Yoga Poses for Relieving Anxiety

This easy restorative series helps to relieve anxiety and will bring you into a deep state of relaxation.  All of these poses are supported with a bolster, which is one of the best yoga props you can buy.  If you don’t have one, use two bed pillows stacked on top of each other.

As you rest into these supported postures, close your eyes and take natural, deep breaths through the nose.  Imagine that with each exhale, you are letting go of tension.  Let it all melt away with each new breath.

Supported child’s pose

• Sit your hips as close to your heels as you comfortably can.

• Widen your knees apart and slide the bolster in between the thighs.

• Lower your chest onto the bolster.

• For 10-20 breaths, extend your arms out away from you.  Turn your head halfway through.

• For 10-20 breaths, let your arms relax down your sides.  Turn your head halfway through.

Supported downward dog

• Rise up onto all fours and press back into downward dog.

• Position the bolster so that your forehead rests onto it and you can completely relax the head.

• Press gently down with the palms and the heels, stretching the hips to the sky.

• Take 5-10 deep breaths.

Supported spinal twist

• Come down onto all fours from downward dog.

• Rest the right hip on the floor and turn both knees to the left.

• Lay the chest onto the bolster and turn the head to the right.  If this is uncomfortable, turn the head to the left.

• Relax the whole body, letting the spine and neck gradually open.

• Take 10-20 breaths.

• Repeat on the other side.

Reclined butterfly pose

• Place the soles of your feet together with the hips on the earth.

• Lie the spine and head down on the bolster and let your arms fall out to either side.

• Let the knees fall towards the earth.  If it’s too intense, move your feet farther away from you or separate the feet farther apart.

• Open the palms to the sky and feel the shoulders melt toward the ground.

• Take 10-20 breaths.

Legs up the wall

• Place the bolster sideways up agains the wall.

• Sit onto the bolster and swing your legs up the wall as you lie down onto your back.

• Scoot in so that your hips are pressed right up against the wall.

• Let your upper back and head rest onto the earth.

• Open the palms and close the eyes.

• Activate the legs just enough to keep them straight up against the wall.

• Take 20-30 breaths.

Supported Savasana

• Lie onto your back.

• Slide the bolster underneath the knees to relax the lower back.

• Open the palms with the arms alongside you.

• Close your eyes.

• Let the breath flow naturally on its own.

• Relax there for 5-10 minutes.

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