Let's Get Mindful: Our Guide to Yoga Poses that can Help you Relax

The Thought: Breathe. It’s time to prioritise your wellness, and what better way than to embrace a bit of restorative yoga and meditation. In Yin, we hold poses for longer and increase inner awareness, by paying attention to breath, thoughts, and sensations throughout the body.

The Feeling: Relaxed and recharged. There’s no denying it’s tough out there at the moment, so whatever we can do to protect our mental health is important. Try taking a few minutes out of your day, whenever you can steal them, to align your body and mind, and focus on achieving a sense of calm.

The poses:

The Meditation Seat - 6 minutes

Begin by grounding yourself in a comfortable seat with a tall spine. Close your eyes and take a moment to reflect, cultivating a sense of gratitude for this body on this day. Close your eyes, focus on your breath, and let everything slow down before you move to your next pose.

Butterfly Pose - 3 to 4 minutes

On the ground kneel with your feet together and open your knees wide. Release the spine by leaning forward and let your body be heavy, sinking into the ground. Close your eyes, embrace stillness and focus on your breath, letting go of any worries or cares as you just breathe in and out. To come out of butterfly, slowly curl your spine back up to an upright kneeling position.

Seal Pose - 3 to 4 minutes

Lay on your belly, and then prop yourself up on your forearms to open your chest. Stay for a few breaths, and then lift your upper body even higher by resting your weight on your palms with your chin up facing the sky, soften your face and welcome the sun or moon - stay on your forearms if you feel any tightness in your lower back. Rest here and close your eyes for a few breaths before returning to Childs pose feeling like your energy has been restored.

Supported fish pose - up to 5 minutes

This gentle heart opener can help instil feelings of joy, and be very healing. Sit with your legs infront of you, and use cushions or blocks at the base of your spine to create an incline support. Gently lean back and rest on the support, allowing your head to tilt. Use support for your neck if you need it.

Supine Spinal Twist - up to 3 minutes on each side

Place a cushion or block between your knees or under your thighs. Lie on your back with bent knees, placing your feet flat on the floor near your hips, and reach your arms out straight with the palms facing down. Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale, gentle lower your knees to one side, turning your neck to gaze in the opposite direction. Repeat on the other side, and this lovely stretch should help improve flexibility in your chest, spine and glutes.

Legs up the wall pose (Viparita Karani) - 15 minutes

This is a great one to relax into whilst meditating, it will restore energy levels and boost circulation, whilst promoting relaxation. Simply lay on your back with your hips near a wall, swing your legs up against the wall, throw your arms wide with the palms up and rest here, enjoying the sensation.