Photo credit: Leslie Schweitzer via Flickr
“Downward facing cat. Nailed it.”
There are many yoga poses that individually can be helpful, but an integrated, regular yoga practice, including meditation, can reconnect you with your true essence and your inherent wholeness. In that space of “being,” there is a release of attachment to our worries, problems, fears, or circumstances.
Here are five poses that can specifically help with depression. Try alone or with your teen(s):
Forward fold (Uttanasana). In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says about Uttanasana, “Any depression felt in the mind is removed if one holds the pose for two minutes or more.”
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana). This seated forward fold is calming for the mind, stretches the hamstrings and groin, and stimulates the liver and kidneys.
Cobra (Bhujangasana). This back bend can be done in stages. It expands the chest and gives elasticity to the lungs.
Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) . Bridge pose is a back bend that strengthens the legs, opens the chest, and stimulates the abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid. Supported bridge, done with a block under your sacrum, is a nourishing restorative version.
Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana). Sirsasana is called the “king of all asanas.” Inversions turn your world upside down and give your brain cells a fresh supply of blood. Attention and presence are essential in this pose and thus a great way to pause your thoughts and renew your perspective. Restorative versions of sirsasansa, done with props, are an option as well.
Have you tried other yoga positions with your child to help with depression? Let us know!