Yoga For Stress & Anxiety Relief: Poses That Heal

In this fast-paced world, stress and anxiety have become unwelcome guests for many of us. Juggling the pressure of performance, never-ending to-do lists, and constant digital stimulation has left us exhausted. There are a lot of coping mechanisms, but one age-old practice has always been effective in calming the mind and nourishing the soul: yoga. 

Yoga is more than just a series of physical postures; it is a combined approach that combines breath, meditation, and conscious movement to create a complementary system that promotes overall well-being. For people who are always stressed and anxious, a consistent yoga practice is a practical way to find inner peace and emotional strength.

At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we have a personal connection to yoga as a wellness lifestyle, and we hope you find a path of healing and harmony within. Whether you’re exploring the basics or deepening your practice through our 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Bali, let’s take a look at some specific yoga poses you may do to ease tension and anxiety, set up your center, and heal yourself.

Why Yoga Is Your Ally Against Stress & Anxiety

Before we jump into the poses, let’s take a moment to discuss why yoga is so effective for stress and anxiety:

• Regulates the Nervous System—Most yoga poses—but especially those that promote deep breathing and/or sustained deep breaths—stimulate the vagus nerve, which is the main nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest system”). The vagus nerve helps us move out of “fight or flight” mode.
• Mind-Body Connection—Yoga helps you establish a sense of presence in your body, which removes anxious thoughts about the past or future. Mindful awareness (and presence) can truly be grounding. 
• Releases Stored Tension—We unconsciously hold stress in the body (in our shoulders, neck, and hips). Often yoga poses help to release physical stress, so if you alleviate physical stress, you can alleviate some of the mental stress.
• Releases Endorphins—Yoga is a physical activity, and like all other forms of physical activity, it releases endorphins, a.k.a. the natural mood elevators that promote happiness and well-being.

Poses That Heal: Your Toolkit For Calmness

Here are a few simple and effective yoga poses to assist you in relieving stress and anxiety. Always tune in to your body and stay relaxed and gentle. 

1. Balasana (Child’s Pose) 

• Why it’s helpful: This restorative pose is gentle and calming and provides a chance for self-reflection and feeling safe and comforted. 
• How to practice it: Start at your knees on your mat, touching your big toes. Open your knees as far as you can, as wide as your mat, or together for a deeper, lower back stretch. Fold forward and allow your torso to rest in between or on your thighs. Rest your forehead on the floor, move your arms forward, or slide them alongside your torso. Take long, deep breaths into your back. 
• Maa Shakti Yog Bali Tip: Imagine that with every exhale, every worry is evaporating and sinking deeper into the earth. 

2. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) 

• Why it’s helpful: Forward bends are inherently calming and reflective since you’re gazing inward, quieting the mind. Additionally, you are stretching the spine and hamstrings and releasing tension.
• Instructions: Begin sitting on your mat and extend your legs out in front of you; flex your feet. Inhale, elongate your spine. Exhale, hinge from your hips while folding forward over your legs. You can keep a slight bend in your knees if your hamstrings are tight. You can rest your hands on your shins, your ankles, or your feet. 

• Maa Shakti Yog Bali Tip: Pay attention to the sensation of your breath as it expands the back ribs and side ribs, creating more space and releasing tension.

3. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose)

• Why it helps: The pose is an extremely restorative inversion that helps calm the nervous system, combats fatigue, and allows for a low-impact stretch for your hamstrings and lower back.
• Instructions: Start with one hip as close to the wall as possible. While lying back, swing your legs up the wall until your torso is perpendicular to the wall and your legs are straight above you on the wall. You can place a cushion under your hips for comfort. You can rest your arms out to the sides, palms up, or place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
• Maa Shakti Yog Bali Tip: Release all pressure and completely trust the support of the wall. Notice the energy shifting as gravity works to help you calm your system. 

4. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose) 

• Why it helps: This pose opens the hips and groins, where we often hold emotional tension, and is deeply restful and grounding.
• How to do it: Lie on your back, soles of the feet together, scented knees opened out to the sides. You can place cushions or blocks under your knees if it is helpful. Put your hands on the belly, heart, or allow them to rest off your body. 
• Maa Shakti Yog Bali Tip: Visualize the breath flowing into your hips, and when you inhale, free and loosen any stiffness or emotional drains. 

5. Savasana (Corpse Pose) 

• Why it helps: Perhaps the most difficult pose, Savasana is very important for integrating the benefits of your practice, and it provides a full state of rest for the body and mind. 
• How to do it: Lie on your back, extend your legs, and allow the feet to naturally fall open. Let the arms rest by your sides with the palms facing up and slightly away from the body. Close your eyes and let your whole body sink into the mat. Focus on your natural breath and notice whatever sensations arise without judgment. 
• Maa Shakti Yog Bali Tip: Accept this stillness. This is where true healing and acceptance take place. Allow yourself to be.

Committing To Daily Practice

Although the poses are effective on their own, where yoga really shines in respect to reducing stress and anxiety is consistency. Even as little as a 10-15 minute practice every day can be beneficial. A simple breathing exercise (referred to as pranayama), such as Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing), before or after your asana practice can magnify the calming properties. 

At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we believe in the power of authentic yoga to change lives and that authentic yoga works for anyone, provided that they apply themselves and maintain a regular practice. At our school, we provide an excellent opportunity to further develop your awareness of yoga as a potentially life-changing practice that can bring you calm, healing, and well-being.

Allow yourself to enjoy the journey that leads inwards. Your body and mind will appreciate you.