Easy Office Yoga

Autumn Adams

7 Simple and Easy Office Yoga Exercises

Hey yogis and workaholics and workaholic yogis… this blog post about easy office yoga is for you. But don’t worry, no experience is required. Within the past year or two my business has grown a lot and I am spending more and more time on my computer, so I welcome you to my office. When I feel tension and tightness creeping in or my posture disintegrating I work a few of these postures into my breaks.

Please don’t mind the cat butt or the melting dog face. There is always at least one pet in my office and today there were three.

I try to be super mindful about my posture, but I find myself starting to slump, or lean on an elbow or jutting my head forward… I’m seriously probably doing a combination of these three right now..ugh. I am fortunate that I work from home so I can get up and stretch, go for a walk or do some sun salutations pretty easily, but that’s not always the case. When I’m limited for time I will pick just a couple of these simple yoga exercises… and sometimes I will add in a low lunge to stretch out my ridiculously tight hip flexors.

There are plenty of opportunities to work these easy office yoga into your work routine that won’t make your coworkers weirded out (too much), but really… who cares? Here are 7 easy office yoga exercises you can do to reduce stress and tension, to improve your mood, and boost your circulation.

1. Easy Office Yoga for Your Back & Shoulders: Seated Cat-Cow

Benefits:chair-yoga-for-your-back

This movement is so simple and so overlooked. Seated cat-cow is a backbending and rounding motion and help relieve tension and tightness in the back, shoulders, neck and hips. Cat-cow can even help relieve tension headaches.

Practice:

Sit forward on the front edge of your chair and bring your hands to your thighs. For this exercise you will coordinate breath with movement. On your inhale breath you will tilt your pelvis forward and lift your chest and your gaze up to the ceiling to arch your back and backbend your spine. On your exhale breath begin by tilting the pelvis back, pulling your navel to spine and drawing chin to chest as your round your back. Repeat 5-10 times connecting breath with movement.

2. Easy Office Yoga for Your Spine: Seated Twist

Benefits:office-yoga-twist

Twists massage and tone our abdominal organs and release tension in our lower backs. Twists also stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system, so they are calming in nature. Gentle twists are also beneficial for our intervertebral discs.

Practice:

Sit tall in your chair with both feet firmly planted on the ground and hips width apart. Bring your left hand to the outer edge of your right thigh and your right hand to the outer edge of your chair (on the right side) or to the back of the chair (see photo). Inhale to lengthen your spine and sit a little taller and exhale to twist. Draw your gaze over your right shoulder. Keep the spine long as you twist. Hold for 5-7 breaths and then repeat on the opposite side.

3. Easy Office Yoga Exercise for Your Hips and Lower Back: Seated Figure 4

office-yoga-hip-stretch

Benefits:

Tight hips can contribute to lower back pain. This seated figure 4 stretch is the perfect stretch for the piriformis.

Practice:

Sit forward on the front portion of your chair. You want your sit bones (the bony protuberances that you sit on) at the bottom of your pelvis to be almost to the edge of your chair. To start cross your right ankle with foot flexed over your left thigh. Let your right knee drop down. See how this feels. If this feels okay you can use the right hand to gently press the right knee down while tilting the pelvis slightly forward. Hold for 10 breaths and then switch sides.

4. Easy Office Yoga for Your Lower Back: Seated Forward Fold

chair-yoga-for-hips-back

Benefits:

In your seated forward fold you have an opportunity to release the muscles of your back.

Practice:

Sit forward on the front edge of your chair, knees bent, feet planted hips width apart. Inhale and lengthen your spine long and exhale hinge forward from your hips and bring your belly to your thighs. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

5. Downward dog at your desk, chair or wall. 

office-yoga-downward-facing-dog

Benefits:

Downward dog stretches the muscles of the shoulders, the side body and the muscles of the back body.

Practice:

Bring hands shoulder width distance to the edge of your desk, your chair back or the wall and walk your feet away until your back can straighten and your biceps are by your ears. It’s okay to have the knees bent if you need to… the focus is on straightening the back.

