From “Fight or Flight” to “Rest and Calm”
When we are stressed and anxious, we are in “fight or flight” mode. We live in a stressful environment due to work, finances, relationships, and other pressures. Our bodies communicate with us and ask for help; we may experience symptoms such as stress, high blood pressure, digestive issues, sweating, anxiety, and various other factors and diseases. At this point, we need to pause and start listening to our bodies. We should try to find inner peace, calm our minds, and allow our bodies to rest, but how can we do it?
Did you know that practicing daily yoga, meditation, or breathwork techniques can help us not just release stress and anxiety but also help us to find clarity and relaxation in our lives? And how it really works? Can we find inner peace through all these tools?
Absolutely YES, you can and we give you some tips on how to do it with
3 Poses That You Can Practice Every Day To Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Focus on the breath and find the stillness in each pose. Hold the pose for 3-8 minutes.
- Child’s Pose (Balasana): From a gentle forward fold, simply extend your arms forward or place them by your sides, breathing deeply into your belly. Enjoy this asana, which calms your mind and releases shoulder tension.
- Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana): Relaxation by releasing physical tension and emotion stored in the hips, alleviating anxiety and stress. Deep hip-opening posture where one leg is bent forward with the foot near the groin while the other leg extends back, allowing for a gentle stretch of the hips and thighs.
- Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana): Butterfly Pose not only stretches the hips to release tension and emotion but also promotes a sense of groundedness. Lay down on the floor, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall outward. You can use the bolster to make the pose more comfortable.
Breathwork: 3 Techniques To Calm You Down
Breathing exercises, or “pranayama” in yoga, are one of the fastest ways to control the nervous system. When we’re anxious or stressed, our breathing often becomes rapid and shallow and takes place at the top of our chest which actually encourages the body’s stress response. Slow, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and can reduce stress and anxiety.
- Box Breathing: A simple technique used often in high-stress fields like the military. Breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, and holding for 4 seconds. Repeat this for at least 4 rounds.
- Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana): Bend your first and second finger on your right hand and place your right thumb on your right nostril to close it. Inhale through the left nostril, then close it with your ring finger and exhale through the right nostril, then inhale through the right. Close the right nostril and exhale through the left. Continue for a few minutes for the calm and relax.
- Ujjayi Breath (Victorius Breath): It is a breathing technique used in yoga characterized by a slight contraction of the throat, which creates a soft ocean sound during inhalation and exhalation. It calms the mind, regulates body temperature, and helps with concentration.
Meditation: Cultivating a Mindful Response to Stress
Meditation can be used as a tool to teach the mind to focus on the present moment rather than getting lost in anxious thoughts about the future. Even just 5 minutes a day can cultivate so much peace.
- Mindfulness Meditation: This technique involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Focus on your breath. If your mind wanders, come back to your breath.
- Body Scan Meditation: Body scan meditation involves systematically bringing awareness to different parts of the body, promoting relaxation and releasing tension. You can start with your toes and continue to the top of the head.
- Guided Meditation: Guided meditation involves listening to a teacher or recording that leads you through a meditation practice. You can find these on YouTube or through meditation apps. This method can be particularly helpful for beginners, as the guidance provides structure and focus, making it easier to stay present and calm.
How These Practices Work Together
- Yin Yoga, breathwork, and meditation each play a unique role in moving the body and mind into “rest and digest” mode. Still, they also work beautifully together and are therefore also often practiced together.
- Yin Yoga prepares the body by releasing physical tension and engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing it to become more receptive to relaxation.
- Breathwork deepens this relaxation response, slowing down the heart rate and signaling to the brain that it’s safe to let go of stress.
- Meditation builds long-term resilience by changing the mind’s habitual response to stress, enabling you to approach daily challenges with calm and clarity.
When we practice yoga, breathwork, and meditation regularly we are not just countering the fight or flight response in the moment; we are training our bodies and minds to stay calm and grounded, no matter what life brings. In this way, yoga becomes more than just an exercise—it’s a tool for restraining the fluctuations of the mind and ultimately to find inner peace. Inner Yoga Teacher Training in Bali can help you reduce stress, and find deep relaxation, and peace of mind in a beautiful environment, directly in the heart of nature in Ubud..
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