Yoga the pain away

In preparation for memorizing tons and tons of new bio terms (fun fact: students in the first two semesters of biology learn more new words then students in the first two semesters of Spanish), I really needed something to clear my mind and stretch out my tightly wound body. Business casual just does not facilitate comfort and due to a combination of inappropriate shoes, fitted pants and shirts that prevent me from moving my arms.

In sum, today, I needed some yoga. Thankfully, Martha has a yoga pose of the day; more thankfully, today's pose was a perfect mix of lazy and hip-stretching.

As Martha (or, more specifically her Whole Live staff) writes about Thursday: "Worries have been accumulating -- and they're cluttering your head. Left unchecked, even the tiniest stressors will inhibit your best ideas from coming through." Agreed, Martha, agreed. By Thursday, as with today, things just seem to pile up. Piles of thrown off clothes are all over my floor and I am too exhausted to pick them up. My weekly Monday test looms over my head. And it's not Friday aka the best day ever so I still have work tomorrow.

So today, I did the Supported Pigeon (pictured above). It may not have the most graceful of legs, but it really is a great pose. Because I have particularly inflexible hips (and can't sit Indian style without pain), this pose is particularly difficult for me... but also, particularly rewarding.

I like this so much, I might have to incorporate some simple yoga into every day. It just takes a few minutes and I really do feel like I can take on the world (or my biology studying) after.

Instructions (from Martha "My Favorite" Stewart):


What It Does
 
Opens the hips and groin, lets go of stress and pent-up emotions, quiets the mind, and promotes emotional release.


How to Do It
 
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, swing your left leg around, extending it straight out behind you, tops of the feet and toes against the floor. Fold forward at the hips.
For added support, put a folded blanket or pillow under the right hip. Rest your forehead on a cushion or blanket and relax into the pose for 2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the other leg.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Step 4: Make Lasting Change