5 Yoga Poses to Relieve Tight Shoulder and Neck Muscles

 
 

Whenever I have the privilege of a massage, I without a doubt ask the therapist to focus on my upper back, neck and shoulders.

I’m guessing I’m not alone in this request. Whether you sit at a desk all day, you work on your feet, you run around with your toddler, or your job is quite active, we all carry tension and stress in our shoulders and neck.

Tight Torso = Slouching Shoulders

When we feel “tight in our shoulders,” it often translates to a tight trapezius muscle. It runs from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae, and laterally to the spine of the shoulder blade. It is responsible for moving the shoulder blade and supports the arm.

And when we tell the massage therapist that we’re tight in the upper back, that usually translates to the space between the shoulder blades known as the rhomboids.

A lot of this tension stems from slouching or folding our shoulders forward. This unconscious misalignment comes not only from the daily grind like working at a desk or studying for finals, but also from tightness in the front body.

The biggest culprit for causing this tightness in the chest is the pectoralis minor—it’s a small muscle but a mighty one. By encouraging flexibility in this muscle, we can prevent the constant forward pull of the shoulders.

Slouching Shoulders = Battered Back

So, tight chest muscles will pull the shoulders in and down, but why does my back care? This constant pull on the shoulders makes your rhomboids overstretch as they work to pull your shoulder blades back into proper alignment. Ouch.

Not only do tight chest muscles affect the rhomboids, but they also cause tension in the levator scapulae. What a pain in the neck!

Yoga to the Rescue

When I’m feeling tight through the neck and shoulders, and don’t have a massage to look forward to, I gently move through the below five yoga poses.

This selection works into the thoracic spine directly and also addresses the root of the problem by opening the chest. Warm up with a few Sun Salutations before beginning, and be gentle on yourself.

1. Melting Heart Posture (Anahatasana, aka Extended Puppy Pose or Utthita Shishosana)

Credit: Julia Lee

This pose melts your heart into the earth for a gorgeous backbend through the upper and middle back—a space that is notoriously difficult to access. Remember to keep your hips just above the knees and arms reach out at shoulder width

I like to clasp my hands around the back of my neck, with my elbows reaching forward, to bring the stretch into my triceps as well. Yummy.

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2. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

Eagle is an all over joint opener and can be therapeutic for sciatica. Try to broaden your upper back, bring your elbows in line with your shoulders, sit down deeper into your legs, and shine the collarbones forward to sit up straight.

If you are new to this posture, it can be difficult to bind the crossed leg around the ankle of the standing leg, so instead, simply cross the leg and press the knife-edge or pinky toe of the crossed leg into the side of the standing calf.

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3. Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana)

Credit: Jaclyn Nguyen

Rabbit Pose opens up and creates space in the thoracic and cervical spine. It stimulates digestion and brings fresh oxygenated blood to the brain.

Tightly grasp your heels as you inhale to lift your hips towards the sky. Try to bring your forehead to touch your knees and lightly rest crown of head on the floor. Use your arm strength and grip to lighten the load of your head.

If there is sensitivity in the knees, fold up a blanket and place it underneath them.

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4. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

This pose opens the chest, neck, and shoulders, increases flexibility in the back, strengthens the arms and legs, stimulates internal organs, and stretches out the abdominals.

As you inhale, kick your ankles into your palms and send your heart forward. Lift your lower belly to support your lumbar spine, and if you feel like you’re crunching the lower back, don’t lift so high. Flex your feet to relieve any sensitivity in the knee. Come out of this posture slowly and cautiously.

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5. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Credit: Julia Lee

Lie down flat on your back and slide your hands, palms facing down, under the torso. Touch your thumbs together. Extend your legs onto the floor, feet together. Inhale as you press down through your elbows, lift your heart to the sky, and roll the crown of the head onto the floor.

Try to maintain most of the weight of your head in your elbows and forearms, not the crown of the head. When you come out of the pose, press through the elbows, lift your heart to the sky, and tuck your chin. Slide the back of head on to the floor.

Afterward, rest into your Savasana and notice how your chest, upper back, and shoulders feel.

How to do Bridge Pose

Bridge is great for opening the front body, as it stretches the chest, shoulders and hip flexors. This is the perfect pose for someone who sits all day, or who has poor posture. Beginners can use a yoga block as shown in this post to help keep the knees in line with the hips.

