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february / march 2018yogajournal.com.sgA sequence to
stay grounded & present
By Sesa O’Connor
WHETHER IT’S A big
deadline at work, relationship
issues, holiday season
busyness, or some other
stressor, life can certainly
present challenges that
turn on our fight-or-flight
response. This instinctual
physiological stress response
can serve us well in life-
threatening situations. (To
wit: the oft-cited running-
from-a-tiger scenario.) Yet
these days, even stressors
that aren’t life-threatening
can switch on our fight-or-
flight mode—and we stay in
this heightened stress state
because we can’t physically
run away from things like
deadlines or soaring daycare
costs. The result? We
become reactive rather than
responsive, and our overall
mental and physical health
takes a hit. Enter this strong,
balanced sequence, designed
to ground you even as life’s
craziness swirls around you.1 TADASANA Mountain Pose
Stand with your big toes touching and
heels slightly apart. Lift your chest and roll your
shoulders down your back, palms forward. Finish
by adding the slightest tuck to the chin (Jalandhara
Bandha) and lengthen the crown of your head
toward the sky. Find your Ujjayi Pranayama by
breathing in and out through your nose while
constricting your throat. Stay here for 5–10 breaths.2 GARUDASANA Eagle Pose
Reach your arms straight forward and then cross
your right elbow under the left, bringing your fore-
arms up and twisting through the wrists so your
palms meet. Lift your elbows so they’re in line with
your shoulders, and pull your forearms forward as
you glide your shoulders down the back. Shift your
weight onto your right leg, and then inhale your
left leg high up and over your right leg, wrapping
your foot around the outer edge of your right calf.
Then, sit down as deeply as you can. Stay here for
5–10 breaths.3 URDHVA PRASARITA EKAPADASANA
Standing Splits with Eagle Arms
Keep your arms as they are and slowly unwrap
your left leg, floating it up toward the sky. Fold
your torso down and dip your bound arms
toward the earth. Spin your outer left hip down
toward the mat to keep your hips square to the
earth, and keep your left foot active by pointing
through the ball mound of your foot as it lifts
upward. Find a focal point a few inches in front of
you and stay here for 5–10 breaths.4 ANJANEYASANA
Low Lunge with Eagle Arms
Keep your arms as they are and bend your
standing leg, stepping your left leg way back and
landing on your toes. Lift your chest and then
bend into your back knee, sinking your front hip
forward and down. Move toward a 90-degree
angle in your front leg. Engage your abs as you
move your left thighbone skyward, moving your
back leg toward straight. Then, begin to pull your
Eagle Arms forward and up so that your forearms
and elbows point toward the sky. Stay here for
PHOTOS: PAUL MILLER; MODEL: SESA O’CONNOR; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH WALKER; TOP: ALO; BRA AND BOTTOMS: LULULEMON 5–10 breaths.
HOME PRACTICE
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