Thank you for joining me today.
This is the vagus nerve full salamander practice from Stanley Rosenberg and his amazing book Accessing the Healing Powers of the Vegas Nerve.
Mr.
Rosenberg's research shows that this practice improves flexibility of the thoracic spine and loosens up movement in the joints between the individual ribs and the sternum.
This helps improve your breath capacity.
This practice also aids in reducing forward head posture and scoliosis.
We practice full salamander on our hands and knees,
So make your way down to the floor,
On the carpet,
Or on a yoga mat.
It may be helpful to pad your knees.
Adjust yourself so that you're on your hands and knees with your wrist right under your shoulders and your knees right under your hips.
This is tabletop position in yoga.
If it is not comfortable for you to be on your knees,
You can stand and bend over,
Put your hands on a desk or chair seat.
A salamander has no neck,
So its head is attached to its body.
You will need to keep your head in line with your spine during this practice.
Let's find that just right location where your ears are neither lifted above your spine or below your spine.
To do this,
Push through your palms and sense your head lift up above center.
Then sink your head down below center.
Do this a couple of times and find that just right alignment with your head in line with your spine.
Find center.
Now pull the chin in slightly and feel the back of the neck elongate.
Nice.
Now look to the right with your eyes,
Holding them there as you gently take your right ear to your right shoulder.
The shoulder does not lift up.
Now complete the movement by allowing the whole body to bend to the right,
The right hip gently curling toward the right shoulder.
This is a small movement.
It's not your deepest stretch.
Hold this position as you keep your focus on your eyes and moving your eyes as far as they can go to the right.
We hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
We are engaging the muscles on the right side of the neck and the right side body that are innervated with the vagus nerve.
Now begin to look for signals that your body is moving from the stress state into rest and digest.
Notice your mouth.
Is it filled with saliva?
Are you swallowing?
Sighing?
Or perhaps taking a deep breath or even yawning.
If you've been under a lot of stress for a long time,
It may take a few practices for you to sense full release.
Move your head and your spine back into center.
Now move the eyes to the left as far as they can look.
Slowly take your left ear to your left shoulder.
Now lift the left hip slightly toward the left shoulder,
Creating a soft C shape in the spine.
Hold your body in this position as you keep your eyes fully engaged to the left.
This helps release the neck muscles at the base of the skull.
The vagus nerve moves from the brain stem,
Down the neck,
And into every major organ system in the chest and belly.
Now begin to look for signs that your nervous system is releasing.
Checking for saliva,
Sighs,
Deeper breaths,
Swallowing,
Or yawning.
If you've been doing the other vagus nerve practices in this series,
You may find yourself slipping easily into the relaxation response.
Wonderful job.
Now bring the spine and the head back to center.
To further relax your nervous system,
Lower onto your belly.
Stack one hand on top of the other,
With the elbows winging out to the sides.
Allow your forehead to lower down onto the backs of your hands.
Close your eyes and filter your attention inward.
Exhale completely.
Inhale,
Glide your attention down your back body,
Along the spine,
Over the buttocks and legs.
Exhale attention down to the heels and soles of the feet.
Inhaling down the back body.
Exhale from the soles of the feet.
Do that a few rounds,
And notice how easily you're breathing.
This practice increases your breath capacity so that your resting breath becomes steeper.
With the vagus nerve work,
We're creating new neural networks between the brain and the nervous system.
The effects of these practices are cumulative.
This will help you be more resilient to stress.
You may find it helpful to add a few of these vagus nerve practices in this series into your day.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Wishing you deep peace,
My friends.
Namaste.
