Yoga is an ancient, yet powerful tool for your mental and behavioral health, and you don’t need to be an experienced yogi to feel the benefits. It is actually much simpler than you might think. This is the first of a three part series brought to you by Water’s Edge Counseling’s very own Gabriella Lehmkuhle on yoga, breathwork and meditation. Enjoy!
Yoga is the simultaneous combination of three practices:
- physical postures
- breathwork
- meditation
These practices regulate many human body systems, especially the nervous system, which is responsible for mental and behavioral health functions. In fact, there is scientific evidence supporting the use of yoga to treat a variety of mental and behavioral health symptoms and disorders, from anxiety to schizophrenia.*
The intention of this blog post is to share practical yoga skills that you can add to your mental and behavioral health toolbox. Please advise that yoga may not work or be safe for everyone. It is always best to consult with a medical professional before undertaking a new physical activity. However, each week I will only share a single basic physical posture/pose in addition to breathwork and meditation. You are the expert of your own body. Carefully exit any posture you feel is overwhelming.
Listed below are three combinations of easy yoga poses, breathwork techniques, and meditative skills to improve your mental and behavioral wellbeing:
Equipment:
I recommend using a yoga mat if you have one. Otherwise, you can practice these skills on soft flooring (e.g., rug or carpet) or on a thick blanket or towel.
Pose of the Week
Posture #1: Sphinx Pose
Directions:
- Lay on your stomach
- Plant your hands on each side of your head
- Ground your elbows on the mat directly under your shoulders
- Push through your shoulds and slightly lift your chest off the mat
Tips:
- Maintain a forward gaze and sturdy shoulders to support your neck
- Spread your fingers wide
- Relax your legs and glutes
Modifications:
- Position one knee up to the side to stretch your hip – don’t forget to stretch the other side!
- Rest on a blanket or pillow under your chest
- Place a blanket or pillow under your hips and/or elbows for extra cushioning
- Extend your elbows to move into a more challenging Cobra Pose
Breathwork: Exhale Challenging
In Exhale Challenging, inhale as normal, but challenge yourself to make exhales as long as possible. Your exhale should be at least twice as long as your inhale, but you can challenge yourself to see how long you can exhale. You may be wondering why this is beneficial. This breathing technique is an easy way to regulate your nervous system. Inhalation activates your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for flight, fight, and freeze responses. However, exhalation activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and recovery responses. Exhale Challenging emphasizes the latter system and response, relaxing your body and easing your mind on a physiological level. Since you are positioned in Sphinx Pose, which your belly pressed into the mat, imagine your body melting into the mat as your belly deflates during these long exhales. Feel the earth supporting and lifting you, while noticing the force of gravity pulling you down. Observe this balance.
Meditation: Sense Spotting
As you melt into Sphinx Pose and master Exhale Challenging, shift your attention to the third aspect of yoga – Meditation. While classic Meditation is the practice of freeing your mind and being present, realistically, it is hard to do. Therefore, I will share simpler Meditation activities that are more suitable for beginners.
To do Sense Spotting, you do not need to make any adjustments to your surroundings. I encourage you to leave your surroundings as is. For example, if the TV is on in the other room, leave it. Meditation is about accepting the present moment and practicing “tuning out” distractions. Please allow yourself grace in this practice, as it is difficult for everyone to learn. Yoga, and all of its three forms, are skills to be learned. All skills take time to master.
Remaining in Sphinx Pose while Exhale Challenging, slowly connect with your five senses using the process written below or listen to my guided audio recording of sense spotting.
Sense Spotting:
- Identify five things you can see, without moving your head or eyes. Consider what is in your peripheral vision. Identify details, like color, shape, size, material, etc. Take one whole minute observing these details. Now, close your eyes.
- Identify four things you can feel, without moving. Consider where on your body you feel it and what it feels like – is it cold or hot, soft or hard, smooth or rough, still or moving (e.g., your heartbeat or breath)? Feel your heart being open in this Sphinx Pose. Take another minute to experience these feelings.
- Identify three things you can hear. Consider the direction or location of the sound, what the sound is (e.g., is it a voice, the air conditioning, or your breathing?), and the emotion it gives you.
- Identify two things you can smell. Identify details of the smell (e.g., sweet, savory, gross). What does it make you think of?
- Identify one thing you can taste. Do you have a taste in your mouth already? Notice the details. If you struggle with this, imagine a taste. Perhaps you would enjoy imagining your favorite food or dessert.
*Chandratreya S. (2011). Yoga: An evidence-based therapy. Journal of mid-life health, 2(1), 3–4. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-7800.83251
Start Receiving Support From Therapists in Savannah, GA
Tune in next week for part two of combining of yoga, breathwork and meditation in Savannah, GA. Looking for more tools? Give us a call today, 912.319.5552. A licensed therapist or counselor can provide guidance, validation, and coping strategies tailored to your unique needs and circumstances. Therapy can offer a safe space to explore your feelings, fears, and uncertainties, as well as develop practical skills for managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Our team would be honored to offer support from our Savannah, GA-based practice. You can start your therapy journey by giving us a call at 912.319.5552 or emailing us at [email protected].
Other Services Offered With Waters Edge Counseling
We understand that you may experience issues with more than one mental health concern at a time. This is why we are happy to offer support with a variety of mental health services. Our team is happy to offer support with multiple mental health services including online counseling, clinical supervision, coping after a cancer diagnosis, and SCAD student counseling. We are also happy to offer therapy for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, teen substance abuse, and counseling for men. In addition, we also offer counseling for teens, child counseling, family counseling, Christian counseling, grief counseling, and marriage counseling.
Please note: While this blog is designed to help people achieve their goals, the information within each post is not a substitute for therapy or medical advice given by a licensed professional.