SO many of us are tight in the legs and hips. Often we don't even realise how tight until we are asked to bend over and try and touch our toes. So much of what we do aims to either tighten or weaken the muscles in the legs and hips (think of all that sitting you might do at desks, in cars, on lounges) which then has a huge impact on pulling strongly on our lower back. This sequence will give you more length in your legs and greater freedom and mobility in the hips. It's really important to establish a steady, calm breath rhythm before you begin to use as a foundation for the practice - there are a number of challenging poses - use the breath to stay calm to focus on release rather than resistance. You truly will enjoy the rewards by staying still, and remaining for the duration of the pose.
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Exploring the heart practices is all about softening before we can activate and expand. We protect into this space, protecting our vital organs of the heart and lungs and subconsciously protect our vulnerable emotional heart. As we drop tension from the chest, the rib cage, shoulders and upper back and take expanded breaths into this area, we soften, we open. Something wonderful happens when we come into an expansive heart space - we become more loving and compassionate toward ourselves and others. We realise we don't need to armour into this space, but can live from a place of openness. This sequence focusses on releasing tension from the chest, the ribs, the shoulders and upper back. A yang style pose Camel and a mantra meditation are included to bring more energy into the heart.
See the images for the sequence with more details for each pose given below. The weather is heating up, but you can still do yoga and cool down at the same time. This restorative sequence showcases my favourite prop - the bolster. The bolster can be used in many ways to support your body in various positions allowing for deep release of the muscles, connective tissue and joints. By sinking your weight completely into the bolster and the floor, use your breath to deepen the relaxation throughout your body and mind. If you don't have a bolster, you can use a stack of blankets.
These poses can be done in the order below or choose just a couple to finish your day to help transition into a peaceful evening and a restful sleep. |