Yoga for Stress Management

• Play Dead 

Every yoga class ends with ‘corpse pose, a pose designed for deep relaxation. Simply lie on your back with your arms at your side and your eyes closed, breathing deeply.  See how easy it is -- you’ve learned a yoga pose already.

• Let Go of Competitiveness

It can be hard in a class not to look sideways and notice the lithe young thing balancing on one leg while you teeter and flail.  But it’s important to remember that yoga truly is about you.  “The biggest mistake beginners make is having expectations. Yoga is a process and it can be slow.  Let go of competition and judgment,” says Shaw.  “Yoga is supposed to bring us into the present moment. You will find joy in not only the physical movement and mental benefits but in spending time in the now,” Shaw says. “Where else can you get that kind of mental vacation?”

And you don’t even have to send postcards home.