Holiday season has come to an end, but don’t let the worst of the winter months get the best of you. You are responsible for your own happiness, so take charge, relax, let go. Even if you’ve never done yoga before, try these four easy ways to beat the winter blues.
1. Meditation
Find a clean, quiet corner. Sit comfortably with your legs crossed and spine tall. Roll your shoulders back. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Try to clear your mind by focusing just on your inhales and exhales. Imagine the inhales as a golden, pure light and the exhales pushing all internal impurities out of your system. Imagine that golden light circulating throughout your entire body. Let the mind and body fully relax. One breath at a time, let your mind be at ease.
You may want to use a mantra to stay focused. Here are five you can repeat; use any or all: “Let go,” “I am light,” “I am peace,” “I am free,” “I choose happiness”.
Your meditation can be just as quick as one or two minutes, or even as long as 30 minutes or more. Let yourself smile if you feel the corners of your mouth lift up. Let yourself feel safe, warm, filled with light, and at peace.
2. Laughter Yoga
Studies have shown that fake laughter may have the same physiological and psychological benefits as real laughter. As silly as it sounds, laughter yoga was actually developed by an Indian physician in the ’90s. Start by grabbing a partner. It can be your friend, your significant other or – my favorite – a child! A child’s pure heart and naturally open mind makes him or her the perfect partner to get laughter going. Start by making eye contact with your partner and simultaneously shouting out, “HA, HA, HA, HA, HO, HO, HO, HO” – in other words, fake laugh. Make it so fake that it sounds ridiculous! Soon you’ll “fake it till you make it,” as real laughter eventually kicks in.
3. Yoga Pose: Relax
Child’s Pose is a great way to breathe in a receptive position. Get on your knees and spread them out shoulder width apart, big toes touching behind you. Sit your hips on your heels and fold over. Your ribcage should fit perfectly between your thighs. Drop the forehead down to the ground. Stretch the arms by your sides, palms up. Relax the shoulders and neck. Breathe in, out through the nose. Repeat this mantra throughout the pose: “I am safe.” Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
4. Yoga Pose: Choose Happy
For the Puppy Dog Pose, get on all fours, palms and knees to the ground. Shoulders are above the wrists, hips above the knees. Walk the hands forward as you lower your chest down to the floor and curl your toes under. Exhale and move your buttocks halfway back toward your heels. Engage your entire arm from the fingertips to the triceps, while relaxing the shoulders and neck. Keep a slight curve in the lower back. Lengthen the entire body, feeling the stretch in your spine. Feel the shift in your mood as this pose helps you open the heart and chest. Repeat this mantra: “Choose happiness with every passing thought.” Stay in this position for 5 to 10 breaths.
Sunina Young (sunina.com) is a yoga + SLT pilates instructor in New York City.
Story by Sunina Young
Photos by Andy Hur, andyhur.com
This story was originally published in our Winter 2014-15 issue.
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