5 Poses and Oils for Mood Elevation (Part 1)

This past Monday was a rough one for me. Full of truly raw emotions as I stared at my sink as if it were Mount Everest, the pile of laundry like the Atlantic ocean, and clutter everywhere like a tornado tore through my once clean house. The only person able to put it all back together was me and I didn't feel capable of doing it. Homeschool felt extremely frustrating to me, not my daughter who actually enjoyed our activity for the day. It was also supposed to be blog day for me. I had been meaning to finally finish at least one of the rather large posts I had sitting in my draft section. Some may call it pure laziness, others know it all too well unfortunately. Depression, or even more secretative; postpartum depression. It happens to way too many people and most of us sweep it under the rug. Two pregnancies super close together and way too many hormones is the perfect recipe for postpratum depression. Most people will go through some form of depression at one point, or a few, in their life time. So how do you get over that overwhelming feeling where you would prefer to stay in bed or worse, use substances to make you feel like your overcoming it?

After an extremely rough time in college with the loss of my highschool sweetheart to suicide and my parents brutal divorce, I tried drinking, some other hippie alternatives, and even selling all my crap and moving halfway across the country to deal with it and find myself. I can tell you right now those things do not work. So I turned back to something that got me through high school. Yoga. My postpartum depression is a little more severe since its hormonal so Ive also learned to incorporate essential oils as well. 1. Legs Up the Wall Pose / Viparita Karani & Lavender

If you have experienced depression or anything close you know the hardest part is motivation, so I always start with this pose if the day started out rough. This pose gently stretches the legs, the torso, and the neck. In preparation, find a wall and place your hips as close to the wall as you can. Recline on to your back and stretch your legs up the length of the wall. If you can, move your hips closer to the wall. You can also place a bolster or a block underneath your pelvis. For lavender oil you can either diffuse it or boil water, 3-5 drop of lavender oil, place a rag in the water, and remove the rag. The rag can then be used over your forehead as a steam pack. Or 1 drop in the palm of your hands and inhale deeply and exhale deeply through out the pose. Hold as long as you want!

*If you dont have access to a wall, happy baby is a great alternative pose.

2. Seated Forward Fold / Paschimottanasana & Lavender or Frankincense

Seated forward fold helps stretch the spine and the legs thus creating an awakening. Come to a seated position with your legs straight out infront of you. Engage your thigh muscles and push out through your heels while bringing your toes back towards you. Take a deep a breath in and on your exhalation fold at your hips extending your hands towards your feet, relaxing your head down towards your legs while rounding your spine. If you have experience with those pose try elongating your spine with each exhalation, bringing your body closer to an alignment with your legs, and bringing your hands to your feet. If someone is with you, ask them to assist you by rubbing frankincense essential oil at the base of your back. If not, use the lavender or frankincense oil at the base of your neck. **I have a 9 month old who breatsfeeds like its his job, so part 2 with the rest of the poses will be out next week!**