It?s no secret that our yoga mats aren?t attached to our hips. But they don?t have to be. Yoga is one of the most flexible practices out there. All you need is your body and an open mind.
Here are some yoga poses that you can do regardless of where you are:
Eagle Pose:
All you need is a solid ground for this one! Place your weight onto your left foot. Then cross your right thigh over your left thigh and hook the top of your right foot behind your left calf. Breaking a sweat yet? Now, bend your elbows and life them to shoulder height and place your left elbow into the crease of your right elbow. Intertwine your arms and hold for five breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Dangle Pose:
Start by spreading your feet apart, bending your knees and bringing your chest to your thighs. Hold onto opposite elbows and stay in this pose for a couple of minutes, where you are literally dangling the upper body for an extended period of time to release the lower back.
?Wide-Legged Forward Bend:
Spread your legs (for the sake of yoga, gee, what were you thinking?) 3 -4 feet apart and hook your hands behind your back. Bend forward so that your torso is parallel to your legs and remain in that stretched position for five whole breaths.
?Garland Pose:
Going from your dangle pose, bring the palms of your hands together and put your inner thighs in line with your triceps. Life your chest and hold the pose for five breathes.
?Standing Pigeon:
Take your right ankle and cross it over your left thigh. Flex your right foot. Get into a squat position and extend your arms in front of you. Hold this pose for five breaths and repeat on the opposite leg.
Lord of the Dance Pose:
Lift your leg as high as possible and hold. Raise your opposite arm towards the sky. Lift your chest and maintain your balance for five breaths. Then repeat on opposite side.
The reason that yoga can be done anywhere at anytime is because it?s one of those practices that aims to engrain itself in our daily rituals. Yoga is about transcending ones environment and leading you to a spiritual awakening. We might love the way our yoga gear looks, but it?s not required. All of our physical belongings are transient in the grand scheme of yoga.
In fact, you don?t need to do these specific poses to be doing yoga anywhere you are. You can engrain them into your everyday activities.
So what activities will actually lead you to yoga??Well, just about anything.
By?NADIA ZAIDI?for The Plaid Zebra
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