You’re waiting at a bus stop. Bus approaches. Bus driver looks at you with that “there-is-no-more-space-for-you-here-and-yes-this-spot-doesn’t-count-ha-ha” look. Bus passes by without stopping. You look around for a rotten vegetable, or at least an egg, but sadly, not even a pebble can be found lying on the ground. You fume on the inside and wish the bus driver some ill-will, like a Redback spider to magically appear under his underwear.

Sounds familiar? Hopefully, not. But many city dwellers today are in a perpetual state of stress. If it’s not trains running late or petrol prices rising, there is always something that’s guaranteed to make your blood boil. Big things, small things: it doesn’t matter. Stress has become a toxic ingredient of day-to-day life.

Triza Monte on yoga at the beach

Triza Monte on yoga at the beach












































But yoga practitioner Triza Monte (pictured) says there are things you can do to ease the pain of city living. It doesn’t cost a cent and comes as natural as, well, breathing. In fact, the simple act of inhaling and exhaling – slowly – can make a big difference to your health and way of life. Here’s her advice.

Yoga Tip. Master the Savasana or the Corpse Pose.

It’s no good following that oft-quoted phrase “you’ll rest when you’re dead” quite literally but you can, and should, spend a few minutes resting like you’re dead, called savasana or the corpse pose.

Step One: First, try to slow down your breath. Turn the senses inward, away from all visual and auditory stimulation. Try to eat or sit in silence and consider turning off your mobile phone.

Step Two: Lay on the floor with your knees bent, slowly inhale, and release both legs flat to the floor. Release the arms to the floor, and turn them outward, stretching them away from the shoulder blades. Rest the backs of the hands on the floor. Stay in this pose for at least five minutes, then slowly sit up (this is the corpse pose).

Easy-peasy, and it only takes up less than 10 minutes of your time. Without getting into the science of it, Triza says that the above approach allows your adrenal glands to function normally and release the right amount of chemicals and hormones to your body.

For example, your adrenal glands release cortisol, a hormone that helps mend the body after longer-term stress situations.

And if you live in a stressful world, says Triza, you could suffer from adrenal exhaustion so the above yoga technique helps it heal naturally.

And next time you’re at a bus stop, bring your own rotten vegetable or egg from home. Or just breathe.

About Triza Monte

Triza is a certified and international yoga teacher. For more info, you can reach her on www.trizayoga.com.

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