Yoga Practice to Support Recovery

By Julie Choi

Julie is a counseling intern and graduate student working towards a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at National University. Julie began teaching mindfulness practices in 2003, specializing in the traditional method of Ashtanga Yoga. Like yoga, Julie believes that therapy should be a client-led process that unfolds in a supportive and accepting space in which students can feel safe and free to have their unique and evolving needs responded to with a compassionate and individualized approach.

Come check out Julie’s 5-minute yoga experience and many other events at Health Services’ upcoming Wellness Festival on Thursday, April 11th, from 11 am – 2 pm 

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSUDH), about 1 in every 12 American adults have experience with substance abuse.

Holistic approaches to managing addiction have been shown to counteract the symptoms of addiction as well as to aid in its recovery. Yoga is a complementary practice that is often considered a natural form of medicine, which can be customized to an individual’s unique constitution, attributes, and circumstances.

Whether through a gentle breathing and stillness exercise or a posture-based sequence, yoga can provide effective and sustainable coping mechanisms for the cravings and compulsions typically experienced with substance abuse. In addition, yoga cultivates individuals’ capacity to tolerate the uncomfortable feelings and sensations that can lead to substance abuse. Instead of providing an escape, yoga can empower with the ability to access a peaceful, restorative inner state that integrates the mind and body.

Here are three yoga poses that you can practice if you are experiencing a craving or trigger associated with addiction. Remember to listen to your body with love and acceptance, rather than judgment. Engage slow, even, deep breathing as you move through these poses.

• Vajrasana (Sitting/ Hero’s Pose) – This pose invites deep breathing and stillness into the body. 

• To do: first kneel on the floor with your knees and feet about hip distance apart. Next, sit back on your heels so that your back is upright. 
• You can put a pillow under your buttocks or knees to be comfortable in the position. 
• Relax your shoulders, keep your chest open, and breathe, deeply and slowly to help relax the body and mind.

• Balasana (Child’s Pose) – This pose releases tension in the shoulders and spine. It encourages feelings of safety and protection and eases mental fatigue. 

• To do: begin in Sitting Pose, separating the knees slightly and bringing feet together. Inhale. As you exhale, gently lower your head to the floor in front of your knees. Place your hands, palms up, next to your feet, or stack your hands in front of you and rest your forehead there. Completely relax the neck and shoulders. 
• Hold this position while breathing for as long as you feel comfortable. 
• Use pillows for support under your torso or forehead if you have a tight lower back or stiff hips, knees, or ankles.

• Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) – This pose brings overall relaxation to the body, especially in the legs and feet by relieving pressure. 

• To do: sit on the floor next to a wall, with your knees bent and one hip and side barely touching the wall. Using your hands for support, slowly lie back and swivel your hips so that you can slide both legs up the wall and your buttocks press against it. Place your arms and hands either to the side or over your belly, relaxing through the fingers. Your legs can be straight or bent at the knees. 
• Place a pillow under your head and/or lower back if you like more support. Breathe and relax here for 10-20 minutes. To come out of this pose, lie on your back. inhale and hug your knees into your chest. 
• As you exhale, roll over to one side, and gently press yourself up with your hands, into a comfortable, seated position.

The following mindfulness practices can be similarly supportive in managing the symptoms substance abuse and addiction:

• Be present – bring your focus to this very moment.
• Focus on your breath.
• Body scan – scan your awareness over each part of your body and notice what you are feeling.
• Listen to a guided meditation or visualization.
• Practice stillness – find a comfortable seated position in which you can be still and aware of yourself.
• Walking meditation – go into outside into nature to focus on your steps and breathing.
• Observe your thoughts to challenge negative perceptions and patterns.