Do you ever have those days when someone or something just frustrates the shit out of you. I mean you can literally feel the anxiety boil up from your toes to your chest and you just can't shake the horrible feeling.
I mean the first advice any yogi would give is "not to let things bother you", `calm down, take a few deep breaths`, "that you can't control your surroundings or path", "everything happens for a reason" and "what is meant to be will be".
(The unofficial personal advice I would give is to have a romp with your guy/girl, as there is nothing like a good long night of sex to make you forget what the hell you were upset about in the first place.)
But seriously, I mean what if you said all that positive yogi jargon, took as many deep ass breaths as you possibly could and still feel like pummeling someone, maybe even yourself through a brick wall just to release the frustration?`
I guess as a Yogi I should give you the official yogi advice then: Yoga poses for anger. Hey, what`s the harm in trying a few to release some much needed tension? If it doesn't work, you still did something great for the body. (but it will work, I mean how can anyone stay upset in shoulder stand?)
Yoga Poses for Anger:
Shoulder Stand (Sarvand Asana)
Benefits:
Claimed to help with hate, anger, migraines, hypertension and indigestion
To perform:
Lie on your mat with your legs together and hands at your sides.
Take and inhale and bring the knees in to the chest.
With the arms still on the mat, palms facing down begin to lift your hips off the floor.
Keeping your spine straight and neck in line with the spine (so be careful not to turn your head to look around)
Once the hips are lifted (knees should be over looking the forehead area), then place the hands on the back for support and begin to lengthen the legs up towards the ceiling.
Elbows should remain on the mat, shoulder width apart.
Shoulders and small part of the upper back should still be on the mat and carrying the weight of the body, coming up any higher compresses the neck and chest.
To come down, slowly bring one leg down at a time.
Once feet are on the mat, begin to gradually roll down vertebrae by vertebrae, letting the hips settle to the mat last.
*do not perform if you have difficulty breathing or back pain
Corpse Pose (Shava asana)
Benefits:
The goal is to allow the body and mind to completely relax and let go of all external thoughts and distractions, hopefully reaching a meditative like state, letting go of stress and anger.
To perform:
Lie flat on your mat with feet mat distance apart (or however much you need so legs are relaxed and not touching each other)
Arms slightly away from the body, palms facing up
Eyes gently closed.
Facial muscles relax (perhaps relaxing the tongue from the roof of the mouth)
Breathing deeply through the nostrils and bring your awareness into this breath should any distractions arise.
While both Corpse and Shoulder stand are claimed to release anger, I personally feel camel would also help or any chest/heart opening pose as an open heart should always release despairing emotions or at very least counter act it.
In yoga training we were taught that there are truly only 2 emotions: love and fear and all other feelings are stems of those 2 emotions. So if anger is coming from a place of fear, then technically wouldn't we be able to counter act this emotion by opening the heart?
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Benefits:
When performed correctly- almost all muscles in the body are being stretched (which also releases tension...physical and mental:)
Can improve Digestion, circulation, respiratory, lymphatic and skeletal systems ( seriously how can you be upset when your improving all these things?)
Doctors have even recommended camel for constipation, colitis, dyspepsia and disorder of the kidney, urinary bladder, ovaries, testes and prostate.
To Perform:
Kneel on your mat with knees hip distance apart (if your knees are sensitive double up your mat or place a blanket under)
Thighs should be perpendicular to the floor, Soles of feet facing up (toes untucked, nails on the mat)
Turn thighs in slightly
Place hands on lower back- in line with hip area
Lengthen your back and draw in the tailbone
Inhale and begin to lift the chest/heart
Begin to squeeze shoulder blades together slightly as you lift the chest higher and arc the back
If you feel comfortable to come further from here, slowly release one hand at a time from the back and place on the heel of the foot.