Begin laying down, tilt the pelvis back so the low back is in the mat. Inhale and bring the feet as close to your butt as you can. When you're ready, lift the pelvis up, and rock side to side so the sides of your arms are on the mat and the hands are interlaced. Breathe 5-7 breaths in bridge pose, and come down gently.

10 Yoga Postures For Back Pain

 
 

For most of our lives, we take our backs for granted. But at some point in just about everyone’s life, our backs revolt and remind us that they need love and attention too. Thankfully, for many of us, the pain is only temporary. But for others, it can be much more debilitating—and much more frustrating.

 

In severe cases, medical attention may be necessary, but if your pain is less severe, yoga may be able to help by strengthening the back, stretching it and improving circulation to the spine and nerves. Here are some yoga postures for back pain.

1. Cat/Cow

Credit: Anna Coventry

Starting in tabletop position on your hands and knees, alternate between arching your back and rounding it as you push down on the floor with your hands and tops of your feet. These postures help to massage the spine, while also stretching the back and the torso. These postures are a great way to keep the back limber—and happy.

2. Spinal Twist

You have many options when it comes to twisting postures. One of the basic and effective ones is Marichyasana C. Keep your left leg straight and bend your right leg so your foot is flat. Place your right hand on the floor behind you for support, like a tripod, and twist so you can hook your left elbow over the right thigh.

If this is too much, you can also grab hold of your right knee and twist to look over your right shoulder. Other options are to bend the left leg under you or bend both legs and let them fall to the side then twist in whichever way your knees are facing.

3. Downward Dog

Credit: Caroline Layzell

There’s a reason Down Dog is one of the most iconic postures in yoga. It can rejuvenate your entire body. Start in tabletop and raise your hips so your body is in an upside down V position. Relax your head and neck and draw your inner thighs toward the back of the room. Spreading your shoulder blades apart will stretch your upper back even more, and reaching your hips up and back will help to open your lower back.

Breathe for five to seven breaths.

4. Plow Pose

From Shoulder Stand, bend at your hips to bring your toes or top of your feet to the floor. Your hands can remain against your back for support, or you can clasp them together, keeping your forearms on the floor. Hold this as long as is comfortable to get a powerful stretch in your shoulders and spine. If this is too much, you can place a chair behind and you rest your feet on the chair.

5. Seated Forward Fold

Credit: Julia Lee

It’s easy to do a Seated Forward Fold in a way that won’t benefit you, but doing it right can open the lower back and offer relief from stiffness and pain. From a seated position with your legs extended forward, reach for your shins, ankles, or feet, bending at the hips.

Instead of rounding your back, continue to reach your sternum forward, lengthening the torso. If this hurts your back, bend your knees as needed.

6. Child’s Pose

Not only is Child’s Pose an amazing way to relax, it can also stretch your entire back and your hips. Start on all fours, keep your arms forward and sit back so your butt is resting just above your heels. Hold and breathe deeply, feeling the breath reach all the way into your hips. The more you extend in either direction, the more you’ll feel relief.

7. Eagle Pose

This more advanced posture requires balance and strength, but it can help to stretch and open your entire back. From Mountain Pose, with your knees slightly bent, lift your right leg and reach your right thigh over your left. Point your foot toward the floor, and either stop here and balance with your toes on the floor, or hook your right foot behind your left calf.

For the arms, bring the right arm under the left and, with elbows bent, bring your palms together. You’ll get a powerful stretch by drawing your elbows up and hands away from your face.

8. Locust Pose

Credit: Julia Lee

Locust is a great way to strengthen your back and buttocks. Lie on your stomach with your arms beside you, palms up, you and your forehead flat on the floor. Slowly lift your head, torso, arms, and legs away from the floor. As you do this, your thighs should be rotated in slightly and you want to feel your body elongate from head to toe. Hold this for 30 seconds to a minute.

If you’re up for it, relax and repeat two to three times.

9. Bow Pose

Lying face down, reach your hands toward your ankles and grab hold one at a time. Slowly lift your chest and thighs away from the floor by drawing your chest forward and the back of your thighs toward the sky. This posture is a wonderful way to strengthen the back muscles, but if you have a back injury, take this easy as it can be intense.

10.Triangle Pose

Back pain can be helped, and in some cases prevented, with stretching and strengthening—and Triangle Pose can do both.

