Releasing fear & anger

I gratefully count myself among the many women who have found yoga and meditation to work wonders when it comes to strong emotions such as fear and anger. I think of yoga and meditation as partners, my two best friends, who upon finding me in a drama or trauma, roll up their sleeves and get right into the mess with me. They are loyal friends who help me get out all my "stuff," see it for what it is, then efficiently and effectively help me clean it up and send it on its way. My load lightened, I am left with tons of gratitude and a renewed dedication to my yoga practice. The yoga and meditation exercises in this chapter, and this entire book, serve as a means toward that end.

Kundalini salutations

This set of postures and exercises strengthens and tones the muscles, releases fear and anger, and elevates the consciousness. It is called Kundalini Salutations because it works to awaken the kundalini energy. Once awakened, this energy provides you with the awareness you need to live to your potential.

Upper torso lifts

This pose opens up the meridians of the abdomen, solar plexus, heart center, and throat, which are associated with the navel chakra (seat of power and passion), heart chakra (home of altruistic love and compassion), and the throat chakra (ability to speak truth).

1: Lie on your abdomen with your chin on the ground and interlace your hands behind your back. For wrist problems, try grasping your wrists or a short rope or belt instead.

2: As you inhale, raise your upper torso off the ground as high as possible, using your abdominal, upper chest, and back muscles. Stretch your arms back and up simultaneously, as high as you can without straining. Exhale and relax the body back down with a rolling motion, keeping your hands clasped behind your back.

Rocking bow

This helps regulate a woman's hormones, which play a primary role in her emotional balance. If rocking is difficult, try lifting the body up on the inhale (as in step 4) and relaxing down on the exhale (as in step 5).

1: Lie on your abdomen with your arms at your sides, palms facing upward and chin on the ground.

2: Raise your head up off the ground. Bend your right leg at the knee and reach back with your right hand to grasp the ankle.

3: Bend your left leg at the knee and grab the ankle with your left hand. Keep the legs as close together as possible. If you cannot reach your ankles, loop a belt around your feet and hold onto the two sides of the belt as close to your feet as possible.

4: Inhale and lift your body upward, raising your head, chest, and thighs up off the ground. Create a tension between the straight arms and the legs to stretch up higher without straining. Your elbows remain straight. Use your upper body strength to stretch up. Look straight ahead. Prepare yourself to exhale and rock forward.

5: As you exhale, rock forward so that your head comes down and your thighs lift off the ground as much as possible without you straining.

6: Inhale as you rock back and your chest lifts up. Continue Rocking Bow, counting up to 26, 54, or 108 as you rock. Each forward and backward movement counts as one.

Bowing pose

This pose generates internal heat or tapas from the base of the spine to the base of the neck. As you bow with arms outstretched, the lymph area under the armpits is stimulated. Be aware of touching your third eye point (located between the eyebrows) to the ground as you bow; this creates a natural focal point for the mind.

1: Sit on your heels with a straight spine. Press the palms of your hands together in Prayer pose, then bring them to the center of your chest so that the thumbs are pressing against the breastbone. Inhale deeply in this position.

2: As you exhale, bend forward, and in one smooth motion bring your torso and your hands down to the ground. As you bow with your hands in Prayer pose, slide the outside edges of your hands forward until your arms are stretched out straight and your forehead touches the floor. Perform this pose 26, 54, or 108 times.

Jump around

Jumping your body in this way strengthens your nervous system and releases tension and anxiety. Make sure you have a soft surface underneath you before practicing this exercise. Then have fun with it!

Lie down on your back with your arms at your sides, palms facing downward. Begin to freely jump your body all around. Press your legs and arms against the ground to jump your torso. Move your legs and arms. Move your head and neck from side to side, taking care not Continue for 1—3 minutes.

Sitali cobra

Sitali breath, the Sanskrit name for Cooling breath, cools off anger, soothes the nervous system, and calms anxiety and fear. Coupled with the Cobra pose, it stimulates the pranic flow of energy throughout the spine and torso, distributing vital energy to the entire body and mind.

