Finding peace in the holiday season

As we navigate our way through the tail end of the festive season, with another New Year done and dusted, it is helpful to take time for the things that restore a little calm to our lives.

Christmas shopping, long drives to catch up with loved ones and New Year’s Eve celebrations can make for a frantic end to the year.

The downside to this is it can leave us feeling exhausted as we head into 2022, rather than energised for January 1 and a fresh beginning to the new calendar year.

To combat this, we consulted the team at Yogi Peace Club who put together some helpful tips to bring peace to your life during the holiday season and beyond.

Here is their advice:

BREATHE

Feeling stressed?

Try this box breathing technique …

Breathe in counting slowly to four. Feel the air enter your lungs.
Hold your breath for four seconds.
Slowly exhale through your mouth for four seconds.
Repeat three to four times or until you feel re-centred.

POSE

Take a minute and find somewhere quiet to fold in a ‘child’s pose’, a yoga pose known to quieten the nervous system, ease stress and calm the mind. Child’s pose may also be referred to by its Sanksrit name, balasana. (For those new to yoga, yogapedia.com describes the child’s pose as “a resting pose in which the yogi begins by sitting back on the heels with the knees hip-width apart and the palms on the thighs. The torso is then lowered toward the thighs while the arms stretch overhead and the forehead and palms rest on the floor. Finally, the arms are brought back to the sides, palms facing up. The practitioner should relax the shoulders and neck and breathe through the nostrils while holding the pose for one to two minutes or as long as it is comfortable”).

BE GRATEFUL

Think of three small things that you’re grateful for, like your morning coffee or a lovely sunrise.
Think of three big things that you’re grateful for, like being able to see your family.
Now think of three things you’re truly proud of.

Take a moment to feel all the gratitude and pride all through your body.

DANCE

Even a minute of dancing can improve your mood, calm your nervous system and relax you. So go on, put on your favourite song and have a little boogie.