Simhasana (Lion’s Breath)
Begin in a cross-legged seat on your yoga mat. If your knees are higher than your hips in your seat, sit on the edge of a folded blanket, a cushion, or a block. Begin to become aware of your breathing and notice the spaces of your body that feel tense. Take a few rounds of normal breaths in and out through your nose. To begin Lion’s Breath, take a full inhale through your nose. As you exhale, gaze to your nose and stick your tongue out as you make a “HA” sound. Imagine all the anger and tension in your body flowing out your lips when you breathe out. Take a normal breath in and out your nose before beginning your next round of Lion’s Breath. After completing 3 rounds of Lion’s Breath, change the cross of your legs and take 3 more rounds.
Sun Salutations
Maintain awareness of your breath as you warm your body up with Sun Salutations. Move through 3-5 rounds of Surya Namaskar A, followed by 3-5 rounds of Surya Namaskar B. Take these rounds of Sun Salutations as fast or as slow as you need to and modify the Vinyasas to suit your body’s needs. Keep a steady awareness of your breath as you mindfully move through each round. After completing your final round, come to Tadasana (Mountain Pose) at the front of your mat.
Utkata Konasana Garudasana (Goddess Pose with eagle arms)
From Mountain Pose, step your right foot toward the back of your mat, and pivot toward the right to face toward the long edge of your mat. Bend both of your knees and sink your hips down into Goddess Pose. Look down to see that your knees are facing in the same direction as your toes and that your ankles are stacked underneath both of your knees. Feel that your pelvis is in neutral and your ribcage is centered above your hips. Wrap your right arm underneath your left for eagle arms or wrap your right arm under your left for a hug of your hands on your shoulder blades if eagle arms are too tight. Stay low in Goddess Pose as you start to rock a few inches toward the right and left. Keep rocking and take 3 rounds of Lion’s Breath. Straighten your legs before repeating 3 more cycles of Lion’s Breath with your left arm underneath your right for eagle arms.
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Straddle Fold)
From Goddess Pose, straighten your legs and fold forward. Dial your toes in so that the pinky edges of both of your feet are parallel to the short edge of your mat. Keep a bend in your knees if your hamstrings are tight and interlace your hands around the back of your head. Keep your elbows hugging in toward your ears and softly sway from side to side. Imagine all of your stress and anger melting from your pelvis, down your spine, through the crown of your head, and onto the earth. Stay for at least 6 full breaths before grounding through both legs to roll up to standing one vertebra at a time.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
From standing, make your way into Child’s Pose on your mat. Bring your knees wide apart so that your torso can rest between both of your thighs. If your forehead doesn’t touch your mat, take at least one block underneath your forehead and adjust the block so that your brow line rests on its edge. Gently begin to rock your head from side to side. Imagine all of your anger and stress melting toward the earth as you massage tension out of your brow line. Rest in Child’s Pose for 5 minutes.
Prone Savasana
From child’s pose, slide your block out of the way to slither onto your belly. Stack your hands on top of one another and rest your forehead on the pillow you’ve created with your hands. Take any final fidgets or movements that would allow the remaining tension to dissipate from your body, and when you feel complete, make your way to stillness in a prone Savasana. Stay in stillness and rest deeply for 5-7 minutes.
By connecting to your breath and body, you can begin to digest and release the anger that you’re holding in your mind.
Image Credit: Lacey Gibson
