Instant Yoga

By Mehtab, Founder 

There will be a time this month when you will be too stressed to relax, too busy to come to class, or too crazy to know you’re too crazy. That is when you need Instant Yoga. Instant Yoga is available at your fingertips and takes less than three minutes. There are many versions of Instant Yoga but you can probably get by on just these three:

Breathe 4 to 8 times a minute for three minutes. You can do this in your car, waiting in line, or while listening to your relatives berate you on the phone. When you slow your breath down from its usual 16-18 cycles per minute, you change your glandular system and activate your parasympathetic nervous system for relaxation. An easy technique is to breathe in for a count of 10 and breathe out for a count of 10 about a dozen times. It absolutely works!

Chant a long “OOOOOOOMMMM” a dozen times. While this works best in the privacy of your car or home, just think of the stress-free space you will be instantly afforded by fellow employees or shoppers when you belt this out in public. Seriously, any mantra will work and do its stress-busting job in three minutes or less.

Finally, have a cup of Yogi Tea. It will give you an immediate yoga class flashback even if you are sitting with your in-laws in the midst of wrong-size clothing gifts on Christmas Eve. It is soothing, energizing, relaxing and takes the smell of dried fir trees right out of your nose. You can make your own Yogi Tea with our recipe or buy a premixed bag and really take the stress out of holiday drinking.

And when you have more than an instant, put away an extra yoga class. You just might need it later!