As a yoga teacher who has been teaching for three years, there’s a part of me that strives to be a beacon of constant mental and emotional stillness.

The truth is that most days I meet my mat with a painfully anxious head and heart. I worry about money, love, body image, or I judge myself because I don’t feel I’m being anxious enough.

Fortunately, yoga can get me out of my head and into my body in a matter of breaths and a pose or two.

When anxious, I prefer two types of poses:

1.) Challenging, yet accessible standing poses and arm balances.

2.) Stretch-y, bittersweet reclined or seated hip openers and side bends.

I like standing poses and arm balances that are accessible so I can do them safely without struggle, but are also challenging and robust enough that I don’t have the choice but to get out of my head.

Then, I like to balance out the challenge with seated and reclined poses that I can completely stretch and surrender in. Having the support of the floor after the standing poses and arm balances can feel like even ground after a long flight.

Sprinkling in some gentle hamstring, hips, and side bends can be icing on the yoga cake.

Even yoga teachers get stuck in their heads. When you’re looking to get out of yours, come back to your breath and body. Use these poses to help you tap into the stillness of the moment.

Although I recommend a warm up of three Sun Salutation A and B followed by this entire sequence, you can also perform these poses alone with some preparation.

Vashistasana, Side Plank

Vrksasana, Tree pose

Virabhdrasana 1 with forward bend, hands interlaced behind, Humble Warrior

Goddess with eagle arms

Adho Mukha Vrksasana, handstand

Dolphin pose or Pincha Mayurasana, forearm balance

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge) or Urdhva Dhanurasana, Upward Facing Bow

Parivttra Janu Sirsasana, Revolved Head-to-Knee

Supported Baddha Konasana, Bound Angle

Viparita Upavistha Konasana, Wide Angle

Kim is an alignment based vinyasa teacher in San Francisco, California.  Learn more about her at kimsinyoga.com.

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Assist Ed: Olivia Gray
Ed: Brianna Bemel