By Charlotte Dodson
Photography by Louisa Seton
Wearing Tluxe

Stop, revive and survive! Is your body and brain sending you obvious signals that it wants you to chill out, relax and calm down? These hot, pre-silly season days can be stressful and hectic... overwhelming, in fact. The challenge is to find contentment amidst all the stress-inducing activity, and hold that peacefulness within your heart throughout the hussle and bussle of city living. During the day we can take in an avalanche of information, filling our bodies with air and our brains with toxic info-overload.

The best way to release (let go) of your day is to fully exhale, to empty your body of all thought-patterns and emotional triggers. By doing a few yoga moves as part of this breathing exercise, you'll feel rejuvenated and re-focused, enabled to embrace the present moment that we live in with a chilled and relaxed demeanour. As we know (but often find difficult to embody), each moment we live and draw breath is a moment to be cherished and appreciated. Anchoring your mind to the Now, and bringing it into line with the way you breathe, gives you the most powerful tool to live in the present.

You can complete the following as a sequence in this particular order. Notice how you feel before and after your mini yoga session. Throughout the sequence, be fully aware of your movements, and always breathe and move at the same time.

Get it out
This pose works wonders to release any tension held from the day. Stand with your feet one leg distant apart. Toes in slightly, legs active and knees bent.Make a fist with your hands, as you inhale raise your arms up over your head, reaching high; as you swing your arms down through your legs, make a large 'arrrrrrrrrrrrr' sound on your exhale, like you're chopping wood. It's a deep release. Repeat a few times, and add a few more if your day has been stressful.

Shake it away
Sometimes we're holding onto something, whether we realise it or not. To really make sure your day has been left in the past where it belongs, shake it's effects away. Sit in a crossed legged easy posture ('sukasana'), use a cushion and/or the wall, if that's more comfortable. This provides a firm and stable base for the body, as well as keeping your energy centered. Raise your arms up over your head. Keep your spine long and upright. Start shaking your arms, head and shoulders - kindly and fairly steadily - to release the energy from your day. Try this for 10 full breaths or more.

S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E
When was the last time you actually thanked yourself for being you? By just giving yourself a hug, even for a few moments, you'll appreciate yourself and know that you can only do the best that you can do.Remain in a cross legged sitting posture. Wrap your arms across your chest and bow your head down slightly. Keep your spine upright and elongated. Close your eyes and give yourself a squeeze of gratitude, and keep a long natural breath for a minute or longer.

Hang down
Forward bends lengthen your spine, as well as soothe and allow you to turn inwardly.Stand with your feet hip distant apart. From your hips, tilt forward with knees bent to protect your lower back. Hang off your hips, letting your neck, face and eyes be soft.Just let your arms hang down, placing one hand onto each elbow. Press your feet firmly into the floor to stabilise and keep you grounded. Breathe deeply for about a minute. To come up to standing, roll up slowly with knees soft.

Legs up the wall
It's your time, you're away from work, relaxing at home...time to rejuvenate and make the most of being at home.Putting your legs up the wall for just five to 20 mins can put you into a kind space of calm and nurture. This rests your heart and allows you to have a sense of overall harmony.Sit to the side of the wall and swivel your legs up so that you are against the wall. You can keep your knees bent if that's more comfortable and let your legs roll out slightly. Place your hands down by your side, on your belly or across your chest to connect with your heart. Allow your eyes to close and drop your chin down to protect your neck. Let your breath be natural and long, with equal inhale and exhales.

Relaxation
For most of us, to stop and be still is probably the hardest thing in the world to accomplish. This corpse pose (sarvasana) is one of the most important poses in a yoga practice - it's a pose for complete relaxation, keeping your mind on the breath. If your mind wanders, just keep drawing it back to your breathing.

Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs apart and eyes closed. Roll your shoulders away from your ears, head to the centre. Toes are falling out to the sides, legs straight and relaxed with palms facing upward to receive all that you need to bring in. Let every breath deepen as your mind rests on the rhythm of your breathing. Lay in sarvasana for 5-10 mins before rolling out to the right hand side and coming back up into a cross-legged sit. Always give yourself quiet moments to appreciate your life with an aura of grace and gratitude. Namaste.