Stand with your feet about three feet apart and parallel to each other. Rotate your right foot so the right heel is in line with the arch of the left foot. With your arms extended to the side, tilt at the hip to reach your right hand toward the ground, on either side of your foot. Rotate your body to the side and reach the fingers of your left hand toward the sky.

Gaze at your left hand (as long as it doesn’t hurt your neck!) and hold for five to seven breaths before switching sides.

When it comes to back pain, prevention is key to a long and pain-free life, but listening to your body is also extremely important. Don’t force any posture that could cause injury. If your pain is extreme, you may want to seek medical attention.

Top 10 Indian Yoga Gurus

The everyday word “Yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “Yog” which means addition. It refers to adding “something” to connect to your higher self. It referred to spirituality, energy, awakening of the ‘chakras’, and other meditative forms to feel connected to the greater power and achieve the higher level of consciousness. This definition was relevant in those times, when our food was pure, our lives led by physical activity and was free from the toxins of junk and negativity.

In the current era, the relevance and importance of ‘Yoga’ is far more noticeable. With the stress levels high, and the physical activity low, with the high concentration of chemicals and low nutrition in today’s diet, with the increasing consumption of medicines to regulate almost all body prosecces, it is only Yoga that can help maintain the right balance of hormones and blood pressure to keep the body healthy.

Indians are fortunate in this respect, as they have inherited this rich cultural heritage in its purest form, and there are still many Yoga gurus, who are working hard to preserve the pious spirituality associated with Yoga, and not let it transform into any other heart pumping work out routine. Yoga is about calmness, serenity, balance and it results in effective weight management, the most wanted result from any workout these days.

Top 10 Yoga Gurus in India, in no particular order

1. Late. Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

Known as the father of Modern Yoga, who was not just a yogi, but also a healer. He combined ayurveda and yoga practices to effectively heal the ones he treated. He authored many books on Yoga, including Yogmakaranda, Yogarahasya and Yogasanagalu. Many of India’s most popular yoga teachers including Sri. B.N.S Iyender and Srivatsa Ramaswamy  have been Sri Krishnamacharya’s students. Sri. Krishnamacharya based his yoga practice on the Patanjali yoga and believed in restoring the fine balance of mind, body and spirit in order to heal a person holistically.

2. Yog Guru Ramdev

One of the most popular Yoga Gurus in the country today, founder of the Divya Yog Mandir Trust and Patanjali Yogapeeth, Baba Ramdev has treated thousands of individuals with his teachings of yoga and healthy lifestyle. He holds camps all over the country, and has daily yoga telecast on various television channels to follow and do along.

3. Late. Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Founder of the Divine Life Society and Yoga Forest Vedant Academy, he also established the Sivananda Ashram for the yoga and spirituality enthusiasts. The Sivananda Yoga is even today one of the most popular yoga practices in the country.

4. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

A world famous spiritual leader and founder of “Art of Living Foundation”, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar received the prestigious “Padma Vibhushan” by the Government of India. His yoga practices are easy to follow and they mostly revolve around breathing techniques or pranayama which helps a person get rid of stress, anxiety and disease.

5. Sri Jaggi Vasudev

Founder of the Isha foundation, Sri Jaggi Vasudeva is a yogi, a spiritual guru, a mystic and a poet. He is internationally acclaimed for his teachings and preachings which are a mix of science and spirituality. He has emphasized the importance of “Dhyaana” in Yoga, and has uncountable followers all over the world.

6. Bikram Choudhury

The founder of “Bikram Yoga” or Hot Yoga, that is a series of 26 Hatha yoga postures performed at a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius. The yoga practice was very effective, though Bikram Choudhury had to hand it over to one of his disciples due to his rough personal life owing to a number of lawsuits against him.

7. Sri. Vinod Kumar Rajan

A resident teacher in Ayuryoga Eco Ashram, Sri Vinod Kumar Rajan has been teaching yoga since 17 years now. A master of traditions of classical Siddhya Vidya, Rajan is a disciple and follower of Sivananda Paramahansa Siddha Ashram and his yoga practices are based on Paramhansa Yoga.

8. Sri Krishna Chaitanya

Founder/ Director of the Yoga Vidya Retreats, Sri. Krishna Chaitanya is a professional yoga trainer and spiritual healer. He started leading a monastic life since the age of 19, and learned and practiced in the best ashrams of India. An expert in Hatha Yoga himself, he holds trainings for yoga teachers in Teachers Retreat.

