The Relaxation Challenge: Jan 2016

Relaxation Challenge: Jan 2016

Check here each week for new approaches for relaxation – all month long.

Given the remarkably busy times in which we all live, one of the great benefits of yoga is the calm it creates inside the mind. Yet we do not always have time or space (physical or mental) at home to do a full session of yoga postures. Here each week during the month of January we will present and explore techniques and ways to relax the physical and mental bodies – so that we can all reap the benefits. We thought that might be a good way to get the new year going.

Week #1 (January 1 – 9)

Let’s make week #1 very basic yet effective – no props needed – no special accessories needed – and indeed not even much time is needed. Here are two options for you – try to do one or both every day.

5 minutes of seated breathing: Sit cross-legged on your mat or sit in a chair and close the eyes and engage in slow, quiet breathes for 5 minutes. Set your alarm so you need not open your eyes to check the clock. Work on creating long, slow respirations, and tangibly feel what effect that has on the mind – and body.

5 minutes of shavasana (corpse pose): Lie down on your mat or a carpet – be on your back with your arms angled slightly away from your body (hips) with your palms open and facing upward. Try to disengage every muscle – draw the mind inwards, and lengthen the respirations. Bask in this position gaining a sense of weightlessness and stillness of mind. Best is not to follow asleep as that invites staticity. Set your alarm so you need not open your eyes to check the clock.

Options: Try and do one or both of the above practices daily. You might try doing your seated breathing in the morning before breakfast and your corpse posture before your evening meal. Or you see what spots in the day work best for you.

Week #2 (January 10 – 17)

For week #2 of the Relaxation Challenge, we will explore this short series:

(a) Wide-Angle Child’s Pose (2 min): This will open up the hips, gently stretch the back, and calm the brain.

(b) Supine with block under the tailbone (2 min): This backbend will serve as the antithesis to the above pose. Lie on your back and place a block under the tailbone. See photo at the bottom of this blog post.

(c) Utksepa Mundra (4 Rounds): Lie supine in a T-shape. Long, slow respirations and then on the exhale bring knees to sternum, head to knees, and wrap the arms around the shins. Keep air expelled and remain there 8 seconds. Then inhale back to T-shape. Do four rounds.

(d) Supine with block under heart chakra (2 min): This time place the block under the sternum. Enter by raising the torso off the ground using your elbows as supports. Then place block lengthwise along the spine under the sternum – the block will be in a flat position.

Week #3 (January 18 – 24)

For week #3 of the Relaxation Challenge, we invite you to sit back and – well, relax – and bask in the sounds of our singing bowls.

Week #4 (January 25 – 31)

Week #4 has got to be a bit of a medley – all because of the blizzard. For some relaxation may mean a back care podcast because of all the shoveling they have been doing. For others it is meditating with nature or feeling at peace. And still others may prefer to go back and visit routines that they missed earlier in the month. And if none of these work for you, write us and we will send you the right prescription.