Inspirations: Back Support

Bridge Pose Lie on your back and bend knees, bringing feet as close to hips as possible.On exhale press feet down and lift or curl tailbone up, lift buttocks, lower then upper back off floor.  Keep thighs parallel and feel that you pull knees away from the body, lengthening thighs, and lift pubis toward navel.  Clasp hands under back and bring shoulders as close together under you as possible.  Keep weight off the neck.  As you advance in this pose, try to release any squeezing or tightening of the buttocks.  You want to create space in lower spine and tailbone. Keep neck neutral, chin away from breast bone-sternum, rather bring sternum toward chin.  Remain and breathe easily as long as you wish.  When leaving pose, release hands, and move from top of spine down, tailbone last. In addition to the well known version, you can increase its difficulty by walking feet away from buttocks, and lengthening legs so the body looks like a long, lovely Chinese bridge.  Place hands under back hipbones, fingers pointing toward feet, for support. A third version is to lift legs into the air from here, exteding them long and strong out, away from torso.  Parsva Sarvangasana– Is when you add side extensions and plane the entire length of torso and legs out, reachint to right then left. Health Notes:  As it stretches chest, spine, and possibly the neck, it improves digestion, asthma, relieves menstrual discomfort, reduces anxiety, helps with backache, headache, and insomnia. It stimulates the organs, thyroid, and lungs, calms the brain, which is why sleeping, stress, and high blood pressure are helped.

Sit on  Sitts- bones and tailbone, legs extended.  Exhale and bend knees to lift  feet, extend legs only  if lower back is strong enough, otherwise keep knees bent.  If possible keep ships parallel to floor, and lift lower back, bringing chest closer to thighs. Extend arms forward.   If you’re feeling frisky, lift arms overhead, extend legs and back high up and straight.  It makes the ego happy.  Just make sure lower back is just as happy. Health Notes:  Clearly the pose strengthens abdomen, hip flexors and lower back.  It also stimulates thyroid, prostate glands, intestines, and kidneys, therefore helping with a stronger digestion, as well as relieving stress.

Triangle or Wide Angle Pose There are many ways to enter this seemingly simple pose, but the easiest is to come from Tadasana-stand still, and either step the R leg back, or lightly jump feet about 3-4 feet apart.  The L foot faces front wall, and R foot turns in slightly.  Line up the front L heel with instep of R foot, lifting the thighs, so you can slightly turn L thigh outward.  Line up L knee and ankle, and open arms to side.  Inhale, then on exhale extend L side of torso to L, over L leg, lengthening spine and ribs as you bend from the hips, not the waist.  Try to lengthen both sides equally, keeping  R foot firmly planted, and tailbone down, stretching toward back heel.   Depending on your stretchability, either place L hand on L shin, ankle, or floor-baby toe side.  Keep the arms 180 degrees, so that as you go over, the R arm reaches toward the sky. You can maintain neck and head in the same, neutral position,  or you can look down at L foot, especially if neck is tight, or you have high blood pressure.  Or turn head to R and look up, which helps in opening the chest.  Do not pull R arm back behind its shoulder alignment. Health Notes: This is a wonderful lengthening pose that everyone can do, and feel more open, no matter how tight hamstrings or hips.  It tones the legs,  opens chest and shoulders, lengthens spine, and brings space to the organs thus helping with stress, anxiety, and digestion.  If done regularly, it will help with sciatica, symptoms of menopause, and flat feet.

Cat | Cow These poses are almost always done in conjunction-  Cat Cow Asana, and is a gentle opening warm up for the day, or a class.   Come to hands and knees, with  knees  below hips, and wrists under shoulders.   Head is part of the spine and moves with it, not separate from. Don’t let shoulder blades sink inward.  For Cat portion,  inhale, lift chest (head) and tailbone, drop belly.  You can do the poses separately, but why? simply exhale and return to your neutral table top, or move directly to the cat portion, which is the opposite of the Cow portion.  Contract the belly as you exhale, rounding spine, and dropping tailbone. and head, in line with spine.  Ergo- Cat Cow Vinasa, a gentle spine toner and warm up. You can practice this with your eyes closed, bringing the breath into the vertabrae and opening them up.  You can also try breathing in the opposite way  ie, inhale during Cat, exhale in Cow.  It may feel wierd, but that’s the point….growing awareness. Health Notes: Gentle spine toner, good opener, good for paying attention to breath.