With the holiday season in full swing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Though our bodies crave rest and slower rhythms during winter, our calendars often demand the opposite—leaving us drained by January.
The good news: you already have what you need to reset your stress response—your body, breath, and boundaries. It’s okay to say no or set time limits to protect your peace and your family’s.
On the following pages, the teachers at Resilient Soul Yoga share some of their favorite practices for finding calm amid the holiday rush.
1. Three Part Breath
Three-Part Breath, also known as Durga Breath, is a calming pranayama that teaches full, mindful breathing. By inhaling through the nose to fill the low belly, ribs, and chest, then releasing slowly through the nose, this practice grounds the mind and soothes the nervous system. It’s a simple yet powerful way to return to presence, balance, and ease—anytime, anywhere.
2. Supported Fish Pose
Supported Fish Pose gently opens the chest, heart, and throat while lengthening the front body. Resting over props allows deep relaxation and easier breathing, countering the effects of slouching and screen time. This restorative pose calms the nervous system, improves posture, and invites a sense of spaciousness, openness, and ease throughout the body and mind.
3. Seated Forward Fold
Sit tall with legs crossed or extended in front of you. Inhale to lengthen your spine, then exhale as you hinge from the hips, folding forward. Let your hands rest on your shins, feet, or the floor. Breathe deeply, softening through the back body. Calms the mind, stretches the back, and releases tension.
4. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose is a deeply restorative posture that soothes the body and mind. Lie on your back with legs extended up a wall or resting on a chair. Relax your arms at your sides, palms up, and breathe slowly through your nose for several minutes. This gentle inversion reduces anxiety, supports circulation, and invites calm and renewal.
To help keep the season sacred, Practice the Loving Kindness Meditation -- a form of the Buddhist Metta meditation
Start by holding a vision of yourself in your mind’s eye, and repeat:
May you be happy
May you be well
May you be safe
May you be at peace
Then hold a vision of a loved one, then an acquaintance, then someone with whom you have difficulty, then the whole world. It is a great practice to start or end your day.
Take it to the streets: Try it when you are stuck in traffic, waiting in line at a store, with a relative you find challenging, etc.