6. Easy Office Yoga Exercise For Your Eyes

Benefits:

Eye exercises can help relieve strain in the eyes while toning the optic nerve. It will also help relieve any tension you may hold around your eyes.

Practice:

To start just find a comfortable seat. Begin with a side to side motion. Taking the gaze all the way to the right and then all the way to the left without strain. Repeat 5 times to each side. The change the gaze to move to the top and bottom of your vision. Repeat 5 times each. Then do circles with your eye gaze. Letting the gaze draw a circle around the outer edges of your vision. Repeat 5 times clockwise and 5 times counter clockwise. Slow down the motion in the places the eyes get a little jumpy or sticky. Then close your eyes, bring the palms of your hands together and rub them together quickly until heat is generated and then bring your palms to your eyes. Leave the hands there until they’ve cooled.

7. 5 minute Pranayama and Meditation for Wellbeing

Take 5 minutes for a gentle breathing and meditation exercise. Sitting comfortable in your chair or outside in a quiet place close your eyes and begin to bring your awareness to your breath. Set a timer for 5 minutes (so you won’t be late to return to work). At first just notice the breath without changing it. Become aware of its texture, the quality, it’s depth without judging or labeling it. Then begin to deepen your breath. Inhale for 4 counts. Pause at the top of your inhale. Exhale for 4 counts. Pause at the bottom of your exhale. Breathe in this manner for 10-15 breaths. Then allow your breath to return to normal. Follow your breath for the remaining time with eyes closed. When your mind wanders off bring your awareness back to your breath.

Yogi’s I’d love to hear how these yoga exercises influence your mood, attitude, and productivity in the office. Feel free to shoot me a private message. I am also available for corporate yoga sessions and would be happy to guide your staff in weekly/biweekly/monthly in-office yoga classes. I have plans available for both small and large offices. Contact Autumn for more information.

What is Dinacharya?

Autumn Adams

What is dinacharya?

Dinacharya is the daily ritual to live a healthy and balanced life according to the ancient tradition of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is yoga’s sister science. The two traditions have been practiced side-by-side for thousands of years. Yoga supports many of the functions of Ayurveda and Ayurveda supports many of the functions of yoga, so the two are often intertwined.

Most humans, especially in the United States, don’t have time to practice the full dinacharya practice… it’s just not practical with jobs, kids, etc. I’d rather not bore you with too much information, so here is a list of a fairly attainable morning practice of dinacharya…. but it’s still 13 items!!! Okay, but lets be honest you most likely at least do 5 of them already without thinking about it.

Sunset meditation

1. Rise early before the sun.

 

I’m not going to lie the morning hours are beautiful and peaceful, but I am kapha and getting out of bed in the morning is often the hardest part of my day. No joke. At least one day a week though I wake up before 5:00 am and I’m probably better for it.All my kaphas out there…. you understand how hard it is to get out of bed early (early I mean 6-7 am), but if you can stomach it just try to get up at 4:30 am or even 5 am before the first kapha cycle of day begins (first cycle: 6-10am; second cycle 6-10pm). According to Dr. Vasant Lad, the leading Ayurvedic doctor in the United States, “It is good to wake up before the sun rises, when there are loving (sattvic) qualities in nature that bring peace of mind and freshness to the senses. Sunrise varies according to the seasons, but on average vata people should get up about 6 a.m., pitta people by 5.30 a.m., and kapha by 4.30 a.m. Right after waking, look at your hands for a few moments, then gently move them over your face and chest down to the waist. This cleans the aura.”

2. Drink a large glass of warm lemon water.

Well this one is easy. Slice up a lemon and squeeze it into some warm water. Drink your lemon water before anything else goes in your body (including coffee). Warm lemon water helps jump start your metabolism and digestion and also flushes the kidneys.

3. Wash face and clear out sinuses with neti pot.

Likely you already wash your face in the morning, but using a neti pot might be new to you. To be honest I don’t neti pot everyday, but I do use it when I feel congested, when I am experiencing allergy symptoms, or suspect that I might be getting sick. I also will use my neti pot if I plan on having an extensive pranayama session. Want to try out using a neti pot? Watch this Web MD video first (also, please feel free to contact me if you have questions).

