These days it’s easy to stress out just about anywhere. The bank where the teller says your account is overdrawn, the dry cleaners that lost your best LBD, the gas station where you forgot to take the nozzle out of your car and you drove off with the hose…and that was just Monday.

That’s why we reached out to David Magone, founder of PranaVayu. This method is designed to lead participants to great heights of physical and mental achievement as quickly as possible. And maybe best of all, David has mastered the practice of taking yoga off the mat and into real life. Check out his ways to de-stress anywhere!

Office: The next time you encounter a difficult person at work, practice Tonglen meditation for five minutes to keep yourself positive and balanced. To begin, imagine that the person’s negative energy was surrounding him/her like a thick cloud of smoke. Breathe in the smoke with a deep inhale, and mentally transform it into positive healing light at the center of your heart. As you exhale, send all of your positive energy back to the person and imagine it as a healing force.

Car: Breath awareness practices can be used to calm your mind when you’re commuting. If you find yourself stuck in traffic or stopped at a traffic light, let go of stress by mentally counting your exhales. Set an initial goal of counting a total of 21 exhales and build up to 108 with practice. When your mind wanders, refocus by drawing awareness back to your breath and begin the count again.

Home: Find a space where you can comfortably lie flat on your back with your arms and legs extended outward away from your sides. Close your eyes, inhale as deeply as you can and hold your breath. As you do this, squeeze all of the muscles in your body as hard as you can. Release all of the tension as you exhale and deeply relax for a few moments afterward. Repeat three times and relax for two to three minutes after the final repetition.

xx, The FabFitFun Team

Posted on February 23, 2012