By Michael Russell
If you travel a lot for business or pleasure you may find that this interrupts your yoga practice. Dreary hotel rooms or friends' houses simply cannot match the ambience of one's local yoga studio. It is difficult to maintain or deepen your practice and equally challenging to pick up where you left off when you return home.
One solution is to drop in on classes wherever you happen to be. Yoga is so widespread that it should be fairly easy to find a class where your travels take you. This can also be an enriching experience as you get to attend classes with varied instructors in different environments.
Dropping in on out-of-town classes can actually be a catalyst for personal growth in your practice. It will get you out of the comfort zone of your own studio and instructors and open you up to new experiences that can "push the envelope" and provide you with the opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge.
As it may not be practical to always be able to attend a class while traveling, you can create a space in your hotel room that will make it more appropriate for yoga. Bring a few personal items such as photographs, candles, little statues, incense, books, or other objects that you find "homey" and/or inspiring. This will personalize the space.
Get some extra towels form the hotel to spread on the floor to eliminate worries about cleanliness. Use the pillows or cushions from sofas as bolsters. Turn the heat up in the room to make it more comfortable. Bring an eye bag to help induce relaxation in Savasana. Her are four asanas that are easy to do and can calm the mind while your traveling. This routine takes between 20-40 minutes if you spend about 3-10 minutes in each pose. Best done first thing in the morning or right before bedtime, this routine will definitely help you relax, release and enjoy your trip more.
First off, sit in a chair and with your knees wide apart align your heels and point your toes slightly inward. Place your elbows on your knees, move your buttocks back into the chair and have your head hanging forward. Feel your neck lengthen as you breathe deeply and relax into the pose. If you wish to go further you can place your hands close to or on the floor. Gently come up by pressing on your hands or elbows and let your head come up last. This will relax the shoulders and neck and relieve tension in the tailbone.
Next up is the crooked knee pose. This time bring your legs together and in front of you while sitting in a chair. Move your feet slightly forward and place your left ankle on your right thigh with the groove of the left ankle on the right thighbone. Gently slide the left ankle towards your hip. As you do this, tilt your head forward to soften the back of your neck.
If at this stage you feel any discomfort, remain here. If not then as you inhale raise your front ribs upwards and lean your upper body forward as you breathe out. Let your arms hang loosely alongside your legs or put your hands or forearms on your right knee. Again use your hands to slowly rise out of the pose, raising the head last. Lower the left leg to the floor, take a few deep, relaxing breaths and repeat with the other leg.
This pose will quiet your mind and release tension in the neck and back. It will be comforting for those who suffer from sciatica and relieve pressure in the abdominal and pelvic organs which will aid digestion.
Next up is a lunge. With your hands and knees on the floor and your back level, move your right foot into the space between your hands. Breathe easily in this pose for 30 seconds to three minutes, longer if you have the time. Then push on the floor with your hands, slowly backing out of the pose to prevent gripping in the back muscles. Do the other side.
This asana will also help those with sciatica. It will help to ease neck and back pain and relieve tension and anxiety, allowing you to experience more mental clarity.
The final asana is a rotated stomach pose. Lie on your back with your hands or forearms around your shins. Hug your knees to your chest then extend your arms down to the floor and out to your sides so that they form a 45 degree angle to your body. Roll your bent legs and your hips to the left, laying your legs on the floor.
Slowly rotate your head to the left, pausing to breathe 1 to 2 minutes and then turn your head to the right. Breathe for another 1 to 2 minutes, then bring your knees to center and do the other side.
This pose is very soothing for the central nervous system. It will relieve tension in the spine and neck and help to relieve headaches, insomnia, lower back pain and sciatica. Further, it gently massages the internal organs, stimulating the metabolism and improving digestion. This asana is an excellent preparation for meditation.
When you are away from home, you not only can continue your yoga practice, you can enhance it. As you maintain your yoga while traveling you will remain more relaxed, have greater mental clarity and enjoy your trip more.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 12:02 PM
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