5 Chairasanas for Mental Health
Goddess Pose
(Relieves Stress)
1. Start in Sitting Mountain
2. Walk legs out to sides
3. Hands to hips, shoulders or raise elbows in line with shoulders making a cactus shape with arms
4. Join index and thumbtips together
Bound Angle Pose
(Relieves Anxiety)
1. Start in Sitting Mountain
2. Bring feet together and drop knees to the sides, rolling onto sides of ankles
3. Fold forward from the hips, taking hands to hips, thighs or down towards feet.
Fish Pose
(Relieves Depression)
1. Start in Sitting Mountain
2. Walk legs out together in front
3. Draw shoulder blades closer, lifting sternum.
4. Take hands to hips, lower back or back of the chair
5. Raise chin slightly and look to where the roof and wall meet
Seated Forward Fold
(Relieves Insomnia)
1. Start in Sitting Mountain
2. Lengthen legs and ground heels, pulling toes back. Knees slightly bent.
3. Fold forward from hips, keeping spine long
4. Take hands to hips, thighs or down towards feet
Dirga Pranayama
(Improves breath capacity, calms the mind)
1. Start in Sitting Mountain
2. Inhale and exhale a few times
3. Inhale breathing into the belly first, then the ribs, then the chest
4. Exhale from the belly first, then the ribs, then the chest
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Tip: You can also use your hands on the respective body parts to encourage breath flow to that area. eg. 1 breath in and out hands on belly, 1 breath in and out hands on side ribs, 1 breath in and out hands near collarbones.