4. Scrape tongue.

Yep, give it a good scrape before you brush your teeth. The build up of ama (toxins) in the body is what causes that white filmy layer on the tongue. The practice of tongue scraping takes just a couple of seconds and helps improve overall oral health. You can purchase tongue scrapers at most natural food stores like Whole Foods or Natural Grocers.

5. Brush teeth.

Brush your teeth. Please tell me you’re already doing this!

6. Evacuate your bowels.

It’s time to go number 2. The warm lemon water should assist with emptying your bowels. In a perfect world you would relieve yourself within one hour of getting out of bed. When we are unable to evacuate our bowels a build up of toxins within the body can occur. Anyone else get headaches when the plumbing isn’t working right? I do… and it’s terrible. If the whole morning routine is new to you it may take a couple of days to get into the rhythm. Don’t stress.

7. 10-20 minutes of yoga.

Once you’ve had your bowel movement begin your yoga practice. A few simple stretches and movements to the body can help “clear out the cobwebs” that built up overnight and improve mood and overall wellbeing.

8. 5-10 minutes of pranayama or breathing exercises.

A very simple pranayama exercise would be 1:1 ratio breathing. An example would be inhale for 4 counts and exhale for 4 counts. Another option would be to practice nadi shodana (alternate nostril breathing). If you will be venturing into more stimulating/challenging pranayama exercises please consult with your yoga/pranayama teacher. You may even want to consult with your doctor.

9. 5-15 minutes of meditation.

I recommend practicing meditation seated and not lying down. Find a comfortable seat in a comfortable quiet place. A simple meditation would be to follow the breath as it flows in and out of your body. There are also plenty of meditation apps that you can use for a guided practice.

10. 5-10 minute abhyanga.

Abhyanga, the self massage, is the best part of dinacharya. Use a warmed sesame or coconut oil and massage the limbs in long strokes, the joints and abdomen in circular strokes. Don’t forget your back, scalp and face. (I have sensitive skin, so I use a different blend on my face than on my body.)

11. 10-20 minute oil pulling.

Oil pulling might take a little time to get used to. Oil pulling clears out any residual bacterial buildup in the mouth. It improves breath and overall dental health. Use a tablespoon or so of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes. Spit it out when you’re finished. Do not swallow the oil. You can oil pull while you’re doing your self massage or while showering to save time.

12. Shower or bathe.

Yep, hop in the shower or bath and you’re good to go.

13. Eat breakfast.

Eat a healthy, balanced breakfast.

I’d love to hear about your morning ritual. What do you do to make sure your day gets started on the right foot?

Love and Light,

Autumn

 

18 Tips to Freshen Up Your Yoga Practice

Autumn Adams

vinyasa-yoga-greece-retreat

What happens when you get bored with your yoga practice? I know that it happens to me. When I fall off the yoga wagon, especially as a yoga teacher, I begin to have feelings of guilt sneak in. Feelings of “I’m not good enough” or “How can I teach yoga if I’m not practicing?” So I want you to know that I’ve been there. I feel your frustration, your dismay, your guilt… I’m here to tell you to “let it go”. I’m not going to tell you to stop practicing, but I will encourage you to let your yoga practice take on a different form. Here are my tried and true tips for getting over your boredom and feeling good about your yoga practice again.