9. Swami Prabodh Chaitanya

Holding a masters degree in English Literature, besides his studies in Sanskrit, Swami Prabodh Chaitanya has been teaching Yoga in the spiritualy rich lands of Rishikesh and Varanasi since a very long time. His vast knowledge of the Upanishads, yoga and spirituality makes him a favorite among the yoga enthusiasts of foreign lands.

10. Sri. Shashi Dharan

A nutrition graduate, Sri. Shashi Dharan has worked in the health industry for over 15 years. His passion for yoga and alternate healing therapies made him switch his career path, and he has been devotedly working on Yoga, Siddha Nature Cure, and Holistic healing since 1994.

Yoga is magnetic. Yoga has benefits beyond measure, and the joy and calm of yoga can only be known after you do it with heart.

Health-tech startup CureFit acquires yoga brand a1000 yoga

Healthtech startup Curefit Healthcare Pvt. Ltd has acquired Bengaluru-based yoga chain a1000yoga for an undisclosed amount, the company said.

CureFit will rebrand two of the three centres of a1000yoga, which was founded by yoga teacher Pradeep Sattwamaya, as Mind.Fit, while the third will be associated with the company’s Cult.Fit brand.

a1000yoga was CureFit’s third acquisition. In March, the company had acquired Bengaluru-based premium online food delivery startup Kristys Kitchen in a cash and equity deal. In February, it had picked up a majority stake in fitness centre chain The Tribe. Earlier, it had invested in mental health and wellness platform Seraniti.

“Yoga is emerging as one of the favoured wellness choices among our key target group. The once traditional practice is now being embraced quickly as a contemporary form of wellness. a1000yoga’s depth of yoga offerings and quality trainers will accentuate Cult’s offerings,” said Ankit Nagori, co-founder, CureFit.

Available on the iOS and Android marketplaces, it offers three different types of fitness services – Cult.Fit focuses on physical fitness, Eat.Fit deals with healthy and nutritious food, and Mind.Fit offers mental wellness training.

In August 2016, CureFit had invested Rs 20 crore ($3 million) in Bengaluru-based Cult Fitness Pvt. Ltd for a controlling stake in the startup, which offers training programmes without equipment such as strength and conditioning, spinning, boxing, mixed martial arts, zumba and yoga.

The Eat.Fit platform is currently available only to the corporate community, where employees can get healthy food delivered to their offices. However, Bansal had earlier said that the services will soon be expanded to the masses at large.

CureFit was registered in May 2016 and launched in early 2017 by former Flipkart executives Nagori and Mukesh Bansal, who had quit as the e-commerce firm’s chief business officer and head of marketplace, respectively, in February 2016.

In May 2016, CureFit had secured $3 million in a round of funding from the UC-RNT Fund, a joint venture between Ratan Tata’s RNT Associates and the University of California.

Three months later, it had raised $15 million in a Series A round from Accel Partners, IDG Ventures and Kalaari Capital.

10 Yoga Asanas That Are Good For A Woman's Mind, Body And Soul - Spiritually Lifted

Usually women are much more prone to the following common ailments that hamper their everyday life by creating an emotional imbalance.

1. For lower back ache - Ustrasana, Bhujangaasana, Makaraasana, Markatasana, Shalabhasana.
2. For irregular cycle like PCOs - Bhujangasana, Naukasana, Dhanurasana, Shava Asana, Kapalabhati.
3. For thyroid imbalance - Bhramari, Halasana, Ustrasana, Dhanurasana,  Bhujangasana.
4. For weight gain - Suryanamaskara, Veerabhadrasana, Ardhachandrasana, Bhujangasana, Veerabhadrasana, Kapalabhati.
5. For constipation - Mayurasana, Halasana, Pavanamukthasana, Bhujangasana.
6. For depression - Brahmari, Pranayama, Suryanamaskara, Naukasana.

These Asanas will help ease out the symptoms and provide you with much-needed relief.

Note: Before practising any form of Yoga Asanas, please consult your doctor and have a trusted instructor.

1. Surya Namaskara

a.Stretches the muscles of the body.
b.Increases flexibility.
c.Creates hormonal balance.
d.Helps in detoxification.
e.Surya Namaskara Improves digestion.
f.Preferred in weight loss, PCOs, thyroid ailment, depression.

2. Kapalabhati Pranayama (either in Vajrasana or Sukha Asana)

a.Helps with weight loss.
b.Improves digestion.

