Some Holiday Stress Busters: The "Art" and Yoga Edition

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells 

Presents on their way,

 Why oh why won't the meetings stop

 And when is my next payday? 

Hey!

Sound Familiar? Or maybe for you there are family requirements, friends you haven't seen in months all wanting to see you by next Tuesday, or even something simple as just too many events you are trying to attend. 

Even the most enjoyable events and people can become an added stressers if you aren't careful this holiday season. Last post we talked about some good breathing exercises to help relieve stress, but this time I wanted to look at a different way to help you keep your sanity and enjoy this holiday season.

It is called Art, Yoga and Expressing yourself!

Have you ever found that if you sit down and let out your feelings on paper you tend to feel better?
I know it can help me, so I gathered together a good holiday Kirya and Meditation to relieve some of the crazy holiday stress and then I invite you to take time after the Kriya and taking a shavasana to take some time and just let yourself create.

There are only two requirements for this activity:

1) Do Not Judge Yourself

2) Do the Best You Can With Where You Are
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What you will need for this Stress Busting set:

• You (rather important don't you think?)
• A device you can keep track of time with
• A piece of paper (it doesn't have to be anything fancy)
• Something to draw with (a pen, some markers, crayons, ect.)

So without further ado lets get to the Holiday Stress Busting!!

So since this is the first time I've offered a full Kundalini Yoga set let me introduce you to how we start:

In Kundalini Yoga we begin a practice with Tuning In. 

We Chant Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo. Which means "I bow before my highest consciousness". 

It is a wonderful way to connect to your internal teacher and connects you to the golden chain of teachers who have come before. Take a few deep breaths, bring your hands to your heart center and begin. This is a wonderful video that explains the mantra:

So your tuned in Great! Lets do a few warm ups and then we can start the kriya.

Come into Easy Pose (which is a comfortable cross leg position) bring your hands to your knees and begin Sufi Grinds go at least a full minute each way before coming back to center. Inhale and exhale as you move. Remember you are your breath.

Inhale and bring your hands to your shins and begin spinal flex for another minute or so, inhaling forward and exhaling rounding the spine. Be careful to be gentle to your body in all of these exercises. Inhale to the center and exhale relax.

Now begin gentle neck roll moving with your breath spending at least a min going in each direction.

Here is a video that gives visuals for these warm ups as well as others you can add to your practice :)

Now on to the Kriya:
Please Note:  Follow all the times and not add or take anything out of a kriya when practicing it. If you need to reduce times please make sure to reduce them all equally. Also if you need to modify a pose do so!! Listen to your body and do your best to Keep Up! Even if you have to just visual the exercises, visual it perfectly and you will still receive some benefit!

KRIYA TO THROW OFF STRESS

Well done!
Now lay out on your back and relax. You deserve it and shavasana or corpse pose allows you to intergrate everything your just did. 

Here is a beautiful mantra I have used for ya'll before that I love to play softly during Shavasana:

 

Slowly come out of shavasana wiggling your toes and fingers, allowing the breath to return to your body and stretching out. When you have gently awakened roll up to a sitting position and grab your drawing impliments. 

Give yourself some time and just let what ever you feel out. Don't judge it or try to explain it. This is for you and only you so let go. I like to listen to mantra while I work on art but you can work in silence or listen to what ever you like.

When you are done set it aside and prepare yourself for meditation. This meditation is made up mostly of breath work so is a great way to build on what we talked about last time.
 

MEDITATION TO PREVENT FREAKING OUT
 
POSTURE: Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine, and a light Neck Lock.
 
MUDRA: Interlace the fingers with the right thumb on top. Place the hands at the center of the diaphragm line, touch- ing the body.
 
EYE FOCUS: Eyes are closed.
 
BREATH: Concentrate on the breath at the tip of your nose. Notice from which nostril you are breathing. Within 3 minutes you should know. Then change it. If you are breathing primarily through your left nostril, consciously change to your right nostril. Be sure to keep your shoulders completely relaxed. Practice changing this breath back and forth for as long as you like.
 
TIME: You may work up to 31 minutes.

*KRI has a great collection of kriyas and meditations (including these two) call the Crisis Kit

To finish up make sure you sing the long time sun. I like to sing it first for myself then, for someone I love and then for the world around me. It is a beautiful way to end your practice. 

So how do you feel? Better? What is great about this practice is that you can keep doing it and the benefits only grow. 

Much love and light to you all in this holiday season!
Bright Blessings
Param Sevak Kaur (The Whole Soul Modern Girl)