A Quick Yoga Pick-Me-Up: Pranayama Practice for Increased Energy
Several months ago I got in a habit of going for a short walk in the morning to clear my mind and get myself ready for the day. Those 15 minutes turned out to be crucial in getting my day off to a good start, but something was still missing.
Since I do not have time for a full yoga practice in the morning, one day I decided to just sit and breathe for 10 minutes. I did a few basic stretches, simple pranayama for 12 deep breaths, and went on with my day.
The benefits of that short little practice were undeniable. I was able to focus more deeply on my tasks, was less distracted, didn’t get flustered with the amount of work I needed to do, and my spirits stayed elevated throughout the day.
My energy wasn’t particularly high, but I felt more spacious, less bothered. I liked that feeling. Since then, this little routine has become my morning ritual. If I skip it for whatever reason, I feel the effects on my energy, my mood, and my ability to handle distractions.
By definition, pranayama means “life force expansion,” and this is what it is meant to do—to expand your life force, increase your vitality, and clear your mind. Today I will share one of my short pranayama practices that I call “quick pick-me-up.”
This is a very simple practice that you can do in any comfortable seated position, and it takes about 10 minutes. It includes some simple stretches to prepare your body and breath for pranayama and features chest breathing to facilitate an energizing and uplifting effect on your entire system. Give it a try and see how it feels!
Yoga for Stress Relief: How To Practice Pranayama
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Reprinted with permission from sequencewiz.org
Educated as a school teacher, Olga Kabel has been teaching yoga for over 14 years. She completed multiple Yoga Teacher Training Programs but discovered the strongest connection to the Krishnamacharya/ T.K.V. Desikachar lineage. She had studied with Gary Kraftsow and American Viniyoga Institute (2004-2006) and received her Viniyoga Teacher diploma in July 2006, becoming an AVI-certified Yoga Therapist in April 2011. Olga is a founder and managing director of Sequence Wiz— a web-based yoga sequence builder that assists yoga teachers and yoga therapists in creating and organizing yoga practices. It also features simple, informational articles on how to sequence yoga practices for maximum effectiveness. Olga strongly believes in the healing power of this ancient discipline on every level: physical, psychological, and spiritual. She strives to make yoga practices accessible to students of any age, physical ability, and medical history, specializing in helping her students relieve muscle aches and pains, manage stress and anxiety, and develop mental focus.
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