Yoga Anywhere - Afropolitain Magazine

Align your mind and body anywhere by practicing yoga. Whenever you find yourself worrying, overthinking, or stressing just stop and breath for a minute. Yes, yoga can be as simple as breathing. Our mind has conscious control over the nervous system, so breathing with an emphasis on your exhale being twice as long, can slow down the heart rate, relax muscles, and lower blood pressure.

Start by inhaling fresh air through your nose for two seconds, filling up the diaphragm, followed by the chest. Expel the air through your nose for four seconds. Gradually increase the length of your breaths while maintaining the 1:2 ratio of inhalation to exhalation. Now you can practice yoga ANYWHERE! Try this quick yoga sequence to center your body and mind.

1.Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Stand tall with your feet parallel and shoulder width apart. Engage your leg muscles, reach the crown of your head upward and root down into the ground. Take a few breaths here.

2. Upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana)
Inhale, bringing your arms up over your head and lengthening your body while pressing your feet down energetically.

3. Standing forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Exhale as you bend your hip and fold over your legs towards your toes. Take a moment and breathe.

4. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana)
Exhale extending your left leg back and turning the foot slightly inward. The right foot should be at a ninety degree angle. Align the heel of your front foot with the arch of your back foot. Roll your thighs outward and press into all four corners of your feet. Bend your forward knee to a right angle and extend your arms out parallel to the floor. Stay in this pose for a few breaths. Inhale to come up and repeat on the other side