We often stretch maybe after our warmup and definitely at the end of our workout, but how often do we utilize the idea of stretching and meditation together without an actual workout? On a rest day maybe? But what about the other days? There’s so much recovery of the body and mind that can be achieved simply through gentle stretching and breathing.
Breathe.
During classes, after classes, throughout the stretches, and even outside of classes, I’m always constantly telling people to breathe. Why? Because breath is such a powerful force that lives within each and every one of us; breath is what makes us living beings that are capable of feelings, emotions, and thoughts.
Breathing helps calm the nervous system and often we forget to breathe when we’re feeling on-the-go stressed, tension, anger, frustration, etc., because our brain is panicking, it’s putting the pedal to the metal about all the things that overwhelms us. Therefore, this week, I encourage you to practice working stretching, meditation, and breathing into your daily routine – before bed, in the morning, and/or even midday reset.
The goal of this challenge is to surrender all your tensions, stress, and worries, and let all feelings pass through, so that you can be present with your body and reconnect with yourself.
Sequence is as follows:
- Lying on the mat with eyes closed
- Hug knees to chest – rock side to side to massage lower back
- Happy Baby pose – rock side to side
- Left Figure 4
- Right Figure 4
- Left Supine Spinal Twist
- Right Supine Spinal Twist
- Rollover onto Right side
- Push to Seated Position
- Left Neck Stretch
- Right Neck Stretch
- Left Seated Side Bend
- Right Seated Side Bend
- Cat Pose
- Cow Pose
- Downward Facing Dog
- High Plank
- Slowly lower to the ground
- Upward Facing Dog
- Child’s Pose