10 Minutes of Yoga for the Uber-Busy Person

According to Dr. Sandra Mclanahan, previous director of Sedars-Cinai Medical Center, even ten minutes of yoga can have tremendous benefits for us.  It can boost our immune system, reduce our accumulated stress, stabilize our blood pressure and metabolism, help our cardiovascular system and increase our vitality.  Although at least an hour of yoga a day can deliver tremendously more benefits, the following short program can help us to stick to yoga even when we are traveling, stuck in the office for late hours on end, or dealing with an extra hectic schedule (for those of us that deal with this kind of schedule all the time, it can be a doorway into a deeper yoga practice).

Start by lying on the floor face down.  We will begin with Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana.  This posture applies pressure to the lungs and heart which account for increased functioning.  Cobra also increases lymph flow which can help take plaque away from the arteries.  With your forehead to the floor and the palms face down near the chest and the elbows bent close to the body, gently raise the head, shoulders and chest from the floor.  The feet should stay on the floor, close together with the toenails touching the floor.  Inhale when you lift the upper body and then gently exhale as you resume your original position, lying down on the floor.  You can raise yourself as high as is comfortable, extending the arms completely without locking them, or just a few inches off the floor, again, depending on the agility of your spine. Repeat this posture three times.

Next, we will practice another asana which greatly benefits the cardiovascular system.  We will practice shoulder stand or Savangasana.  Begin from a supine position.  Slowly bring the feet to a ninety degree angle, trying to keep them together as you raise them toward the ceiling.  Try to relax your neck and shoulders on the floor.  From here, inhale and use the palms of your hands which should be facing down on the floor next to your torso to bring your legs up into a horizontal position so that all your bodyweight is on your shoulders and the under side of your upper arms.  Try to bring the chest close into the neck inducing Jalandhara bandha or chin-lock.  This lock puts a gentle pressure on baroreceptors in the neck which help to relieve blood pressure and tension in the cardiovascular system.  Initially, the heart rate will rise, but if you can hold the position for several minutes, the heart rate will then fall below a regular resting level inducing a state of calm and serenity.  

Furthermore, the veins and arteries of the lower legs will be relieved from undue pressure.  If you travel frequently, this will reduce the pull of gravity on your lower extremities. When you release the pose, bring the feet down towards the head, first, replace the palms tot the floor and very slowly allow the spine to make contact with your mat, rolling down one vertebra at a time.  Once you again are in a position of having the legs at ninety degrees, relax the shoulders and head once more onto the mat and very slowly, bring the legs back down to the floor, to supine position, using the strength of your hips, legs and abdominal muscles. Try to hold shoulderstand for three to five minutes.

Following shoulder stand, we will practice fish pose, or Matsyasana.  This is the counter or complimentary pose to shoulder stand.  It has tremendous benefits for the thyroid in the neck and the respiratory system.  Lie flat on the floor with your palms facing down on either side of your torso.  Placing the weight of your upper body on your elbows, gently life the head and place the very top or the crown of the head on the mat so that your neck is stretching considerably.  Arch your chest and breathe deeply and evenly through the nose.  You can also squeeze the buttocks and legs and then release them in time with your breath, further releasing tension from your lower extremities and hips.  Open the chest as much as possible. To release the pose, simply adjust the weight back to your elbows, and gently lift the head and replace the head back on the floor in a comfortable lying-down position.  Make sure to release carefully so that you do not injure the neck. Try to hold fish pose while breathing deeply for two to three minutes.

Next you will practice Yoga Nidra, or deep relaxation for three minutes.  Yoga Nidra is a fairly new development in yogic practice, but has tremendous benefits.  You will simply lie on your back in corpse position with the feet slightly parted and the hands about six to eight inches away from the body, palms facing up.  Try to relax the entire body and allow the head to rest peacefully to one side or the other. Tense the right fist and then try to release it completely. Tense the right arm and then release it completely allowing all the stress and strain to melt away from your body.  Continue you through the entire body, stressing and releasing first the right side of the body, then the left.  Follow each tension by release and end with squinching the muscles in the face and then releasing them.  Deep breathe and focus on expansion of the body in every cell.  Try to watch your thoughts as they arise and then gently dismiss them until a new thought arises.  Do not judge any thought that comes up, just see that it is there and then release it.  Continue this practice for three minutes, allowing the body to sink into the floor with the breath and your awareness of each thought. This deep relaxation affects the biochemical and nervous discharge of your brain and nervous system.  It allows the blood pressure to fall, the heart to rest deeply and the mind to be refreshed.  It also induces deeper sleep at night. In just a few minutes you can bathe your entire being with tranquility and peace.

We will end your ten minute practice with three types of breathing exercises.  First, sit in a comfortable meditative position.  Either cross your legs in front of you, practice half lotus or full lotus, but regardless of how you sit, make sure your spine is erect and your weight is balanced evenly on your sit bones.  Your shoulders and hips should be in one line.  Your chest should be lifted and expanded, and your neck should be relaxed.  Breathe deeply for one minute, breathing from your belly all the way up into the highest portion of your chest.  Try to exhale at least twice as long as you inhale, really maximizing the oxygen you take in on the subsequent inhale after exhaling the last little bits of air from your lungs.  This type of deep breathing balances the parasympathetic nervous system and relieves our entire body of stress.  It supports the cardiovascular system as well as gives our blood an oxygen-rich boost.

Finally, end with the skull shining breathe or Kapala Bathi.  This is an invigorating breathe down in quick motions from the belly.  The only muscles that should be working are the abdominals.  The rest of the body should remain relaxed.  Inhale, then, with a short, quick thrust of the belly into the abdomen, exhale the air in a quick puff through the nose.  Repeat the process, but be careful not to hyperventilate.  Focus on the exhale and you should be fine. Repeat this process eight to ten times then rest taking a few deep breathes.  Continue again for three sessions, ending with a deep breath.  Close the eyes if you haven’t already done so, and just sit in contemplative meditation for a few moments.  Follow this breathing exercise with alternate nostril breathing for ten breaths.  Cover right nostril, inhale through the opposite side, then cover the left nostril and exhale on the right, inhale right, cover, exhale left, inhale left, cover, exhale right. . .Follow this pattern for ten cycles of breathing.  This type of breathing has been shown on EEGs (electroencephalographs) to balance the communication between our left and right brains.  This induces relaxation in the body as well as benefits the immune and cardiovascular system.  It also stabilizes the entire nervous system.

No matter what, most of us can find ten minutes to practice these simple yogic exercises to bring health, vitality and relaxation to our super busy lives. You can practice them anywhere – a broom closet at work, on your living room floor, in the airport lounge, even, so better health is just ten minutes away.

(c) 2009, 2010 Christina Sarich