Photo: Photo Alto

There may be no better way to reconnect with your self than a yoga class. Some asanas and breath work will get that life energy, or prana, flowing again by helping you take control of your breath; changing your energy flow; and grounding you, making it easier to retain energy rather than letting it disperse.

Turn it upside down. Just try worrying about your credit card debt while you�re standing on your head. The simple act of inverting or doing a backbend not only reverses our energy flow, but according to Kristina Lanuza, who teaches in Austin, Texas, and New York City, adjusts hormonal flows as well. �Changing your hormonal circulation really changes your moods,� she explains, �and that balances your energy.� Plus, doing a headstand or other upside-down move taps into your carefree, childlike self.

Embrace the dragon. Sit down wherever you are�a bathroom stall will do in a pinch�and practice the Breath of Fire. Mouth closed, pump your diaphragm strongly inward as you exhale, forcing short, intense breaths from your nostrils. You�ll feel a rush of energy within seconds. This and other pranayama or breathing exercises can also release tension in the stomach, where we often store stress.

An equally warming but less fired-up alternative: Rub your hands together to create heat in the palm, then drag the hands over your eye sockets, down over your throat and the back of your neck. Massage there for a few seconds, then continue running your hands down the midline of your body, ending at the belly. Just monitor the rise and fall of the belly for a minute or two, relaxing completely. The downward motion supposedly contains your energy, sending it back to the body instead of letting it fly away�all we know is that it works.

Slow it down, sister. If your emotional energy is fading and you�re feeling spent, close your eyes and spend a few minutes taking deep breaths, making the inhalations several seconds longer than your exhalations. Or, if your reaction to emotional exhaustion is to feel anger, keep the inhalations shorter than your exhalations. Five minutes is enough to help balance your mood.

Even better: Lie on your back with your legs up a wall while you do this (inversion). Or if you�re at work and this might look a little strange to co-workers and authority figures, how about a brief forward bend in
your chair? Either will deepen the relaxation response.


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