Yoga to the Rescue!

By Sarah Bowen Shea

Knowing a few smart yoga tricks can get you through the rough moments cool, calm, and content

No matter how hard you try, you’re never going to get rid of all the things that annoy you. In fact, trying to do that pretty much guarantees frustration.

But there is one tiny, silent hero on the harried horizon. Yoga can help you handle any anxiety-ridden scenarios. “There’s no question: Yoga practiced appropriately will have an impact on relaxing the mind,’’ says Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of behavioral science and director of the integrative medicine program at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “With enough practice of breathing and meditation, one can call on that peaceful state at any given time.”  Like what given times? Here are our readers' top three stressful situations—traffic, toddler tantrums, and the boss’ demands—and the techniques to keep yourself calm and centered in all of them.

YOUR TODDLER IS TORMENTING YOU
When little Lucy loses it over her “Dora the Explorer” video being turned off, you need to focus on your own behavior, not try to make the child be still, suggests Mary Griffin Wirick, a certified yoga therapist with a private practice called Yoga Support in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Just like when you’re practicing yoga, “making yourself be still is the whole point.” She suggests doing an aptly named pose called Letting Go: Plant your feet and reach up as high as you can—first one arm, then the other, then both together. Take a huge breath in, then on the exhale fold at your hips; collapse forward, letting your shoulders, arms, and neck relax. Hang loosely, with your knees bent. “Not only will this make you feel more relaxed, but it’s guaranteed to stop your screaming daughter in her tracks,” laughs Wirick.

Alternately, you can stand up tall, take a deep breath, and say a mantra such as “Children act like children, children act like children.” Rest assured, Wirick says, “If you’ve been practicing yoga, a sense of calmness can happen quickly. The more you practice, the more concisely you can do it.”

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