Yoga has been a part of my self-care for as long as I’ve been a military spouse. I fell in love with yoga around the same time I started dating my husband. It has been one of my constants through underways, deployments, and PCS. As well as through my motherhood journey. I want to share with you some of my favorite poses that can truly be done anywhere, whether you’re a service member on a ship, or a family member in the throes of a PCS or deployment, these are poses that can be done on a plane or train, at a gas station, in an airport or a hotel.
Here are yoga poses you can do anywhere:
Standing Forward Fold
To do this pose you will stand with your feet roughly hips distance apart, wider if you need more space for your body. Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead; exhale as you hinge at your hips and fold your upper body over your lower body, bend your knees as much as you need. Allow your head to hang heavy, if your fingers reach you can let them rest on the ground or you can grab for opposite elbows. This pose stretches the back side of your body, releases neck tension, and offers a perspective change by bringing your head below your heart.
Tree Pose
This is something I often did as a teenager without realizing I was in a yoga pose. In tree pose you stand on one foot, bringing the sole of your other foot to rest on the standing leg. You can place your foot so your tiptoes are still touching the ground, on your calf, or all the way up into your inner thigh. This pose requires you to bring your focus in as you are standing on what foot. When you are in a stressful moment, consider coming to tree pose, imagine roots coming out of your standing foot into the earth, feel your spine long and tall, and bring your full awareness to your breath. Taking a few breaths in a tree pose can help you to feel steady and grounded
Seated Cat Cow
I do this pose almost daily as it is one of my favorite ways to move my body. I have done it in my car after a stressful interaction, I have done it as I wake up in the morning, sitting at the playground with my friends, and many more places. This posture allows you to connect your breath with a subtle, gentle movement. Come to a comfortable seat, feet can be planted on the floor or crossed. Sit with a tall spine, thinking like there’s a string coming out of the top of your head pulling you upright. Hands rest on your knees. As you inhale pull your chest forward and tilt your tailbone up, creating an arch of your spine. Exhale, pull your tailbone under you, round your spine, and tuck your chin. It may help to envision a scared cat. Do a few rounds of this one moving with your breath.
Mountain Pose
This standing posture is a neutral, grounding pose. Standing with your feet about hips width distance apart, feeling your feet firmly planted on the earth. Feel your posture grow tall and strong, crown of the head reaching to the sky, feet sinking into the earth, arms rest comfortably at your side.
These are a few poses that you can take with you anywhere. Whether you’re in a hotel room, on an airplane, in a public transportation station, in your home, at the park, or at work. Taking a few moments to place your body in one or two of these postures can help you to connect the mind and body, which allows your nervous system the opportunity to know that it is safe. It can help your brain to find a moment of peace amidst chaos. Military families lead transient lives and yoga is a practice that you can take with you wherever you go and all you need is your body.