This is one in a series of posts on restorative yoga poses to deeply relax and nourish body, mind and spirit.
You recharge your phone regularly, why not your body? Whether you’ve got five or twenty minutes, this pose is my favourite way to find a deep state of rest. Call it a mini holiday its the one to do first thing when you get home after work or on a Sunday afternoon.
You’ll notice an opening up in the chest area as well as a stretching of the inner thighs. Its a welcome counter pose when you’ve been sitting for long periods hunched over a computer. More importantly though you’ll be stimulating your body’s natural relaxation response, helping to promote digestion and a good night’s sleep.
Benefits
- Stimulates abdominal organs, like the ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys.
- Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation.
- Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees.
- Helps relieve the symptoms of stress, mild depression, menstruation and menopause.
The pose
You’ll need a bolster to support the spine, some blankets and some pillows and cushions, an eye mask is nice too!
- Assemble all your props near you and lie on your back. The bolster should be underneath your spine with your tailbone resting on the floor. Note if there is tightness in the lower back you can use a blanket under your bottom to lift you slightly.
- Take several long, slow breaths, settling the mind.
- Bend your knees and then bring the soles of the feet together, letting your knees to drop open to the sides. Prop pillows or cushions under your outside thighs so your legs are fully supported. Place an blanket or wheat pillow over the eyes. In cooler weather you can also cover yourself with a blanket to increase feelings of being relaxation.
- Rest your arms out to the side with your palms open to the sky.
- Tuck your chin in slightly so your neck is long and release your shoulder blades down your back.
- Focus on opening the chest and allowing the groins to release. You can raise feet by placing on a blanket if hips and groins are tight
NOTE: Don’t push legs down to increase stretch as this tenses and hardens groins, belly and back. Instead imagine knees floating to ceiling and settle inner groins deep into pelvis, knees will drop as your groins relax.
The true gift of this pose is being fully supported to surrender the need to do anything but relax. Stay for as long as you need. It’s not a trip to the beach but you’ll definitely float away!