Going with the flow is often easier said than done. In fact, many of us don’t even fully understand this concept.
In essence, going with the flow involves more than simply kicking back and watching life unfold. It’s about identifying change and molding yourself around it; keeping your roots strong, but adapting to the winds that give your leaves a necessary rustle.
Practicing the following yogic exercises will help you navigate change and become an adaptability boss.
1. Child’s Pose
Image credit: Gordon Ogden
The first step in accepting change is surrendering to it. Child’s pose is a great way to literally bow down, anchor onto mother earth, and adopt a come-what-may attitude.
- Kneel on your mat, tucking your feet underneath the buttocks.
- Bend forward, allowing your forehead to rest on the ground.
- Allow your arms to lie limply at your sides, shoulders relaxed, or you may choose to extend the arms out on either side of the head.
Breathe deeply, creating a steady anchor by soaking up that strong and nurturing earth energy.
2. Warrior II Pose
Image credit: Alissa
Once we accept that change is the only constant, it’s time to go into fierce and fearless warrior mode.
- Stand with legs extended (about four feet apart).
- Raise your arms up to a ‘T’ at shoulder height, palms down.
- Turn your right foot to the right, keeping your left foot in place (so that it’s perpendicular to the right foot).
- Bend through the right knee until it reaches 90 degrees. Gaze over the right fingertips.
Embody your inner warrior, feeling strength and confidence pour through your powerful solar plexus chakra.
3. Upward-Facing Dog Pose
Image credit: Drinie Aguilar
In the midst of profound change, we often feel like burying our heads in the sand. This practice helps us perfect the art of facing the music.
- Lie on your stomach, back straight.
- Place your palms right outside your chest, with elbows bent and shoulder blades reaching towards one another.
- Slowly lift your chest while straightening your arms. Draw the shoulders down and away from the ears.
- Open the chest and gaze forward. If it’s comfortable for you, tilt the head slightly upward.
Enjoy the peace and acceptance that comes with facing change head-on. Always upward!
4. Goddess Pose
Image credit: Alissa
Regardless of our gender, Goddess Pose helps us channel our feminine fluidity and adapt to change in creative and graceful ways.
- Place feet a bit wider than hip-width apart, feet and thighs opened outwards.
- Place arms shoulder-level and bend at the elbows, mimicking “goal-post” arms.
- Drop into a squat, with knees aligned above ankles, back straight and legs strong.
Feel the sacral chakra open and come alive, nurturing you in your transformation and encouraging deep growth.
5. Alternate Nostril Breathing
Deep and conscious breathing is the cornerstone of fluidity and mindful awareness. Alternating the breath clears the mind and invigorates the body, readying it for anything.
- Sit up straight.
- Hold your right hand to the right side of your face, and close your right nostril with your thumb.
- Inhale through your left nostril.
- Pause for a few moments.
- Close the left nostril with your forefinger and release the exhale through the right nostril.
Encourage your mind to clear and your body to become energized as you breathe in the life-giving air. You can take it a step further by incorporating a mantra or affirmation (i.e., “I breathe out fear, I breath in courage.”)
Without change, we risk stagnation. In the face of uncertainty, we can only move forward, surrender to what is, and welcome what is to come!
Image credit: Dan Morgan
