This is a five movement yoga practice that's specifically geared for healing some back issues,
Just some gentle aches and pains.
We're going to start off just loosening up the back and then move through like a very nice gentle sequence.
Now,
Remember,
If you have trouble getting to the floor,
Set it up that you start,
You sit in a chair,
Come down to a couch and then come down to the mat.
And I'm going to show you if you're having any issues with your knees or where you might have some problems,
How you could use some props like a pillow and then also a block.
Or if you don't have a block,
Just a book and to make the asanas,
The postures more comfortable for you.
We're gonna always start off by just wanting to loosen up.
The back.
So we're going to do this classic yoga pose called Cat Cow.
So we're just going to be moving through.
Arching the back and rounding out the back.
So start with an exhale.
You're going to drop the tailbone,
Drop the chin,
Round out the back as if there's a string pulling the midpoint of the back up.
Then as you inhale.
You gently start to arch the back.
So it's like expanding the chest forward.
Keep the neck neutral.
You're not trying to look up to the ceiling.
Exhale.
Dropping the tailbone,
Dropping the chin.
Round in the back.
As you inhale,
Feel the spine just kind of undulate almost like.
Sneakily,
Shake a little side to side.
And then just begin to link the movement with breath.
Just do three more.
Remember,
The emphasis here is on loosening up.
You're not trying to stretch or anything.
We're not strengthening.
We're just loosening the back.
Getting some mobility.
And this last take it last exhale.
And then come back to this neutral space where your back's not completely flat,
But generally flat.
Now keeping the knees wide.
You're going to bring the big toes together.
So the legs create a shape of a V.
Taking an inhale,
And as you exhale,
You're going to be dropping your buttocks down to your heels,
Keeping the arms out.
Now,
For some of you,
This might cause problems with the knees.
It might cause some pain.
So take a pillow.
You can put a pillow behind your knees,
Take the strain off the knees.
And sync back.
Give your knees a little bit of.
.
.
Relief.
If you're using a thin yoga mat,
You could always use the pillow below your knees as well.
And just you should have.
Most of your weight on your forearms and your hands,
The forehead is very gentle.
If at all.
And just sink in.
So as you inhale,
Feeling the breath through the back of the lungs.
And as you exhale,
Feeling it just release and let go,
Softening the back.
If you have one particular spot,
Maybe lower right or lower left back,
You could also do this by breathing in and feel that spot where you feel a little tightness or a little ache or pain.
And as you breathe out,
The feeling of just softening through there.
Or just keep it generally through the whole back.
You should feel this nice gentle stretch all the way from the lower back through the shoulders here.
We'll hold here for three more breaths.
You And next exhale,
Just gently come back up.
This neutral spot.
And we're gonna transition now onto our backs.
So I recommend using a pillow.
To rest your head comfortably.
Also keeps the.
.
.
Making sure your neck doesn't get strained here.
So what I recommend on this one,
We're going to be doing a twist in the line down position.
Is to use a block.
If you don't have a yoga block,
You should use a book.
And you could even put like a pillow on top of it.
So we're going to be bringing both knees down to the side.
So bring the arms out,
Shoulder height.
And just find the space where you feel the most stable in terms of if you don't want to keep the feet too far down in a way because it puts the arch in the lower back if the feet are heels are too close to your buttocks and knees feel tight it's just where you feel comfortable Take an inhale and your exhale,
Gently come down.
And you're going to just rest them comfortably.
Once again,
On this block and pillow or book in a pillow,
Maybe just a block.
When in this supine twist,
If you're not able to rest the upper leg comfortably on the lower leg,
So if your upper leg is like this and you find it uncomfortable or it's moving.
Totally fine to take a pillow.
And put it in between your legs,
And then it gives your upper legs something very comfortable to relax on.
Your head could be neutral.
You could be looking up at your ceiling.
You could also look the opposite way.
So with my knees to the left.
You could be looking to the right or looking up.
Just bring your awareness to the lower back when you breathe in you feel as you breathe out you just relax and let go I'll hold you for two more breaths.
And on the next exhale,
Gently bring the knees back up to center.
Before we move to the other side,
Feel into the lower back.
Right side.
See if you notice the difference in the right side and the left side.
And set yourself up whatever you use them for your props on the right side And then take an inhale and exhale slowly coming down.
Bring the knees down to the right side.