3. Bhujangasana

a.Improves digestion.
b.Stimulates ovarian function.
c.Works on the abdominal organs.
d.Helps in PCOs, weight loss and constipation.

4. Halasana and Ustrasana

a.Enables compression.
b.Stretches the neck to stimulate the thyroid gland.
c.Preferred in curing thyroid and depression.

5. Veerabhadrasna

a.Stretches the muscles of the thighs, buttocks and tummy.
b.Helps with weight loss, PCOs, and cures irregular cycles.

6. Ardhachandrasana

a.Works on love handles.
b.Tones buttocks, upper and inner thighs.
c.Burns tummy fat.

7. Uttanasana

a.Stretches the hamstrings.
b.Benefits the abdominal organs.
c.Blood rushes to the head thereby taking in more oxygen to the area.
d.Helps cure depression, thyroid imbalance, weight loss and constipation.

8. Shavaasana

a.Should be practiced after every Asana.
b.Relaxes all the organs and the body.
c.Blood circulation improves.
d.Soothes the mind and the body.
e.Treats depression and constipation.

9. Naukasana (the boat)

a.Helps the body become more flexible.
b.Strengthens the back.
c.Works on the muscles in the abdominal area.
d.Helps in PCOD, thyroidal imbalance and weight loss.

10. Pranayama

a.Relaxes the nerves and the central nervous system.
b.Detoxifies the body. Improves the respiratory system.
c.Improves digestion. Helps with anger management. Helps with those suffering from depression.
d.Helps with respiratory tract infections.
e.Increases the stability of the cardiovascular system and the entire body and mind.

Which of these asanas will you be trying? Which of these are your favourite? Let us in the comments.

Why Spiritual Health Equals Overall Wellness

The Spiritual health of a person depends more on his mental health, which in turn is related to the physical health and mental state at any given point of time in the life of the person concerned.

What creates Spiritual Health?

The spiritual needs of every person is different from others due to this combination of factors that cannot be the same for two persons. The spiritual health is the part of the person that determines the environment in his house and the family members with whom he is living with.

If a person wants to have a good handle over his spiritual health then he must turn his mind towards the religion and the divine guidance is the one he must look for to get himself the right direction in his life. The religious preferences, beliefs and way of seeing God as the sole source of everything in this World may change from person to person. But the most underlying fact in all these remains that the state of spiritual health he gets from these beliefs determines how religious a person is.

To add to this mental state a sense of well being he has to carefully select the right type of religious practices that help in instilling the spiritualism in his mind and life that gives the required guidance in his journey of life. Yet another way to get into an enhanced level of spiritual health is to cultivate the right beliefs and actions that add to the inner life of the person and those around him. He must be able to find the right beliefs and concepts for this life that do not contradict with the laws of the society in which he is living and those of the other persons with whom he is living.

As such the family and the society he is living with can have an influence on his spiritual health. Thus by learning to live in perfect harmony with those he loves also becomes a way to improve the spiritual health of a person.

The quality of the spiritual health of a person also depends more on the types of relationship he cultivates with these fellow human beings. This depends how well his mind adjusts to the common beliefs and actions of those whom he loves. Relationships are the ways of communicating with others in his immediate reach. Once he learns to have good relationships with them it will be possible to open the channel of communication with his Supreme Self that opens the gates of spiritualism of the highest order in his mind.

Watch this great video on how FORGIVENESS can improve Spiritual Health:

So, if you want to reach a higher degree of spiritual health you must make place for meditation and prayer, which are the real ways of communicating with oneself. By having the opportunity to hear what your inner Self is saying about your day-to-day life you are on the right path to achieve the level of spiritual health that will make your life worth living in every aspect of your life.

Exercising Can Save $2,500 in Annual Medical Bills

Yin Yoga can be seen as a methodological approach to the restoration of the fullest potential of ourselves as human beings. Our Yin practice is a journey of self-discovery, a systematic pathway to an awakened sense of aliveness. With a focus on health and well being, we yearn to reach a space of ease and lightness in our bodies, which originates from a place of flexibility, agility and suppleness of the joints. Moving through a sequence of Yin Yoga postures is an invitation to gently stretch and mindfully rehabilitate the connective tissue that surround the joints in our body. Because the connective tissues in our bodies are constantly adapting to the stresses put upon them by our day to day activities and lifestyle, Yin Yoga can be seen as a complimentary practice to the more intensive workouts and exercise that we may be doing.

