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Find Your Core: Yoga In Your Day to Day

by LIVING HEALTH on September 9, 2016

“Several key benefits of practicing yoga daily include increased energy, a stronger immune system, stress relief, strong and lean muscles and improved balance and flexibility.”—Caroline Charlton

Life is hectic, life is stressful, life is all of the above! With the millions of to-dos on our list, it would be nice to take a break and press the “off” button once in a while. Taking a few minutes a day to reset can make a world of difference when that means being more focused, grounded, and energized to handle the “Wham! Bam! Thank you ma’am!” moments we all experience.

Yoga is a great tool to use when we need to take a step back and center ourselves. Several key benefits of practicing yoga daily include increased energy, a stronger immune system, stress relief, strong and lean muscles, and improved balance and flexibility. Personally, I like to begin my day with a yoga class or do a yoga routine at home. Practicing yoga in the morning sets me up for success by creating a clear, calm mind and energized body so I can handle anything that comes my way.

This ten-minute yoga routine is packed with poses that have detoxifying, revitalizing, and de-stressing benefits. This routine can virtually be done anywhere, which makes it easily accessible no matter where you are, so no excuses!

Mountain Pose Tadasana

Bring your big toes to touch with your heels slightly apart, if you have difficulty balancing, keep your feet hip-width distance apart
Distribute the weight of your body evenly across the toe pads and heels of your feet
Keep your arms by your sides
Draw your belly button in towards your spine to engage your abdominals
Lift your chest up
Draw your shoulder blades down your back

Take 2-3 deep cleansing breaths. Use this moment to close your eyes and set an intention for the day. I like to call yoga “my moving meditation”.

**Half Moon Pose Ardha Chandrasana *Hold for 2-3 breaths**

From Mountain pose, clasp your hands together overhead with your index fingers pointing up
Take a deep inhale to stretch yourself up
Firm your belly to engage your abdominals
Exhale, lean your torso to the right side, keep your feet firmly planted on the ground
Focus on stretching the left side body
Inhale back to standing by using your abs and obliques, Repeat on the other side

**Forward Fold Pose Uttanasana *Hold for 2-3 breaths**

From Crescent Moon pose, release your hands to your sides
Hinge from your hips
Keep a slight bend in your knees
Place your palms on the floor or on your shins
Relax your neck and gaze back

**Downward Facing Dog Adho Mukha Svanasana *Hold for 2-3 breaths**

From forward fold, place your palms on the floor shoulder-width distance apart and step your feet back hip-width distance apart to high plank position

Use your abs to lift your hips up and back
Place a slight bend in your knees
Spread your fingers wide and press your thumbs and index fingers into the floor
Bring your gaze back, make sure your ears are in line with your arms

Modified Crescent Lunge with side twist

From Downward facing dog, bring your right foot in between your palms
Place your back knee down
Lift your torso up and lean your left hip into the lunge
Raise your arms up to shoulder height and twist to the right
Hold for 2-3 breaths
Release your arms down and press back to downward facing dog
Repeat on the other side

Seated Forward Fold Paschimottanasana

From Crescent lunge, come to a seated position on the floor
Extend your legs long with a bend in your knees as needed
Flex your toes toward your face
Inhale to sit tall and exhale reach forward grabbing a hold of your ankles or feet
Hold of 2-3 breaths

Supine Twist Jathara Parivartanasana

From seated Forward fold, rise up and stretch your arms out in front of you
Use your abdominals to roll down on to the floor
Pull your right knee to your chest and extend your left leg long
Guide your right knee across your body to the left side, you can use a towel to prop up your knee *It is ok if your knee does not touch the floor
Stack your top hip over your bottom hip
Reach your right arm out to shoulder height
Hold for 2-3 breaths then repeat on the left side

Caroline Charlton is a Clinical Nutritionist and Certified Power Yoga instructor. She believes in healing the mind, body, and spirit with holistic methods including nutrition, yoga, meditation, and reiki. She is founder of the holistic private practice Wellness Warrior Inc.

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