Zarafshan Shiraz, New Delhi
Maintaining a Yoga practice while travelling can be a rewarding and grounding experience as despite the challenges of being on the go, incorporating Yoga into your routine can help alleviate the physical and mental stresses that often accompany travel. Travelling can take a toll on your body and mind but experts suggest using Yoga as a form of self-care to rejuvenate and reset.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa, shared, “Incorporate restorative poses and meditation into your practice to promote relaxation and ensure you’re taking time for yourself amidst the demands of travel.”
He recommended some straightforward and practical tips to ensure you can continue your yoga practice seamlessly on the road –
- Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar): Flow through the Sun Salutation sequence to welcome the warmth of spring. Move through poses like Mountain Pose, Downward Dog, Cobra, and Warrior to create a rhythmic flow. This sequence energizes the body and synchronizes breath with movement, celebrating the vitality of the season.
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Stand tall with your feet grounded, aligning them with your hips. Extend your arms alongside your body, palms facing forward. Feel the stability of a mountain, connecting with the earth beneath you. Inhale deeply, and with each exhale, release any tension, embracing the serenity of the outdoors.
- Tree Pose (Vrikshasana): Find a firm spot and shift your weight to one leg. Place the sole of your other foot on the inner thigh or calf, avoiding the knee. Bring your palms together in front of your chest or extend your arms overhead like branches. Focus on a point ahead to enhance balance, feeling rooted and reaching for the sky.
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): Lie on your stomach, placing your hands beneath your shoulders. Inhale as you lift your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Arch your back and gaze upward, resembling a cobra. Feel the stretch in your spine and chest.
- Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana): Sit with your legs extended, then bring the soles of your feet together. Allow your knees to drop toward the ground, opening your hips. Hold your feet and gently flutter your knees, resembling butterfly wings. This pose encourages flexibility and a sense of openness.
- Child’s Pose (Balasana): Kneel on the ground, sitting back on your heels. Extend your arms forward and lower your chest toward the earth, resting your forehead on the ground. This resting pose promotes relaxation.
- Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): Begin on your hands and knees, tuck your toes, and lift your hips toward the sky. Straighten your legs and press your palms into the ground.
- Mindful Breathing Techniques: Incorporate simple breathing techniques, like Kapal Bhati or equal inhale-exhale counts, to stay connected to your practice even when you don’t have the physical space for elaborate poses. Mindful breathing helps reduce stress, increase focus, and can be practiced discreetly in any environment.
- Healing walk: Lift your arms up keeping them at shoulder width distance. Now, start walking with your arms raised in this position and your hands can be up in the air for 1-3 minutes. Initially this may not be possible as you will have to train the muscles of your arms and shoulders and strengthen them. Build up to 1-3 minutes gradually by starting of with a minute increase and so on until you are physically capable enough with the strength required to hold your arms up for 1-3 minutes straight. One round practice will require you to perform a minimum of three sets of these walks of minimum 1-3 minutes each.
He concluded, “Practicing Yoga while travelling is not only possible but also highly beneficial for maintaining overall well-being. By keeping your practice simple, adaptable and consistent, you can seamlessly integrate Yoga into your travel routine, allowing you to stay grounded and centered, no matter where your adventures take you.”