In creating a Yin Yoga practice we incorporate the following four principles:

1. Introduce Forward Bends – whether we are standing or seated, we are engaging our body in a forward bend in a way in which we are able to bring our head level with our heart level thus making it easier to pump blood to the brain. In doing so, the heart muscle relaxes and there is an overall sense of reduction of blood pressure. The flow of prana -the life force energy from the Universe (chi in Chinese Medicine) flows in harmony with our breath in forward folds, thus cultivating a sense of calmness and tranquility within.
2. Backbends and Flexing of the Spine are not considered Yin poses, because they tend to stimulate the nerves and invigorate the body. With that said, Yin Yoga focuses on the cultivation of a strong core to help with a healthy and erect spine, which helps improve our overall physical posture. Therefore in a typical Yin class we may include a few gentle backbends to help us let go of some of the slouching spine habits that we tend to accumulate over long periods of sitting in front of a computer screen or driving.
3. The Time of Day and the Season we are practicing in is of crucial significance to the way in which our Yin practice impacts our well being. Yin tends to be more cooling and calming, allowing us to unwind after a long day of work. The heat of the summer season that may aggravate the internal rhythm of our bodies can benefit from a soothing yin practice.
4. The benefits of a Yin Yoga practice evolve gradually over time. It is therefore important to be consistent with your practice, dedicating a designated time slot each week in our busy schedules. We tend to return time and time again to Yin postures that we are familiar with, in order to use our breath to go deeper into the pose. Each posture is accompanied by deep long and full inhalations and exhalations that allow us to fully enter, hold and exit the postures.

Yin Yoga is about the authenticity of one’s self, it is a call to be present, to be genuine, to fully experience the moment. Look for Yin Yoga classes offered throughout ourActive Sports Clubs network, and join me in class at Active Sports Clubs Petaluma! 

About Dr. Helaine Sheias, E-RYT 500

Helaine is a Kripalu inspired Hatha Yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT500). She holds a doctoral degree in Human Sciences and is a graduate of the Socially Engaged Spirituality program at Saybrook Graduate Institute. Helaine is the originator of Eco-Yoga Healing, an earth-based spiritual approach to health and well-being, in which she incorporates Yin Yoga as an essential part of her yoga healing. The Yin approach works to promote flexibility in areas often perceived as non-malleable, especially the hips, pelvis, shoulders and neck, and lower spine. Helaine’s classes are an invitation to explore and discover the essence of health and well-being in a creative, playful and safe environment.

5 Steps to Mindfulness

It’s been said that mindfulness in the workplace can increase productivity and reduce stress. The question is, what is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a gentle effort to be aware moment to moment. It’s living in the present moment so all of your energy is directed to right now. In the present moment your focus is clear, ideas flow freely and solutions arise.

You can train your brain to be more mindful. It’s just like strengthening a muscle. Try the following exercises to become more mindful:

1. LET GO OF PAST AND FUTURE THOUGHTS

If you let your mind wander into the past, you may waste your energy on regrets. If you think too much about the future, worries can drain your energy. Brief trips to the past and future are needed to deal with practical matters, but your power lies in the present moment. 

2. ACCEPT THE PRESENT MOMENT

Accept the present moment just as it is without judgement so you can use your energy to directly handle the circumstance at hand. Mindfulness frees you from the tendency to react. 

3. MEDITATE

One of the best ways to cultivate mindfulness is to focus on your breathing. Breathe deep into your belly and follow your breath all the way in and out. Notice your belly rise and fall. Notice the air passing through your  nostrils. Expect your mind to wander and simply return your attention back to your breath. Try it at work for 3 minutes, three times a day to transform your day. 

4. GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SENSES

Notice the sounds around you, the temperature of your skin, and the scents in the air. 

Slow down to notice what’s going on around you in the moment. 

5. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS DURING ROUTINE ACTIVITIES

Be mindful in moments such as brushing your teeth, taking a shower, eating or walking. 

For example, feel the ground against your feet while walking down the street. Take in the small details.

Mindfulness trains your brain to be more efficient, focused and less distracted. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure, improve memory, lessen depression and anxiety, and is associated with increased athletic performance.  

Working mindfully is a feeling of being totally in the moment. There is joy, ease, and lightness in your work. Whether you are working at the office, spending time with your family, or getting in a workout, strive to live in the moment by practicing mindfulness.

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Thank you for reading our article, 5 Steps to Mindfulness.

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