Relaxing Yoga Pose: Supported Bridge (part 3)

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As we've seen in Parts 1 and 2 of the relaxing yoga pose series, yoga doesn't have to be complicated or make you look like a pretzel in order to be effective and provide restorative and relaxing benefits. In fact, one of the most relaxing yoga poses I know is Supported Bridge with a block. I like this pose so much that whenever I make it to yoga a bit early I grab a block and assume the position - it is the perfect way to achieve a gentle stretch yet totally let go. It's easy to get into - just lay on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet firmly on the ground hip-width apart. Use the strength of your thighs and glutes to lift your hips into air, and slide a yoga block on it's second tallest height under your sacrum (just above your tail bone) before slowly lowering your weight onto the block. Allow your arms to rest alongside you body, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths - you're whole chest can really begin to open here.

Not familiar with yoga blocks? These foam, cork, or wooden blocks are handy tools often used to modify more challenging yoga poses. A foam or cork block works especially well for supported bridge pose as they're a bit softer on the sacrum. I just invested in a couple foam blocks to complement my practice at home, and found some good quality, inexpensive options on Amazon. I recommend going for blocks that are 4" x 6" x 9" - the 3" blocks tend to be too narrow for my liking. Of course, if you don't have a yoga block and want to try out supported bridge, a strategically placed chapter book or two can give you the same idea.

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Relaxing Yoga Poses: Legs Up The Wall (part 2)

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I mentioned in my first post about relaxing yoga poses that there are many time-tested positions that calm both the body and mind. Legs Up The Wall is another relaxing pose that offers a gentle stretch, reduces stress, and re-ups your energy. The pose itself is as self-explanitory as it sounds - start by sitting on the floor directly next to a wall and swing your legs up so that they rest - slightly bent - against the wall as you lower your torso onto the floor. You will end up lying perpendicular to the wall as the photos show. You can place a pillow under your back or hips to make the pose more comfortable, and might experiment with moving your hips closer to the wall or further away depending on the flexibility of your legs. You might let your arms rest out to the side, palms open to the sky, or bring your arms up over your head to gain a side-body stretch.

Whatever variation of Legs Up The Wall you choose, you'll gain the benefits of this leisurely inversion, such as stretching the backs of the legs, relieving swollen or tired legs, ankles, and feet, and flooding the body with energy. For maximum impact, enjoy the posture for about 5 to 10 minutes. Close your eyes, keeping the back of your neck flat on the floor, and breathe down deeply into your belly as you feel the tension melt out your body.

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Relaxing Yoga Poses: Child's Pose (Part 1)

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I love yoga - the ancient practice that combines measured breath with rhythmic movement, mind blowing stretches, and heart-opening vibrations. Like many yogis I know, I practice regularly to challenge myself on the mat and test my limits - but the stress relieving benefits of a regular practice are not to be ignored. Yoga has a way of calming the mind and helping us to find a greater sense of peace and balance, and there are many yoga poses designed to facilitate deep relaxation and foster recovery.

While some people push through class eager for savasana - also called corpse pose, the final pose in many yoga practices where you lay flat on your back and drift into a quiet, reflective state - there are several poses I find more relaxing and refreshing, and I wanted to share some of them with you. Even if you are not into yoga, you can enjoy making these poses a part of your life for the comfortable and easy stretches that they bring, or retreat to them when you need to rest and recharge during a particularly grueling day.

Let's kick it off with child's pose, a sort of fetal position taken with your shins on the ground. To get into child's pose, start by kneeling with both knees on the ground, sit back on your heels (you want your feet to be pointed so the tops of your feet are completely touching the ground), and drape your torso over you thighs, resting your forehead on the ground. Voila! Commence deep relaxation.

There are various ways you can enjoy this pose depending on what feels best for your body. You may opt to keep your knees touching one another, so your whole chest is resting on your thighs, or you may draw your knees wide and allow your chest to lower down to the ground between your knees. You may opt to stretch your arms above your head (pictured below) to gain a stretch along the sides of your body, or you might let your hand rest along your thighs or grasp them behind your feet (see above). You can rest the middle of your forehead on the ground, or you might rotate your head from side to side, resting one cheek on the ground for several breaths and then the other.

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Lazy Sunday: On the Sofa

It was a very, very lazy Sunday for me this week. Most of the day was spent on the sofa, watching DVDs (Flight of the Conchords Season II, to be specific), flopping from one reclined position to the next. Absolutely nothing productive occurred before about 7:00 tonight. In short, it was gloriously slothlike. Motivation and chasing of dreams shall resume tomorrow... but I've got a few more hours of loungability left in me for now.

Weekend Relaxation

I will be following my own advice tomorrow and taking in some serious soul food. Top on the list? Relishing in a deep tissue massage... ahhh I'm relaxing just thinking about it. Nothing beats that post-massage jellyfish feeling, smelling of sweet oil, skin still flush and warm. What are you up to this weekend?

Soul Food

Photo via Vegetarian Women

What are you doing to nourish your spirit this week? What steps have you taken to honor yourself? What have you been feeding your divine energy?

Ok, you do not have to book a 76 day spiritual retreat to an Indian ashram in order to connect with your inner essence and experience a sense of contentment (although Tina of Think Simple Now did and it sounds amazing - check out her reflections here). But even making little contributions to your spirit's piggy bank can yield major returns when it comes to your world view and the way you interact with those around you.

