Feeling tense? Let’s stretch that stress away 🌿
Hello Beautiful Souls,
September often feels like the real start of the year, doesn’t it? Back to work, back to schedules, and suddenly boom — we’re rushing again. But what if this September we do it differently? What if, instead of jumping into the whirlwind, we anchor ourselves into calm?
To me, there’s only one thing that has truly worked: gentle, slow yoga. I’m talking about holding postures not for 5 or 8 breaths… but for at least 1 minute, sometimes longer. Yes, you read that right — minutes. This isn’t about pushing, pulling, or sweating; it’s about training your nervous system to slow down.
Let’s talk about why this works — and why it’s so important.
The Science of Stress & Calm: Meet Your Nervous System
Your nervous system has two main settings:
Sympathetic nervous system — also called the “fight or flight” mode. This is when your body prepares to react: your heart rate increases, muscles tense, stress hormones like cortisol rise. It’s great if you’re running from a tiger, but not so helpful if you’re just answering emails.
Parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” mode. This is your body’s repair and recovery system: heart rate slows, digestion improves, your mind softens, and deep healing becomes possible.
Most of us live predominantly in sympathetic mode (too much coffee, too many to-dos, too much scrolling). Slow yoga is a way to press the switch and move into parasympathetic mode — to tell your body: “We’re safe. You can relax now.”
The Vagus Nerve — Your Inner Calm Button
Enter the vagus nerve, one of the most important nerves in the body and a major highway of the parasympathetic system. It connects your brain to your heart, lungs, gut — and influences everything from digestion to emotional balance.
When you hold gentle yoga postures, breathe slowly, and soften into stillness, you actually stimulate the vagus nerve. This increases your vagal tone, which is linked to:
Better stress resilience
Lower anxiety
Reduced inflammation
Improved mood and emotional balance
In other words: the more you activate the vagus nerve, the better your body gets at calming itself — naturally.
So, How Do We Do This?
Here are a few yoga postures perfect to “switch on” your calm mode:
Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose) – Perfect for opening the hips, softening tension, and letting your breath deepen naturally.
Supported Child’s Pose – Gently folds you in, signaling safety and release to the nervous system.
Legs Up the Wall – A classic inversion that helps circulate blood, calm the mind, and soothe fatigue.
Reclined Twist – Wonderful for unwinding both body and mind, releasing what’s “stuck” emotionally and physically.
Remember: the magic happens not in the shape but in the stillness and time. Settle into each pose for at least 1 minute, breathe softly, and let your body melt into safety. Over time, you can explore staying longer if it feels good. It’s like giving your brain a spa day without leaving your mat.
Your Invitation
This September, I invite you to experiment with slowing down. One pose, one minute, quiet breath. That’s it.
Because healing, balance, peace — they don’t always come from doing more. Sometimes, they come from finally doing less.
With calm breath and a happy vagus nerve,
Audrey