9 Yoga tips for train commuters

Make sure that you carry water and that you drink it.  Most people are walking around completely dehydrated.  Dehydration results in bad moods, headaches, tiredness, dry skin and a few other delights. Why not treat yourself to a better state of body/mind?.  And by the way, if you think that would cost you, this article in the NY Times says that in most US cities tap water is as good as the expensive bottled stuff, so you could bring your own water and feel in tune with the environment while saving a few dollars.

As you seat on the train, see if you can straighten your back, not causing extra effort, but simply extending it and relaxing it.  Roll your shoulders back and let the tension in the neck go.  As per the legs, it is better to have both planted on the floor rather than crossed, at least in the beginning, or for as long as you can.  

After the ticket has been offered to the conductor and you have had a moment to settle on your seat, see if there is a nostril that is more active than another one.  If your right nostril is overly active you will be more successful at mental intensive activities like reading, games or even an intense yoga practice!, if your left nostril is more active you will feel more at home creating or coming up with new ideas, or perhaps dozing off.

A modified Pranayama preparation called Nadi Shodhana is an excellent exercise that will have a soothing effect on your nervous system and will also help you find your center. 

Cover your right nostril and exhale out of your left for four counts, then, still with the right nostril covered breath in through the left for four counts.  Now block your right nostril and exhale for four counts with the right, then breath in (through the right one) for four counts.  Continue alternating the breathing for as long as you can.  Feel your center.

When I was working at a high stress job in New York city a few years ago,  I used to practice this breathing exercise for at least three minute before each of those aggressively charged meetings, and I found that they let me think before speaking and propose efficient solutions rather than react to emotions. 

Now that you are hopefully a little more centered, let the tension in the neck go by synchronizing your breathing with a gentle turning of your neck.

I am always surprised to notice in the Grand Central terminal of NYC how many people a) walk with a noticeable amount of tension in their shoulders and b) tend to have one shoulder much higher than the other because they carry a heavy bag on that side.  The neck is a portal for how the body will feel, it is important to let the energy flow in and around it.

As you gently roll your head, pay special attention, do not force it, it is not a competition to see how far your head can go, just let it go to where it will.  Circle it to the right and then to the left.  Then roll the shoulders towards the front and towards the back a few times.  Remember to breath.

Perhaps doing a full sun salutation would categorize you as “that weird passenger” in the mind of your fellow commuters, but you can pretend to be yawning and straighten your arms as far up as you can.  Within the disguise of the yawn nobody will notice that you are actually breathing in as you send your arms to the roof and breathing out as you slowly bring them back down.

I also happen to think that yawning is an asana, a yoga exercise, which never made it into the books simply because it happens in its own terms, but yawning relaxes your jaws (which after the neck, hold an enormous amount of tension) and makes you breath deep. 

If there is a little room around you (as in no passenger next to you), you can venture into a few gentle twists.  These subtle but powerful turnings provide deep spine release when done with awareness, and reinvigorate the nervous system.  They can also aid with digestion and smooth any constipation issues you may be having.

Place your right hand behind your bottom and pushing through it straighten your back on the inhale, then on the exhale twist (do not force the twist, go only to where you can go comfortably).  Then again breath in and straighten the back, and on the exhale twist a little more.  Repeat three more times, every time reaching a little more in your twist.  Do not force.  Once you are done with the right side try it on the left side.

Avoid twisting if you happened to just have had a big meal.

8.- Take in the beauty, and if you are lucky, fall into meditation

Maybe not in every case, but during a one hour commute it is likely that you will pass an inspiring sight, perhaps a field, or a river, or maybe a park, or a lake or pond.  Whenever I commute I long for these moments where I can take a look at nature.  It is inspiring to find beauty in a bird flying over a pond,  a family of ducks swimming together, or children playing in a park.  These sights produce instant inner smiles.  An inner smile could be used as a doorway to closing your eyes and bringing your attention to the breath.  Feeling it as it enters your nostrils and as then as it exits.  Meditation may or may not happen, but bringing silence and awareness to the breath is a very good beginning.

9.- Feel gratitude

It is easy to forget that if we are on a train it probably means we have means to buy a ticket, we probably ate, we likely have a home, and will be seeing someone we love soon.  Cultivating gratitude every day is a sure way to bring more of the good stuff into our lives, just noticing how lucky we are to be alive, and silently saying “thank you”, is a mind altering experience. 

So next time you find yourself on a train after a long day of work or in preparation for meetings, give these tips a try and feel the positive effects.