Once again,
Head could be neutral,
Looking up at ceiling or be looking left.
And just feel into the lower left back.
Once again,
That.
.
.
Feeling as you inhale,
You feel,
Do a felt sensation.
As you exhale,
Just a feeling of relaxing and letting go.
Taking a couple more breaths.
And on the next exhale,
Gently bring your knees back up to center.
And relax Now you can let the legs go out long.
Bring your body to the right side of your mat.
And then walk the feet gently over to the left corner,
Keeping your right buttocks on the mat.
And then bring your head and shoulders.
Far as you comfortably once again we're never moving past our comfortable zone so no straining we're not moving past pain Always be comfortable.
And most people find it more comfortable to cross the left ankle over the right ankle.
Arms could be on the side of the body.
Out here,
I like to bring my arms above my head and release the fingers.
But if this causes pain in your shoulders,
Just leave it down.
And once again,
Making sure your right buttock stays on the mat and your body's creating a bit of a shape of like a banana.
And you're just as you breathe in,
Feel the breath moving through the right part of the lungs.
Feeling that nice gentle side stretch through the torso.
And as you exhale,
Just relax and release.
We'll hold here for four breaths.
And hold here for one more breath.
Ready could uncross the ankles walk the feet back to the right corner Bring your head and torso,
Shoulders back to the right so your body's completely straight.
Before we move to the left side,
Just feel into your torso.
See if you notice the difference between the right side and the left side.
Then move your body over to the left.
We're going to walk the feet over to the right.
Head and shoulders back to the right.
Cross the right ankle over left if you like.
And once again,
Arms down here,
Arms outside if you're comfortable with it.
Bring the arms above that and release the fingers.
Just be with this nice side stretch.
Release and relaxes with the exhale.
And one more breath And you could uncross your ankles and walk in the feet back to the left corner.
Head and shoulders back.
And just.
.
.
Feel into your torso.
See if you feel any difference between the right and left side,
The lower back.
Bring your body to the center.
We're going to bring the feet flat.
With the feet wide,
A little wider than hips,
And gently bring the knees together.
So it's like the legs have created a series of triangles.
Feel nice and stable once again play with that feeling where your body feels stable and balance,
The back feels good,
So the feet not too far down,
Which has this arch not too close,
Just wherever you're most comfortable.
Bring the arms,
The sides of the body,
Palms down.
We're gonna be keeping all our awareness here in the lower abdomen,
So the lower belly and the lower back.
Three things to focus on on the inhale,
Three things on the exhale.
And start with an exhale.
As you breathe in.
Let the belly rise.
You feel the lower back arch off the mat.
And the pelvic bone,
The bottom of the spine,
Pushes into the mat.
As you exhale,
The belly shrinks.
You flatten the lower back.
Feel the core engage a bit and the pelvic bone tilts a little off the mat.
So breathing in,
Belly rise.
Lower back arch.
Pelvic bone into the mat.
Exhale.
Shrinking the belly,
Flatten the lower back.
Let the pelvic bone gently tilt off the mat.
As you breathe in,
You want to be breathing in about 70,
75%.
But on your exhales,
Be.
.
.
You want to really be full with exhalation to the point that you're feeling the core engage.
So you flatten that back.
Tilt the pelvic bone off the mat.
We'll do this for four breaths.
Once again,
If your mind wanders,
No judgment.
Just note it and bring it back to the lower abdomen.
Take one more breath together so start with your exhale And inhale,
Belly rise.
Lower back arch,
Pelvic bone into the mat.
Exhale shrink in the belly flatten the lower back pelvic bone tilts off the mat breathe out till there's absolutely nothing left to breathe out hold at the bottom of the exhale seven.
6.
Five.
Four one and relax let the palms go up to the ceiling And just take three nice lower belly breaths.
So you're just feeling the belly rise on the inhale.
Sink on the exhale rise and fall for three breaths You have to come out of this position.
And to come back to standing.
You want to transition very slowly.
You want to first move into on your side.
Fetal position.
The knees up towards the chest.
And just relax in that sideways fetal position.
For about 30 seconds.
And then as you come up,
Take your time.
If you need to do it in three steps,
Where you first come onto a couch and then a chair and then stand up.
Make sure you come out of this practice slowly and mindfully.
Be conscious of moving your body.
Safe and healthy way.
And then move into the rest of your day.
Thanks for joining me.
