How to let go after a busy day

Published: Feb 12, 2016 by Lucy Tennyson

Getting started on a home practice can be a challenge. One way to make that transition from a busy day is by lying down and simply following your breath. Breathing exercises not only help us calm the mind, but also help improve the way we breathe, strengthening the muscles of the chest, utilising more of our lung capacity, and enabling us to work more effectively as we move into and out of yoga postures.

Last week we began with a standing warm up – think of mobilising the joints, working from the head down to the feet. Moving onto the floor, we continued to stretch and warm up, thinking especially of the hips and legs. I usually include some movements to strenthen the core – the sketches below may remind you of some we did last week. We spent some time in the class on bridge, working from a gentle flow with the breath, to stronger held positions.

Standing postures included trikonasana and warrior 2, as well as a sequence of balances, before we came to the floor again for pigeon.

Edit post

Now we have passed through the autumn equinox nights are starting to draw in. It’s a time of change, as we move from the summer into autumn and we start to look ahead towards winter. We might start making plans for the year to come.

Edit post Kickstart your home practice!

Doing yoga at home in between classes will help you keep mobile for the rest of your life - but it’s often hard to know what to do, or get started. You have to first, establish a routine, by deciding what time of day, and how long. Say 10 minutes every morning, for example, or 20 minutes three times a week.

Edit post Granddaughter joins her granny in class

I sometimes get asked if a parent can bring a daughter (although seldom a son) along to class, but this summer one of my regular students asked if she could bring her 11 year old granddaughter to one of the sessions in the garden.