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THE RESILIENCE FORMULA
Resilience isn’t just about pushing through a challenge – it’s about meeting them head-on and then being able to come back down after. It’s your ability to regulate your nervous system’s response to physical or mental stress. Stress is not all bad – it helps train the nervous system to adapt, motivates us to start our day, and drives productivity. While short periods of manageable stress are a natural part of life, chronic or unmanaged stress can lead to inflammation and disrupted sleep.
When stress takes over, the brain shifts into ‘bottom-up’ emotional regulation, where the amygdala – our internal alarm system – goes into overdrive, leading to impulsive decisions. In contrast, when we’re calmer, ‘top-down’ regulation takes the lead, allowing the prefrontal cortex – the thinking brain – to make more thoughtful choices. Just like a muscle, the nervous system can be trained through repetition to recover after stress and strengthen ‘top-down’ responses, fostering better emotional balance and decision-making
In the cycle of physical and mental stress, the recovery phase is where growth occurs – this is when you become stronger and more adaptable to life’s demands. As Tiffany Cruikshank of Yoga Medicine advises, “To feel and perform better, you must prioritise relaxation.” This balance between stress and recovery is the key to building resilience: stress + recovery = positive adaptation.
By applying this formula both in yoga and in daily life, we can train the nervous system to rise to a challenge and return to a state of calm. Just like a dimmer switch, learning to regulate between stimulation and relaxation prevents the body from getting stuck in a constant state of high stress or low energy, promoting long-term resilience and well-being.
BUILDING RESILIENCE WITH YOGA
Incorporating small doses of both stimulating and recovery practices into your yoga routine creates manageable cycles of stress and recovery. This not only builds resilience but also enhances your ability to handle stress in daily life.
You can introduce stimulating elements through strengthening poses, balance drills, eccentric movements, isometric holds, and slow, controlled flows. Then, balance these with recovery practices such as gentle flow, exhale-focused breathwork, myofascial release (MFR) self-massage, meditation, and yin or restorative poses. By alternating between stimulating and relaxation, you train your nervous system to adapt more effectively, fostering long-term resilience and well-being.
In daily life, it’s essential to have a personal toolkit of recovery practices to support resilience. Your active recovery might include restorative yoga, meditation, myofascial release (MFR), gentle stretching, breathwork, short naps (before 3 PM), or spending time in nature. These intentional practices allow your nervous system to truly reset. On the other hand, inactive recovery – such as watching TV, reading, scrolling through social media, or other screen time – still involves some level of stimulation and doesn’t provide the same restorative benefits.
I encourage you to create your own resilience formula by identifying activities that challenge you and listing your favorite active recovery practices. True resilience comes from a well-rounded approach that includes quality sleep, proper nutrition, hydration, movement, time in nature, and meaningful social connections.
EXPLORING BUILDING RESILIENCE IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence combines challenging poses with recovery. It starts with one of the best MFR techniques for stress and tension relief – the shoulders. The first row has a progression of mini flows that gets more challenging followed by a propped Malasana/Squat to recover. Rows two and three are the two standing flows which incorporate core and balancing challenges. You will step your right leg forward first then repeat the flow with the left leg forward. You can repeat these flows two to three times depending on how challenging you want your practice to be and how long you want to practice for. Row four has two more core mini flows and a breather in Apanasana/Knee to Chest. This is followed by two more MFR techniques on the hips and glutes – the perfect way to recover the hips. Finally you will finish with a short seated pranayama practice.
ALIGNMENT CUES
Below are the MFR and pranayama techniques used in this sequence. The props you’ll need are:
2 x MFR balls - or 2 tennis balls.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 thick similar sized dictionaries.
MFR
No.1 - Shoulders (trapezius & supraspinatus)
Compression - from supine with knees bent, place 2 x balls in the centre of each upper shoulder, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly circle arms overhead and back to the ground x 5.
No.2 - Hips (gluteus medius)
Compression - from side lying up on your forearm, stack 2 x balls behind your frontal hip bone on your outer hip, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly lift and lower your leg x 5.
Roll & cross fibre - roll up and down on your outer hip.
No.3 - Glutes (gluteus maximus & piriformis)
Compression - from supine with knees bent, place 2 x balls in the centre of each buttock muscle, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly lift and lower one knee at a time towards your chest x 5. Place your right foot on your left knee and lower and lift your right knee.
Roll & cross fibre - roll around the whole buttocks area.
Pranayama
Sit in supported Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle or your preferred seated position. Inhale for the count of 4, exhale for the count of 4, pause for the count of 2 x 3 rounds. Inhale for the count of 5, exhale for the count of 5, pause for 4 x 3 rounds. Inhale for the count of 6, exhale for the count of 6, pause for 6 x 3 rounds.
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Ruth Delahunty Yogaru