So what kind of soul food are we talking about here? I think of soul food as anything that brings new energy and life to all that is best within us. Maybe it's an activity that gives you renewed sense of purpose and joy. Maybe it's a mantra you use to help you tackle tough challenges. Maybe it's a person that encourages you to follow your own path in life. Whatever your soul food - it's important to make time to enjoy it... and there's no time like the present!

Photo via Self Hypnosis

Still not sure what your own soul food is? Give a few of these suggestions a try and see what resonates with you. Once you find the kind of soul food that makes your heart swell with fulfillment and helps put your mind at peace, make a point to consume it regularly.

• Close your eyes and listen to music that carries you to a whole nother level
  
• Write in a gratitude journal, or simply list out things you're grateful for
• Take a yoga, or tai chi class
• Cook a nutritious meal for someone you love
  
• Try meditation, either by taking a class or using one of these methods
• Call an old friend you've been meaning to catch up with
• Invest in a long, restful night of sleep - your body will thank you
• Read a book that stirs something inside you
  
• Open up to your significant other about your dreams
• Volunteer doing something you love
  
• Eat a piece of the finest chocolate you can find
• Connect with your pets - or borrow a friend's if you need to!
• Paint, draw, write, or sing out how you feel
• Get a massage

Meditation Techniques for Restless Minds

Image via Katrina Bos

As I mentioned yesterday, meditation is a great way to decrease stress and discover more simplicity (the theme of this week's posts) in our lives. Whether you are a meditative neophyte or you have tried your hand at a few different meditation techniques, I hope to introduce you to a few new ideas for calming your mind. In particular, since so many of us are running on overdrive day in and day out, it can be impossible to suddenly jump to a cross-legged position and clear our minds of any thoughts for an extended period of time. So instead of discussing some of the more intensive meditation methods, such as transcendental meditation, I'm going to touch upon 3 techniques that are good starting points for those of us who have a hard enough time relaxing before bed at night. So go ahead and give one of these methods a try today. Just 10 or 15 minutes of meditation is a great time-frame to start out with. 

1. Breath Meditation

A basic starting point for many new to meditation, breath meditation involves focusing our attention completely on our breath as we inhale and exhale. To begin, find a comfortable seated position (on a chair, the floor, even recliner will do) and close your eyes. Begin to take slow deep breaths while counting, for example inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts. You can slowly increase the duration of each breath as you progress in your practice to obtain deeper, longer breaths. As you count, focus entirely on your breath, on your rib cage and then your whole chest expanding and contracting with each breath, on the feel of the air as it enters and exits through your nose. Be mindful of your heart rate slowing and your muscles relaxing. Continue to focus on your breath and your counts - this is a helpful way to empty your conscious mind of daily worries and thoughts. For visual people, you may find thinking of yourself as giant balloon slowly filling and collapsing. For more visual options, see #3. If this form of meditation is a bit too quiet for you or you have trouble staying still, then try#2. 

2. Motion Meditation

For those who get a little restless when practicing traditional forms of meditation, give one of these physical meditative techniques a try. One option is called the "sweeping house" technique. For this method, you'll want to again find a comfortable seated position and turn your focus to your breath. When you find your attention wandering, take both hands and place them at the nape of your neck. Then, in one fluid motion, move your hands up the back of your skull, forward across the crown of your head towards your forehead, and finally flick your hands away from your head. The idea here is to physically scoop the mind clutter (i.e. distracting thoughts, worry, doubts) from your head and fling them far away. Repeat this motion quickly ten or twenty times, and then return to your breath meditation. 

Still not feeling the seated-meditation vibe? Try walking meditation. In this practice, we are still focused on our breath, but we also draw our focus to the process and sensation of walking. Of course, you'll want to keep your eyes open for this form of meditation and find a quiet, safe place to practice in. Again, as you count your breaths, focus your attention on the movement of your legs, on the sensation as each part of the foot makes contact with the ground, on the gentle rise and fall of your body. Should unintended thoughts arise (this means anything not related to your breath and the mindful awareness of your body's movement), try the mind sweep technique explained above. You my also find a visual component helpful: When I practice walking meditation, I like to think of any negativity I carry in my body as slowly moving from my head down my body to my feet. Then, I picture the dark clouds of negativity being flung out of my body from the tips of my toes with each step forward.

3. Visualization Meditation

For those who think and learn visually, visualization meditation can be an especially rewarding practice. These forms of meditation tend to work best while sitting or lying comfortably, eyes closed. Again, draw your attention to your breath as a way to slow your body's rhythm and center your focus. You may want to try incorporating color visualization, such as envisioning your body slowly filling with increasingly brighter color as you continue your breath meditation. You may choose a color that represents an emotion or state of being you wish to embody. Trying to calm down? Fill yourself with a serene blue. Looking to embody your sensual side and feel more comfortable in your own skin? Imagine your body is emanating a luscious purple. Are you a little more abstract? Think of your body as a garden, working it's way from wilted and parched to lush and thriving as you practice. Maybe each breath brings with it another blossom or more foliage. 

Another great visualization exercise can be found on Steve Pavlina's website titled Visualization-Meditation Exercise. 

Wanting more?

If you'd like to learn more about the many benefits of meditation and various ways to practice this time-tested art, check out the websites below. Many, including How to Meditate, offer guided meditation videos and audio downloads which can be very helpful, especially when you're just starting out. For now, I'm off to practice some of my own breath and visualization meditation in preparation for a great night of sleep!

How to Meditate

Learning Meditation

Meditation Center - Meditation Myths and Steps for Making Meditation Easy

Mayo Clinic - Meditation for Stress Management