We all know that our wedding day quite possibly is one of the biggest events in our life. We also know the pressure that faces us that day. How well do you cope with stress? Here is a guide to help you feel relaxed and enjoy the day. I am here to help you invoke and maintain that feeling!
On top of that maintaining a gorgeous figure (let’s be honest, bridal shape is a level up from bikini shape) add this to your daily regimen from the day you read this to the morning of your wedding! Every day! I promise not only will you look and feel beautiful relaxed and glowing you also will embody the body of the ultimate fit bride.
Let’s begin with our breathing- tough day ahead at the office/work? Traffic? Emails? After you come home you need to cook dinner? Who needs to plan a wedding on top of our daily stresses!
BREATHE- Sit down, or lay down. Place one hand on your lower belly and one hand over your heart. Send the breath down to the navel and feel it swell like a balloon. PAUSE (long). Inhale again, this time filling the upper chest. PAUSE (long). Begin to sip in a little more air gliding past the throat. HOLD just 2 beats and EXHAAAAAALEE it all out. DO THIS AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE.
Duration: Continue this wave breathing technique 3-5 times. 1/3 air to the belly 1/3 air to the upper lungs and 1/3 of the air to the back of the throat. As you hold at the top of the inhale mostly likely you will feel your heart beat and pulse, maybe in your wrists, or temples and in your chest, mentally slowwww it down, as you exhale out. Immediatley, you will feel CALM! RENEWED! PEACEFUL! Now you are ready to yoga!
Begin
Cat/Cow – Benefits: Helps continue mindful breathing while waking up the back and preparing us for Down dog. Duration: Continue for 3-4 rounds
Down dog- Benefits: Changes our perspective, increases blood flow to the brain, strengthens and lengthens! Duration: For 3 long inhales and Exhales
Tadasana- Benefits: Moves your mind into mental stillness, Duration 3 long breathes until the mind is quieted. Note: eyes can be closed.
Vinyasa: Benefits: Starts to increase heat in the body and energy flow. Duration: 1 or 2 rounds, steadily increasing closer to the wedding day.
Upward Dog: Benefits: This will open up blocked/surpressed emotions in your heart, this is something that can over time be blocked off due to planning and stress, adding up dog pose will help you on a daily bases open your heart to the world and to your significant other and prepare you for a lifetime of love and happiness ahead. YAY TRUE LOVE!
Warrior II: Benefits: This pose will help build strength focus and confidence, anything your wedding day throws at you, you will be able to handle! Ready Steady and poised you are! Duration 2 long breaths on each leg.
Tree Pose: Benefits: Balance! Your life may feel out of balance as you lead up to the big day (given all that you have to do and plan for) Duration: 3 long breathes on each leg.
Tree pose will keep you rooted into the earth as you reach up towards the sun, adding a balancing pose helps bring balance into the body and harmony into the mind, it is great to bring into your daily practice as the benefits are very helpful in the final meditation.
Temple pose: Benefits: Hip opener, releases anger, tension and memories
Invoke the inner goddess in you! Nobody wants a wedding night with stiff hips. NOBODY!
Cool down:
Forward fold: Benefits: Cooling and elongating the back of the legs and spine, this can be done sitting down as well. Duration: 1 minute
Sometimes this can appear very confrontational as it may not be that easy to do or feel that nice, however this in itself is a good lesson for you to face that confrontation and practice surrender. As you breathe into the forward fold with each exhale try to relax a little deeper and surrender a little more. Ultimately we learn in life there is hardly anything we can control except how we react to things.
Savasana- final meditation
Lay back on to the ground in corpse pose. Here you are supported by the gravity of the earth. Again letting go of the days worry, future anxieties and past depressions. Imagine your concsciounesss is like a rock floating down the clear waters of your mind, sinking into the darker depths. Observe your thoughts as they pass you by. Lay there for as long or as little as you like. Asking the universe to present all knowing truths and answers to anything you may inquire.
Continue this yoga routine as a part of your daily wake up, or mid day, or evening discipline to help you achieve a blissful mind set and a beautiful toned body. Best of luck on your wedding day brides!
Namaste!
Spiritual It Girl
Kyle Elizabeth Lardner