Happy Thanksgiving to all you beautiful Prime Women!
Tis the season of hustle and bustle of shopping, trying to meet work deadlines, booking travel plans, preparing holiday food menus and of course, all the fabulous get-togethers with so much glorious food. Is it any wonder that we find ourselves a little stressed out? I can always count on the holidays to start getting many emails asking for help finding easy yoga poses that will help relax and stretch tired muscles. So this month, I have put together a small flow of 3 poses that can be done together or separately.
* Child’s Pose (Balasana) gently stretches the hips, thighs and ankles. Relieves back and neck pain when done with head and torso supported.
* Dog Tilt/Cow Pose (Bitilasana) stretches the front torso and neck and also provides a gentle massage to the spine and belly organs.
* Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) stretches the back torso and neck and also provides a gentle massage to the spine and belly organs.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
1. Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips.
2. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.
3. Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders towards the floor. Feel how the weight of the front shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back.
4. Balasana is a relaxing pose, so you can stay anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes.
*Slowly inhale. On the next exhale, start to gently push yourself up onto all fours (Table Pose) to transition into the next pose.
Dog Tilt/Cow Pose (Bitilasana)
1. From Table pose, inhale and reach the tailbone up towards the ceiling, arching the spine and letting the belly drop down.
2. Spread the fingers wide apart and press the palms into the floor. Drop the shoulders down from the ears and reach the crown of the head up towards the ceiling. Look up as high as you can towards the ceiling without straining.
3. Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths.
*Now, transition gently into Cat Pose (Marjaryasana).
Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
1. Still in Table Pose, make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and press firmly downward with your hands in order to stay lifted out of the shoulders. Center your head in a neutral position, with your eyes looking at the floor.
2. As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your shoulders and knees in position. Release your head towards the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest.
3. Inhale, coming back to neutral “tabletop” position on your hands and knees.
*Slowly inhale and on the next exhale, allow yourself to transition back into Child’s Pose (Balasana) or start the flow again.
Always work within your own range of limits and abilities.
If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
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