Hello April,

This month is Stress Awareness Month and right on time for making decisions about schools, summer plans, or spring cleaning.  Amidst these challenges, yoga becomes a great way to recognize and manage stress.

Sometimes we are aware of the pressures of life, but other times we believe our life to be free of outside stressors, and thus, our outbursts surprise us. This is when, slowing down in a yoga practice offers an opportunity to discern where stress resides within our bodies. While some people may prefer intensifying workouts to release pent-up emotions, if the source of the stress isn’t addressed, outside pressure will become internal pressure, no matter how long they run. Instead, in yoga poses, we direct our attention to areas of strain or intense effort, identifying where pressure accumulates. Where we feel strain or intense effort is where there is more pressure. By identifying and alleviating this pressure, we cultivate the ability to manage the impact of stress on our well-being.

Another indicator of stress lies in our eyes. As a dominant sense organ, our eyes naturally follow action and movement, constantly relaying information to the brain. We have created a world with a constant stream of stimuli from sports, video games, shows, and reading, just to name a few, and moments of stillness for our gaze are rare. However, during yoga practice, our eyes assume a passive and steady gaze, allowing us to turn inward. By observing any overactive movement of the eyes and consciously settling our gaze on a single point, even for just one minute, we can quiet the restless mind and ease tension in the body.

Ultimately, freeing ourselves from stressors opens a path to experiencing contentment, the second niyama (individual attitude) of the Yoga Sutras. You are going to feel pressured by life. Identifying the source and reducing it is the key to living with stress.