The body is wildly intelligent, in how it processes, integrates, absorbs and adapts throughout the day. There is a lot to digest both physically and emotionally especially when the environment around us can be fast paced, which can leave our fluctuating thoughts very much online within the mind after the day is done
If your energy is feeling over extended or your body’s intake of adrenaline and stress has upturned your nervous system these yoga sequences can help down regulate the nervous system and invite the body to remember its capacity to yield, restore and become more receptive to a self care practice in preparation for sleep.
Child’s pose
Knees wide to the edges of your mat.
Arms forward and pelvis heavy.
Lightly rest your forehead to the mat.
Stay for 4-8 breaths and feel the breath saturate the lower back.
Tip: for a restorative approach try using a bolster or pillows under your belly, chest and head for support. Relax the hips back towards your heels.
Cat & Cow
From a neutral spine use your inhale breath, surrender abdomen and lift tail.
Exhale and push the floor away and lift up through the shoulders, rounding the spine, curl tailbone and tuck chin towards your chest.
These two gentle postures are paired together to move the spine through two degrees of its rotation, flexion and extension. The movement massages lower organs, stimulates the kidneys and adrenals glands whilst creating a calming, emotional balance.
Tip: take deep breaths in and out through your nose and sync the movement to your breath.
Melting heart pose
Come onto your hands and knees as if you were moving into cat/cow pose. Shift your hips back and melt your chest and arms forward. Release your head onto the floor or a block and allow gravity to open your heart.
Tip: Try to stay here for two minutes and breathe deeply to calm your mind. This relaxing pose offers a slight stretch of the belly, helping to ease any bloating. Get more from the pose by stretching deeper on each exhale and allow your belly to expand forward. To take out the intensity around the shoulders, take the arms slightly wider than shoulder width and bring a bend to the elbows.
Wind Relieving pose
Knees hug to chest and gentle pressure is applied to the entire abdomen.
Soothing as well as stretching the lower back and lengthening the spine.
Tip: breathe consciously and hold for 4-8 breaths, inhaling deeply into the belly and connecting with the elements of nourishment and elimination. Both nourishment from good foods and regular elimination of waste create harmony of the body’s systems.
Supine or Seated twists
Start with both knees in the chest rocking from side to side. Let go of the left leg and twist right knee over to touchdown or hover and extend right arm out to the side – optional: Allow gaze to follow. Stay for 5 belly breaths, allowing the body to feel rested and supported by the mat. To move toward a calmer state, stay and linger a little longer.
Repeat on the left side.
Tip; adjust your pelvis and feel the spine aligned. This will allow energy to transfer up and down the spine with least resistance.