all yoga poses, inhale fully and slowly, and exhale completely.

2) Tree Pose - Start in mountain pose. Slowly let your right foot travel up the inside of your left leg until the arch braces against the inside of the knee. Your free hip should be turned out. You can bring your hands, palms together, to heart center, or raise them over your head. This is a balance move, but I find it very grounding because of the focus on the standing leg, and the controlled breathing. Slowly lower your leg, and switch to the other side. Keep your breathing steady.

3) Forward Fold - This basic pose loosens the tension in your back. Start in mountain pose, and slowly raise your arms over your head. Dive down, and let your whole body relax. Allow the arms to dangle loosely, and feel the feet plant into the floor. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale let your body relax just a little more, folding inwards, head towards the floor.

4) Warrior Pose - There is just something about this pose that feels powerful, yet at the same time it is very meditative. Extend your right leg into a forward lunge, but don't go too deep. Your torso should face the side of the room, but your gaze is over your knee. Your arms are lifted, right arm in front extending over your bent leg, left arm in back. Sink into the lunge. Remember to breathe.

If you cannot practice yoga on a daily basis, you can atleast do meditation by keeping your body straight up and sitting and closing your eyes. Meditation should be done in the early morning hours for atleast 15 minutes a day. Once you start doing it regularly, you will see the difference in your lifestyle, stress free, relaxed mind and be able to do your tasks in a more organized manner. Yoga has exercises for various health conditions like Diabetes, Blood pressure, Stress, Arthritis, Cinus etc.,

Yoga also has eye exercises to correct your power and vision. This will help reduce the chances of Cataracts, Glaucoma etc. Yoga when combined with a good healthy balanced diet of vegetables, fruits for vitamins, beans for proteins, reduced carbohydrate & fat should make you feel very healthy and stay physically fit. Yogahas no age limit. You can start learning yoga at any age as such; Butthe earlier age you learn Yoga, the better it is for you to practicethe habit of Yoga. If you can't practice daily, try to practice 2 or 3days in a week. Get a Yoga mat; choose early morning hours; find a nicecalm place to practice your Yoga exercises.