  1. Take class with a different teacher. I might get some flack here from other yoga instructors for saying this, but it’s okay to explore. It’s okay to skip your regular class and drop-in to another teacher’s class. Each teacher has their own style, their own way of cueing, and their own way of formatting their classes…. going to another teacher’s class gets you out of your rut and out of autopilot. You will likely experience different poses (woohoo!) and different benefits and alignment cues that you can bring back to your regular classes. And hell we all suffer from avidya (ignorance), which means that our own teacher can give us the same message every class and we may not be ready for it, so we don’t hear it… well you might be ready for it in another teacher’s class… or they may word it in a way that it is more relatable to you.
  2. Incorporate more pranayama, meditation and chanting. For most of us, myself included, we get stuck in asana land. I love asana land! It’s fun and pretty and challenging, but sometimes we forget about the other parts of yoga like pranayama, meditation, chanting. Learn some new pranayama (kapalabhati, brahmari, sitali, ratio breathing, etc.). Kick start your meditation practice. There are so many meditation resources out their now (including apps that make it ridiculously easy to practice). Or delve into the world of Bhakti and learn a new chant or two.
  3. Go on a retreat. Attending a yoga retreat (or teacher training) is a great way to get your asana in gear! It’s okay to spend a little extra money on YOU, on YOUR development, on YOUR growth. Don’t feel guilty about it. Go on a retreat with your favorite teacher OR one you’ve been following on social media OR be bold and courageous and book with someone you find online in a destination you’ve always wanted to check out (I would recommend doing some homework before you hand over your hard earned cash though).
  4. Try a new-to-you style of yoga. If you always practice Bikram, try vinyasa. If you always practice vinyasa, try yin. Maybe delve into the world of Ashtanga Yoga… why not? Be adventurous in your yoga practice.
  5. Change your environment. If you always practice in a yoga studio head on over to the local gym and try one of their classes. Or find an outdoor class at a local park or lodge. Seek out SUP yoga (yoga on stand up paddleboards)… you’ll get an awesome work out, be challenged in new ways and likely you’ll get wet… at least at your first class.
  6. Schedule up some yoga playtime. Connect with one of your yoga buddies and schedule some time to just play… maybe play with a little Acro yoga or partner poses or help each other work on those inversions and arm balances. Likely you’ll have fun in the process and make/keep a good friend too.
  7. Karma yoga. Okay it’s not asana, but it’s equally important. Find a volunteer gig at a local community center, teach a yoga class for underprivileged kids… even better get your yoga buddies together and do a little karma yoga as a group.
  8. Find another hobby. Eek! I know I said it, but it’s okay to branch out. I would recommend finding another active hobby like mountain biking or tennis… something that gets your body moving. Being active in other ways will make you appreciate your yoga practice that much more… especially when your muscles start to get tight and that range of motion you used to take for granted is gone.
  9. Read a yoga-ish book. I recommend How Yoga Works by Gesne Michael Roach and Christie McNally
  10. Take a trip. Allow yourself to be inspired by giant trees, mountains, lakes and even the hustle and bustle of a new city. Strike a pose and have fun with it. Put your feet in the dirt. Swim out to that tiny island in the lake. Enjoy the sun on your skin.
  11. Get a new mat or yoga leggings. I know, I know. Not very yogic of me, but whatever. Buy yourself something nice. Get a new Manduka mat in a fun color or get those wild and crazy patterned Liquido leggings you’ve been eye-ing forever. Give yourself a little extra incentive to get on your mat.
  12. Change your playlist. Okay this only applies if you practice at home, but music can have a huge impact on your practice and your mental state.
  13. Sign up for one of the online yoga class platforms. Create a home practice, try new teachers, practice when it works for you. Love it.
  14. Join a social media yoga challenge. A fun way to connect with other yogis, see new postures and new variations of familiar postures. Have fun with it.
  15. Focus on a specific body part or type of pose. Perhaps strengthening or lengthening the hamstrings. Focus on backbends or inversions. Perhaps focus on opening up your hips. You get the picture. Give yourself something to explore and also something to work toward.
  16. Schedule up a yoga and wine night with your friends. Why not? Yoga doesn’t have to be in the studio to be wonderful. Take turns teaching and follow it up with a glass or two of wine and some snacks.
  17. Practice shorter practices. Set a timer and allow yourself to be present on your mat for 5, 10, 20 minutes. Keep it simple so you don’t get discouraged.
  18. Go on a weekend yoga getaway. There are so many options these days. Go to a festival, conference, workshop or retreat in a different city or state. You’ll have the opportunity to get your practice back on track, explore a new place and make new yoga friends.

 

You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to practice 5 times a week. It’s okay to be inspired by other things. Your practice will always be with you. Know that your practice doesn’t need to look like everyone else’s practice. Remember it is YOUR PRACTICE. It is yours and yours alone AND it is a practice. Don’t beat up on yourself. Dig deep find that inner fire. It’s there. We will see you on your mat when you’re ready.

