5 Yoga Moves to Help with Your Recovery

Yoga has been widely used to help with physical and psychological issues and provides many benefits. When it comes to drug and alcohol abuse, here are five positions that are great for yoga and addiction recovery.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana): In this pose you will kneel on the floor with your toes together and heels apart. Gently lower your head to the floor, exhaling as you go. Place your hands at your sides, palms up, with your head resting on the floor or on a pillow in front of your knees. This pose helps release tension in the shoulder area and is a good resting stretch.
2. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana): For this pose, you will sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Sit up straight, and then bend at the hips, lowering your chest toward your knees. Hold the pose where you can reach comfortably, breathing as you hold it. This pose helps stretch the legs and back, and helps promote a feeling of calmness.
3. Butterfly (Baddha Konasana): Sit on the floor with your knees out to the side and the bottoms of your feet pulled together in front of you. Exhale as you slowly lean forward and gently press your knees toward the floor. The Butterfly pose helps stretch and open the pelvis and hips and relieves fatigue.
4. Legs-up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): For this yoga pose, you will sit on the floor near a wall, and put your feet up on the wall. Relax your arms at your side and slowly straighten your legs up toward the ceiling, breathing as you stretch. This pose promotes relaxation of the legs and the mind.
5. Little Boat Hugging Knees (Apanasana): This pose invites you to lie on your back and bring your knees up toward your chest. Wrap your arms around your knees, hugging them towards yourself. Breathe as you hold this position. This pose stretches the lower back and spine, and promotes a feeling of security.

These are just a few of the many poses that can be used for yoga and addiction recovery. Once you have succeeded at these simple poses, consider learning and practicing more poses for relaxation, meditation, focus, and building strength.

What are your tips for making amends? Let us know on Facebook! If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call us at (877) 959-5909.