1: Lie down on your abdomen with your body relaxed. Place your hands on the ground either side of your chest keeping the elbows in close to your sides.

2: As you begin to lift into Cobra pose, inhale using the Sitali breath; extend your tongue and curl the sides upward (inset). Draw cool air in through your rolled tongue as you inhale.

3: At the same time, stretch back into Cobra using your upper chest and abdominal muscles as well as your arms to lift up and curve back.

4: Close your mouth and exhale through your nose return to the ground. Pay special attention to uncurling spine so that your abdomen rests on the floor firs by your upper chest, neck, and then head. Continue up into Cobra using the Sitali breath, then exhale breathing out through the nose.

5: After 1½ minutes relax with your head turned to one side, or come into Child's pose by sitting back on your heels with your forehead on the floor and your arms relaxed by your sides.

Walking meditation

A fun and effective form of meditation can be done by walking in rhythm as you breathe, inhaling to the count of two or four steps and exhaling for the same length of time. Or add a mantra: try chanting Sa Ta Na Ma while pressing your fingers. You may chant silently or out loud. Keep your eyes gazing out in front of you to maintain your meditative state. The yogic science of walking meditation is called Breath walk, and has helped many people reduce stress and increase calmness just by the simple act of walking.

Mantra meditation

In this meditation at the end of the set you learn to direct an internal sound into your chakras using your imagination. The result is that you become more self-aware and in control of your thoughts and actions. Start off with one repetition of the mantra on the held inhalation and exhalation. As you become familiar with this process, try to repeat the mantra three times or more on each inhalation and exhalation.

1: Sit in Easy pose. Straighten the lower vertebrae, lift the chest, and draw the chin slightly in toward the neck to bring the cervical vertebrae in line with the spine. Rest your hands on your knees in passive Gyan Mudra, first finger and thumb touching and the other fingers extended but relaxed. Close your eyes.

2: Inhale deeply and hold your breath. Mentally chant the mantra Har Har Wahe Guru: pull your navel slightly toward your spine and upward as you mentally sound Har (rhymes with "car") at your navel point, then sound Har at your heart center Mentally project the sound Wa ("la") at your throat center then He ("hey") at your brow point, or intuitive center Finally, imagine the sound Guru ("gu-roo") at the top of your head.

3: Repeat the mantra mentally as many times as you can on the held inhalation, then exhale and hold the breath out, repeating the same process. Continue for 11 minutes.

Pranayama to expel negativity and disease

This pranayama, or breathing exercise, uses the circle breath, which cleanses out whatever is the root of the problem within you. It has a purgative effect, ridding your body of disease and your mind of anger, sorrow, and fear. On the four-part inhalation, your lungs will fill in one continuous motion as follows: On the initial part of the inhalation, the lowest part of the lungs are filled and the abdomen expands outward.

On the second part, the lower rib cage expands. On the third, the chest begins to expand. On the last part of the inhalation, the top of the chest is filled with the breath and the throat and shoulders feel an expansion.

1: Sit up straight in Easy pose. Bend your right arm up at the elbow and bring it close to the side of your body with your open palm facing forward, as though you are taking an oath. Then raise your left arm with the elbow bent, and bring the forearm round in front of the chest, parallel to the ground, with the fingers straight and the palm facing down. Keep your eyes closed. Form an "o" shape with your mouth and begin to inhale powerfully and deeply in four distinct parts. Then exhale with one long breath. Continue for 11—22 minutes.

2: To end the pranayama, inhale as deeply as you can, relaxing your diaphragm and opening up the chest cavity. Hold your breath and stretch your arms up straight and as high possible, with your fingers spread wide and as tight as steel. Stretch your entire spine upward. Exhale strongly through the mouth like a firing cannon. Repeat two more times, then relax.

People who do breathing exercises will have the capacity for very long breaths. They will have extra prana.... If prana is less in you, then you are less in you." Yogi Bhajan