Yogis do you have any other tips or tricks you use when you get bored with your yoga practice? I’d love to hear them.

 

Love and Light,

Autumn

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5 Benefits of Practicing Yoga While Pregnant

Autumn Adams

prenatal yoga in bend oregon

I have been fortunate to work with many pregnant mamas through my prenatal yoga class in Bend, Oregon at Midtown Juniper Yoga. It is always a blessing and joy to watch these strong, beautiful women share their vulnerability, while nurturing themselves and their babies throughout their pregnancies. Often times the women that come to my class already have a yoga practice, but occasionally prenatal yoga is their introduction to yoga and what a wonderful loving way to be introduced to the practice and to experience all of the benefits of prenatal yoga.

Here I would like to share the benefits of prenatal yoga with you. If you’re reading this you’re likely already pregnant or know someone that is. Congrats! What an exciting time. As you seek out prenatal yoga classes in your area I encourage you to talk with the instructor before class. Find out their training. Do you like their energy? Do they also teach birth prep? Do they have a network of providers that they can recommend? Can they offer you modifications for both prenatal yoga classes and regular group classes?

Here are 5 Benefits of Prenatal Yoga:

  1. Reduced stress and anxiety.
  2. Improved sleep.
  3. Relief from common pregnancy related aches and pains.
  4. Connection with a community of women and your baby.
  5. Improved muscle tone, strength and flexibility.

Contraindicated Yoga Postures During Pregnancy:

  1. Deep twists.
  2. Prone postures (lying on your belly).
  3. Deep backbends.
  4. Inversions.
  5. Lying on your back for a long period of time (savasana).
  6. Standing with legs wide for an extended period of time.

Don’t let this list of contraindicated postures scare you. They can all be modified into a beautiful and fulfilling yoga practice… a practice where you can enjoy all the benefits of prenatal yoga.

I could easily make this list twice as long, but I’d like to keep it short and simple.

Need pregnancy yoga resources or live somewhere where you cannot find a prenatal yoga class? Here are some highly recommendable resources:

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DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

Autumn Adams

Hey yogis,

Kiss that skunky gym mat goodbye! Toss this nice smelling DIY yoga mat cleaner into your gym bag or yoga bag and you’ll never have to smell a stinky yoga mat again… unless it’s REALLY bad. A clean mat will not only last longer, but it will also keep you from getting sick or getting a fungal, bacterial or viral skin infection. I like the DIY version because I can play with the scents and have one for my morning practice and one for my evening practice… think citrus (energizing) vs. lavender (calming). Creating your own yoga mat cleaner from natural ingredients makes it that much easier to maintain a sattvic (pure) lifestyle, beginning to incorporate the principles of sattva into our daily routines (diet, behavior, products we use).

Here is my DIY yoga mat cleaner recipe. Happy cleaning!

body-spray-mat-spray

Ingredients for DIY yoga mat cleaner:

  • Spray bottle
  • Tea tree essential oil
  • Lavender essential oil
  • Witch Hazel or distilled white vinegar
  • Water

Instructions for DIY yoga mat cleaner:

  1. This recipe will be in proportions, since your spray bottle will likely be a different size than the ones that I use.
  2. Fill your spray bottle about 3/4 way with water. Remaining 1/4 with witch hazel or distilled white vinegar.
  3. Add 15 or so drops of tea tree essential oil and 10 or so of your second oil. Feel free to adjust the amounts and remember a little goes along way, so if you’re working with a smaller spray bottle start with fewer drops.
  4. Seal it, shake it up, and toss it in your mat bag with an old wash cloth and you’re good to go.

Why tea tree essential oil? Tea tree oil (melaleuca) is an intense anti-fungal and antimicrobial.

Why lavender essential oil? Lavender is a natural antiseptic and antimicrobial. Lavender is also calming and great for those with sensitive skin.

Don’t like lavender? Try lemongrass, clove bud, eucalyptus, lemon, myrhh, geranium, peppermint/spearmint or patchouli.

If you’d rather just buy a yoga mat cleaner here are a couple natural ones that I recommend:

Nama-Sudz Organic Mat Spray

Manduka Mat Wash

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