Breathing deeply and calmlu
Hold position for 30 seconds to a minute
The above is my personal knowledge of the position, since this pose can be very challenging, please attempt with the instruction of your yoga teacher present. For more info on how to get into this pose safely you can check out:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/688
-Releasing Anger with Love, YUY xo
I mean the first advice any yogi would give is "not to let things bother you", `calm down, take a few deep breaths`, "that you can't control your surroundings or path", "everything happens for a reason" and "what is meant to be will be".
(The unofficial personal advice I would give is to have a romp with your guy/girl, as there is nothing like a good long night of sex to make you forget what the hell you were upset about in the first place.)
But seriously, I mean what if you said all that positive yogi jargon, took as many deep ass breaths as you possibly could and still feel like pummeling someone, maybe even yourself through a brick wall just to release the frustration?`
I guess as a Yogi I should give you the official yogi advice then: Yoga poses for anger. Hey, what`s the harm in trying a few to release some much needed tension? If it doesn't work, you still did something great for the body. (but it will work, I mean how can anyone stay upset in shoulder stand?)
Yoga Poses for Anger:
Shoulder Stand (Sarvand Asana)
Benefits:
Claimed to help with hate, anger, migraines, hypertension and indigestion
To perform:
Lie on your mat with your legs together and hands at your sides.
Take and inhale and bring the knees in to the chest.
With the arms still on the mat, palms facing down begin to lift your hips off the floor.
Keeping your spine straight and neck in line with the spine (so be careful not to turn your head to look around)
Once the hips are lifted (knees should be over looking the forehead area), then place the hands on the back for support and begin to lengthen the legs up towards the ceiling.
Elbows should remain on the mat, shoulder width apart.
Shoulders and small part of the upper back should still be on the mat and carrying the weight of the body, coming up any higher compresses the neck and chest.
To come down, slowly bring one leg down at a time.
Once feet are on the mat, begin to gradually roll down vertebrae by vertebrae, letting the hips settle to the mat last.
*do not perform if you have difficulty breathing or back pain
Corpse Pose (Shava asana)
Benefits:
The goal is to allow the body and mind to completely relax and let go of all external thoughts and distractions, hopefully reaching a meditative like state, letting go of stress and anger.
To perform:
Lie flat on your mat with feet mat distance apart (or however much you need so legs are relaxed and not touching each other)
Arms slightly away from the body, palms facing up
Eyes gently closed.
Facial muscles relax (perhaps relaxing the tongue from the roof of the mouth)
Breathing deeply through the nostrils and bring your awareness into this breath should any distractions arise.
While both Corpse and Shoulder stand are claimed to release anger, I personally feel camel would also help or any chest/heart opening pose as an open heart should always release despairing emotions or at very least counter act it.
In yoga training we were taught that there are truly only 2 emotions: love and fear and all other feelings are stems of those 2 emotions. So if anger is coming from a place of fear, then technically wouldn't we be able to counter act this emotion by opening the heart?
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Benefits:
When performed correctly- almost all muscles in the body are being stretched (which also releases tension...physical and mental:)
Can improve Digestion, circulation, respiratory, lymphatic and skeletal systems ( seriously how can you be upset when your improving all these things?)
Doctors have even recommended camel for constipation, colitis, dyspepsia and disorder of the kidney, urinary bladder, ovaries, testes and prostate.
To Perform:
Kneel on your mat with knees hip distance apart (if your knees are sensitive double up your mat or place a blanket under)
Thighs should be perpendicular to the floor, Soles of feet facing up (toes untucked, nails on the mat)
Turn thighs in slightly
Place hands on lower back- in line with hip area
Lengthen your back and draw in the tailbone
Inhale and begin to lift the chest/heart
Begin to squeeze shoulder blades together slightly as you lift the chest higher and arc the back
If you feel comfortable to come further from here, slowly release one hand at a time from the back and place on the heel of the foot.
Breathing deeply and calmlu
Hold position for 30 seconds to a minute
The above is my personal knowledge of the position, since this pose can be very challenging, please attempt with the instruction of your yoga teacher present. For more info on how to get into this pose safely you can check out:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/688
-Releasing Anger with Love, YUY xo