We know how stressful and uncomfortable travel can be. Sitting in a car, plane or train for hours or even days on end can take a major toll on the mind and body. The good news is that several studies show how yoga can help alleviate some of the physical and emotional discomfort that a lot of us feel before and after traveling. Happy trails!
This week’s featured classes will help you unwind after a long trip, open your hips after being cramped, and help you create “home” wherever you are.
You can use our new Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for Travel classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are designed to help you prep for travel and will help you recover from travel.
- Counteract the Compression of Traveling with Felicia Tomasko: Whether our travels take us across the planet or across the room, travel increases the energy of movement, the quality of the vata dosha, as described by Ayurveda. The antidote is to get grounded. This slow but sweet active practice is focused on grounding, lubricating the joints, counteracting the compression of sitting in a seat for a long time (whether an airplane, car, boat, bus, bicycle, or even a desk chair). We roll through some slow standing grounding poses, sweet half sun salutations and then some lunges paired with twists. Cobra, locust, and even a simple bow pose continue to counteract the compression of traveling. A short savasana helps us reset our connection to our corner of the earth.
- Personal Post-Travel Practice with Darren Rhodes: Darren Rhodes shares his personal post travel practice featuring forward folds, twist, and hip openers. After this practice you will be ready, set, go!
- Post-Travel Survival with Jo Tastula: Just landed from a long trip, or a long week cramped into a small space? This class isn’t about technique or performance… it’s about survival! Reclaiming range of motion and circulation is key for the maintenance of health and vitality. We touch the whole body with rhythmic movement and slow gentle transitions. If you have props, use them for the beginning sequence (blocks, bolster and strap). The legs in particular do get some extra love as we stretch into the hamstrings, hips and quads. Welcome home or happy trails!
- Get Grounded with Harshada Wagner: After travel, or just running around, use this short meditation to bring yourself firmly into the here and now.
- Find Home When Traveling with Marc Holzman: Yoga for Travelers. This 30 minute class can be performed before or after you travel to ground your energy and find your sense of home. Various thigh stretches ending in a delicious wall sequence of headstand, viparita karani, and shoulder stand.
- Unravel Travel Tension with Stephanie Snyder: Been sitting too long on an airplane or in a car? Hips tight? Low back tight? Digestion iffy? This is the sequence for you. A quick unraveling of tension will do the trick, we will encourage deep release and leave you with energy to enjoy your new destination!
