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Yoga Poses to Tame Holiday Stress InstantlyTake a break from in-laws, company and holiday budgeting with this easy mood-soother |
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The Pose:
Bouncing Release
Start in a standing position. Stretch your arms up and over your head, and begin shaking out your wrists, relieving tension from the body. Start loosening your fingers, hands and arms as you shake. "Releasing stress, tension, unwinding, undoing," describes Narain.
Start to bounce through the knees, beginning to jump. Move your hips side-to-side and keep jumping for 30 seconds.
Slow down to a standing position, but keep shaking out the arms and wrists. Keep breathing, softening the shoulders, then reaching your arms up and stretching to the sky, inhaling as you do so. Next, exhale, releasing the arms down.
Narain instructs to breathe in and out as you feel the energy running through you, stretching your arms and neck if you'd like.
After the bounce and release pose, step to the front of your mat and bring your hands into prayer position. Inhale, reaching your arms up, then exhale, bending forward and bringing your hands to your shins.
As you inhale, straighten your arms and lift your chest, bringing your head up slightly. Then as you exhale, bring your hands back behind your legs and your head down. Inhale, stretching all the way up and bringing hands to the sky. Then exhale, dropping back to your shins. Repeat the sequence one to two more times.
Why It Soothes:
"I created this sequence with a few different elements that are not strictly yoga poses," says Narain. "Just allow a bit more freestyle, rather than being strict with instructions and alignment." You can also add cobbler's pose to the end of the sequence to release tension further.
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